In a clear demonstration of how widely communication digitalization has penetrated Nigerian society, an NGO, Grassroots Researchers Association (GRA), recently conducted a training of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and journalists in Katsina State in 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.
Executive Director of the NGO, Mr Timothy Yohanna, said the training was part of efforts geared towards promoting online safety in the country.
Said Yohanna: “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 defenses and ensure the continued effectiveness of our important work in the community.”
He noted that with the upsurge of social media threats, there was a need for the participants to familiarise themselves with some vital principles, including, according to Yohanna, confidentiality, integrity and availability to ensure privacy and security in digital space.
“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,” Yohanna stressed.
“Digital space threats exploit unknown vulnerabilities in devices or platforms and it is crucial for the participants to protect themselves and organisations.”
According to 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.
“I will step down the training to my organisation because of its importance,” she promised.
Another participant, Shamsu Salisu, stated that the digital security and resilience training has helped him to respond effectively to the ever-evolving digital security challenges CSOs in the country are facing.
On her part, Mrs Rachael Friday said a significant percentage of CSOs in Nigeria face 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 enthused.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the workshop was sponsored by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation and West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI).
