Connect with us

News

Experts at NaijaSecCon’19 urge young Nigerians to focus on cyber security

Published

on

BY: Justice Godfry

Some cyber security experts and enthusiasts have urged Nigerians, especially the youths to develop and harness cyber security talents, predicting that such talents will ultimately turn to revenue spinner for Nigeria in the near future.

The experts, who made the call at this year’s NaijaSecCon 2019 Cybersecurity Conference in Lagos, noted that with the increase in the prevalence of cybercrime attacks on business organizations, government infrastructures and individuals, the demands for cyber security skills will also be on the rise.

L-R, Rotimi Akinyele (Convener, NaijaSecCon), Opeyemi Onifade (CEO, Afenoid Enterprise Limited) and Eyitemi Egbejule

First to make the call is the Lead Convener of NaijaSecCon 2019 Cybersecurity Conference, Mr. Rotimi Akinyele, while speaking to Journalists on the sideline of the Conference, which attracted stakeholders from financial institutions and other sectors of the Nigerian economy.

University Students trying their hands on lockpicking – at the NaijaSecCon Cybersecurity Competition for University Students

According to him, the rise in cybercrime and reliance on the digital world would see a huge demand for a cybersecurity workforce, which is expected to rise over the next few years. Thus, the Naija Cyber Security Conference, which brings skilled cyber security experts within the Nigerian cyber security domain and get everybody to come together on a platform where they can present and network.

University Students competing – at the NaijaSecCon Cybersecurity Competition for University Students

“For us, the most important thing is how government can develop and harness cyber security talents. That’s our priority. We have a lot of talented people in Nigeria, but these talents are not really being harnessed to contribute to National economy,” Akinyele said.

Asked to be specific on what industry enthusiasts like him are doing to develop and harness such talents, he disclosed that Naija Sec Con has an objective to establish a hub where students from across Nigeria can come for internships and get nurtured by experts, who will place them on the right track.

With the hub, according to him, the skills acquired will be utilised properly and not for fraudulent activities.

Meanwhile, Favour Femi-Oyewole, Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), Access Bank, who spoke on Social Engineering and its Importance, has described social engineering as the fasted growing area in cybercrime.

University Students competing – at the NaijaSecCon Cybersecurity Competition for University Students

She argues that, social engineering, which targets people with the right information and manipulate them when done right, has staggering returns on investment. She explained that social engineering is carried out by breaking the normal security process by using the trust relationship between people, adding that it often consists of many steps and it is not a one way process.

The 2019 edition of the NaijaSecCon was programmed into four sessions. They are Lockpick Village, where enthusiasts and tinkers alike are served to the chills of how lockpicking works and Cyber Security Career Village, where cyber enthusiasts, IT Security pros, and those who would love to create a career within the space gather.

Team B3t4_Pwn3r5 of Federal University of Technology, Akure – Winners of NaijaSecCon National Cybersecurity Competition for University Students

Others are  Technical Conference with more than 10 industry experts unravelling and advising on applicable threats within the space and Live Hacking Contest for students of tertiary institutions playing around on capturing hidden flags all through the event.

GrassRoots.ng is on a critical mission; to objectively and honestly represent the voice of ‘grassrooters’ in International, Federal, State and Local Government fora; heralding the achievements of political and other leaders and investors alike, without discrimination. This daily, digital news publication platform serves as the leading source of up-to-date information on how people and events reflect on the global community. The pragmatic articles reflect on the life of the community people, covering news/current affairs, business, technology, culture and fashion, entertainment, sports, State, National and International issues that directly impact the locals.

Continue Reading

News

70% of Christians killed in 2024 are African – Group

ORJI ISRAEL reports that the group accused ANC of maintaining silence on religious persecution, while deepening ties with ideological extremists in Tehran

Published

on

70% of Christians killed in 2024 are African gettyimages
Women crying during killings in Benue State, Nigeria

Recent reports indicate that over 4,400 Christians were murdered for their faith last year, while over the past decade, jihadist violence has driven 16 million Christians from their homes, millions of which are African citizens.

This is according to global Christian charity, Open Doors, which also confirms that for every five Christians, one will face persecution in Africa specifically.

Open Doors’ 2025 World Watch List reveals the top 10 most dangerous countries for Christians are dominated by Islamic states in the Middle East and Africa, including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Yemen, Sudan, Somalia, Libya, and Nigeria. A more detailed UK Parliament briefing recently noted that 70% of Christians killed in 2024 were indeed in Africa. 

Over the last six months, the brutality against Christians in Africa has escalated to alarming levels, with a series of devastating attacks across the continent. Just last month, ISIL-affiliated rebels stormed a Catholic church in Komanda, DRC, murdering close to 50 worshippers, including women and children. That same month in Mozambique, Islamic State fighters captured and beheaded six Christians from Natocua village, just across South Africa’s border. A month earlier, in June 2025, armed militants in Nigeria massacred nearly 200 Christian civilians in Yelwata village. 

“What we are witnessing is not random violence or isolated attacks. It is a deliberate, coordinated campaign by jihadist networks to wipe Christianity from vast regions of Africa and the Middle East,” says SAFI spokesperson, Bafana Modise. “These acts of terror are the early stages of a genocide against Christians, and history will record who spoke out and who shamefully looked away. Tragically, the ANC has chosen the latter.”

