A non-governmental organisation, Grassroots Researchers Association has trained civil society organisations and journalists in Katsina State on Digital Security Resilience.

 The two-day train-the-trainer workshop, which commenced in Katsina on Thursday, was aimed at enhancing the participants’ skills and knowledge in digital security practices.

 The Executive Director of the NGO, Timothy Yohanna, said that the training was also part of their efforts towards promoting online safety in the country.

Mr Yohanna said, “In today’s increasingly digital world, the security and resilience of CSOs and journalists are more important than ever. This workshop is designed to equip CSOs and media representatives with the knowledge and tools necessary to protect their digital assets, mitigate cyber threats, and enhance their overall digital resilience.

 “Your participation will be invaluable as we collectively work to strengthen our digital defences and ensure the continued effectiveness of our important work in the community.”

He said with the upsurge of social media threats, there was an urgent need for the participants to familiarise themselves with some vital principles.

According to Mr Yohanna, they include confidentiality, integrity and availability to ensure privacy and security in digital space.

 He said, “It has become imperative for civil society organisations, journalists and other Nigerians to use strong passwords to protect their devices, applications, social media accounts and physical assets for effective and efficient service delivery. Digital space threats exploit unknown vulnerabilities in devices or platforms and it is crucial for the participants to protect themselves and organisations.”

According to Mr Yohanna, Katsina State was selected from the North-West part of the country for the capacity building training because of its security vulnerability.

One of the participants, Aminatu Yahaya of Murna Foundation, said she learnt how to develop digital security policies for her organisation.

She stated, “I will step down the training to my organisation because of its importance.”

 Another participant, Shamsu Salisu, stated that the digital security and resilience training had helped him to respond effectively to the ever-evolving digital security challenges facing CSOs in the country.  

Also, Rachael Friday, said a significant percentage of CSOs in Nigeria faced numerous digital security threats and attacks.

”But, the training will go a long way in mitigating the challenges and restoring sanity in the digital space,” she said.

The workshop was sponsored by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation and West Africa Civil Society Institute.

(NAN)