Yobe govt organizes symposium on Cybersecurity

The public has been urged to verify and fact-check information before taking action to avoid cybercrime and cyberbullying. 

This recommendation was made during a One-Day Cybersecurity Symposium titled “Contemporary Challenges and Solutions,” organized by the Yobe State Government in collaboration with the Office of the Honorary Special Advisor on Policy Delivery and the Office of the Yobe State Focal Person on Cyber and Information Technology.

During the event, Dr. Kole Shettima, the Special Advisor on Policy Delivery, emphasized the symposium’s purpose: to educate the public about the risks and solutions associated with information technology and to provide foundational knowledge about cybersecurity. 

He noted that technology can be used for both beneficial and harmful purposes.

Abdulmumin Kolo Gulani, the Focal Person on Cyber and Information Technology, also addressed participants. 

He stated that the symposium aimed to inform them about current cybersecurity challenges in the region, such as the irresponsible publicizing of terrorism-related incidents. 

He encouraged participants to gain insights into contemporary online crises and cybersecurity threats.

Gulani advised the attendees to take the lessons learned during the symposium seriously and to identify ways to stay safe online and protect themselves from cyber threats.

The event featured experts from within and outside the state, including Zainab O. Sanni, an Information Security Specialist at Techspecialist Consulting Limited, who spoke on “The Everyday Cyber Threats We Overlook — And How to Stay Safe.

” Dr. Musa Usman from the Department of Mass Communication discussed “Fake News, Hate Speech, and Social Media as a Threat to Security in Nigeria,” while Dr. Aliyu Bade from the Department of Computer Science at Yobe State University covered “Social Engineering: Targets, Attacks, Techniques, and Defense Strategies.” And Maj Gen GS Abdullahi (rtd) also made an insightful comments.

Participants at the symposium included representatives of security agencies, students, and Yobe State Government civil servants.