This silence is even more damning in light of last week’s news that South Africa’s military chief, Gen. Rudzani Maphwanya, met with Iranian Maj. Gen. Amir Hatami in Tehran to discuss deepening military and strategic ties, when Iran remains one of the world’s most notorious persecutors of Christians.

A recent report by the Middle East Africa Research Institute (MEARI) warned that Pretoria’s deepening ties with Tehran has compromised South Africa’s democratic foundations by defending Iran at the UN and IAEA, downplaying its human rights abuses, and potentially benefitting from covert support, including speculation around the ANC’s repayment of a multi-million-rand debt shortly after filing the ICJ case against Israel.

“These atrocities are not just crimes against individuals; they are part of a war against the freedom of religion itself,” Modise warns. “This is religious genocide, and it is gaining momentum as it edges closer to South Africa’s borders.”

Instead of defending religious freedom, the ANC government has remained silent. It has issued no meaningful condemnation or rallying call to protect persecuted Christians: “The ANC has done nothing to defend the rights of Christians,” says Modise. “Instead, it has squandered South Africa’s moral standing on discredited genocide charges against Israel – the one country in the Middle East where Christians live in safety and equality.”

This betrayal is even more unforgivable in a nation where 80% of South Africans identify as Christian. Freedom of religion is a fundamental human right, but the ANC, once the global champion of human rights, has made its bed with regimes and groups that have used Islamic law to suppress and destroy those freedoms.

“The ANC’s alliances make it clear: they have abandoned South Africa’s Christians, choosing friendship with the very forces driving this campaign of genocide,” Modise concludes. “Silence in the face of such evil is complicity, and the ANC is guilty of both. They have aligned themselves with Jihadist Islamic ideology, without further thought.”

We call on every pastor, every congregation, and every believer to demand that the ANC account for its indifference and betrayal. The blood of persecuted Christians cries out from across the African continent. If South Africa will not stand with them now, the day may come when their fate becomes our own.

Continue Reading

News

Government Should Support Media with Tax Incentives, Relief on Import Duties – Soneye

….Media Sustainability: Soneye Advocates Tax Reliefs, Independent Fund for Journalism

Published

on

Femi Soneye
Femi Soneye

Former Chief Corporate Communications Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd), Mr. Femi Soneye, has called on the Federal Government to support the Nigerian media with targeted incentives, including tax reliefs and import duty waivers on essential media tools.

Soneye made the appeal in Abuja on Tuesday after receiving the NUJ FCT Excellence in Corporate Communications Award, conferred on him by the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), FCT Council.

The NUJ leadership, led by Chairperson Grace Ike, alongside the Deputy Chair, Secretary-General, and other executives, described Soneye as a consummate professional who has distinguished himself with tact and excellence in the communications field.

In his remarks, Soneye noted that while the Nigerian media remains one of the most vibrant in Africa, it continues to grapple with systemic challenges that weaken its effectiveness.

“The Nigerian media remains one of the most vibrant in Africa, but it also faces systemic challenges, financial, political, legal, and technological that weaken its effectiveness. The government can play a supportive role by granting tax incentives or relief on import duties for newsprint, broadcast equipment, and digital infrastructure,” he said.

He also urged the Federal Government to establish an independent media development fund to support investigative journalism, community radio, and newsroom innovation, drawing parallels with models in South Africa, the United States, and Canada.

The award underscores Soneye’s long-standing contributions to journalism and corporate communications, as well as his advocacy for a stronger, independent, and sustainable Nigerian media.

Continue Reading

News

Lagos NIPR elects new executives

Reporter: Sandra Ani

Published

on

Members of the newly elected executive of Lagos State Chapter NIPR
Members of the newly elected executive of Lagos State Chapter NIPR

… GFD Executive Director emerges chapter Vice Chairperson* 

The Lagos State Chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) has elected a new executive council at the close of its flagship Lagos PR Fest 2025, reinforcing its commitment to professionalism, innovation, and societal impact.

In elections supervised by NIPR Registrar, Chief Uzoma Onyegbadue, Samuel Ayetutu emerged as Chairman, while Eniola Mayowa was elected Vice Chairman in a closely contested race.

Other members of the executive include Secretary Samuel Adeyemi, Assistant Secretary Rita Ali-Nock, Public Relations Officer Ogochukwu Okeke, Financial Secretary Bassey Nta, Treasurer Olabamiji Adeleye, Welfare Officer Funmilola Akintola, and Ex-Officio Provost Marshal Quadri Adeleke.

In his acceptance remarks, Ayetutu pledged to drive professional standards, promote inclusiveness, and foster collaboration among members to enhance the chapter’s influence locally and nationally.

This year’s PR Fest, themed “Urban Farming for Food Security: The Role of Communication”, convened communication professionals, policymakers, and stakeholders to explore innovative strategies for tackling food security through effective public engagement.

Over the years, the Lagos PR Fest has evolved into a leading platform for advancing the role of public relations in societal development, with the 2025 edition underscoring the Institute’s mission to position communication as a driver of sustainable development in Nigeria.

Continue Reading

Trending