FG determined to curb Cyber crime – Minister

Minister for Communication, Barrister Adebayo Shittu has said that the Federal Government is committed to eradicate cyber criminality among youths across the country.

Towards achieving this goal, the minister said that the government would put through, the establishment of National Anti-Cyber Criminality Council headed by the National Security Adviser.

The Minister gave this clue at the maiden edition of Federal Science and Technical College Model United Nations, which has its theme as Communicating the Future Through Information Technology, held at the College Hall on Monday.

Adebayo, who also went on a facility tour of the college, announced that the state-of-the-art Internet of Things, which was recently commissioned by the Minister of State for Education, Prof Anthony Anwukah, would be replicated in the 104 Unity Colleges across the country.

According to Shittu, who confessed that his visit to the college gave him a better view of the school, which he described as the best technical college in the country in terms of courses, facilities, resources, workshops, personnel, management and courses offered, said for once Nigeria has got it right.

“This is not enough to be complacent, what is here must be replicated in other Federal Colleges to produce skilled youths that can move this country forward and compete with the comity of nations technologically”, he said.

He described cyber-crime as a global phenomenon adding that its impact is more devastating in some foreign countries.

“I will use this Institution as a standard for all secondary schools in Nigeria , most of our universities teach theory with little or no practical and no job placement, private companies need skilled personnel, experience has shown that many of our universities are more theoretical than practical, many of the lecturers should come to this college and see things for themselves, so as to upgrade themselves , if our universities continue to produce graduates that are not skilled then, unemployment will continue to increase”, he said.

Shittu urged the college’s management to go into Public Private Partnership to commercialise the Internet of Things so as to generate fund for its maintenance.

The Minister also promised to draw out a Budget of Service Promotion Fund and include the School’s budget in it as he added that ICT should be made a permanent and compulsory extra-curricular activities for students.

Director of United Nations Information Center, Lagos, Mr. Ronald Kayanja said out of 7.5 billion people on earth, 2 billion are youth between 15 and 25 years old; and they need good competitive education.

He said youth focus on technology and innovation is one of those key elements of Agenda 2030 adding that Nigeria need to first of all increase access to information and communications technology for all citizens to enable them effectively engage in the contemporary economy.