NIGERIA NOT TAKING FULL ADVANTAGE OF TECHNOLOGY TO CURB BANDITRY AND TERRORISM.
About a month ago my phone was stolen and I had to retrieve my number. Basically, I assumed it was not a big deal until I got to MTN office and they requested for my National Identification Number.
Unfortunately, everything was stored on my phone and email. I couldn’t access my mail on my laptop because I had forgotten my password. My password was saved on my phone and for years I had no cause to use it.
The process of getting my NIN involved divulging information about my life and family. It took about two weeks to get my NIN so I was off social media and other communication channels.
The truth we must know is that our government and our commutation service providers gather data about everyone enrolled on NIN in Nigeria. Not bad if they make good use of the information.
To find terrorists before they strike we must have: improved data sharing, “smart ID cards” with biometric identifiers, “smart visas” and improved border security, digital surveillance, and face recognition technology.
Until we start protecting our borders particularly in the northern parts of Nigeria we will not be able to deploy technology to reap maximum benefits. Our borders are porous and too easy to pass through from the vast land area.
Considering the security challenges confronting the nation, we must have face recognition cameras installed on our trains, strategic locations, commercial vehicles to scan crowds to capture images of faces. This is a technology that deserves to be urgently adopted in Nigeria.
We must do everything possible to defend the Nation against terrorist attacks. We must urgently adopt: anti-terrorism efforts toward systemwide improvements; recognize the economic benefits of investment in domestic defense; focus technology procurement on speedy deployment and interoperability; and coordinate domestic defense mechanisms.
Mobile accessories and the interconnectivity between gadgets and appliances in our homes – the internet of things – create an unprecedented network of tracking devices that should be capturing data for government, security agencies and commerce.
GPS-based location tracking on our mobile phones; social media apps where we broadcast our spontaneous thoughts, social lives and relationships are supposed to be tools for security monitoring purposes. Due to the level of crime and violence in the country, most of our major cities should have security cameras in strategic places.
Data surveillance must be part of our everyday lives. Unfortunately, federal, state governments and the security agencies are not taking maximum advantage of digital technologies for security and other social benefits for the nation.