Defence Minister Bashir Magashi says it is time to dominate cyberspace and deny cybercriminals of its illegal use without detection and arrests.

Mr Magashi said this at the opening of the 12th National Security Seminar of the Alumni Association of the National Defence College (AANDEC) on Tuesday in Abuja.

He said Nigeria could not afford to maintain the status quo when warfare had transformed quickly alongside rapid technological development, thereby impacting the means and methods of warfare.

“Improved situational awareness is often made possible by technology. It is time to demystify the forests being a haven for criminals,” he said. “It is time to dominate cyberspace and deny the cybercriminals of its illegal use without detection and arrests.”

He announced that the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) had made strides recently, manufacturing drones, light weapons, vehicles and Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles.

According to him, these efforts and other similar initiatives need to be accelerated through the rapid implementation of appropriate governmental policies geared towards the technological development of the security sector.

Mr Magashi said the armed forces and various security agencies had established research and development centres and cyber security outfits that had come up with worthy initiatives and products.

“In this regard, the Defence Research Development Bureau (DRDB), the Defence Space Administration, and other technology-driven agencies’ efforts to improve security operations are commendable steps in the right direction.

“Our security forces have performed well in international operations, and at home, they can do even better by improving their level of performance with the use of technology, especially since criminals and terrorists are applying technology in their nefarious activities,” he said.

He said the application of technology in managing national security challenges was a global phenomenon that nations took seriously, hence their massive investments in research, technology and innovations.

On his part, the National Security Adviser (NSA), retired Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno, represented by Maj.-Gen. Emmanuel Ndagi, said continuous technological advancements in warfare had led to highly improved capabilities in the 21st century.

Mr Monguno said the threats facing Nigeria were asymmetric, which placed a stronger desire for technology due to the need for digital surveillance and precision targeting, in some instances, to reduce collateral concerns to the barest level.

The NSA said technology remained a significant force multiplier in the current security landscape, saying the seminar was a major step towards consolidating the strides achieved by Nigerian security agencies to ensure the nation’s peace and security.

(NAN)