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Tag: security policy

  • Feature: Simulating the Security Policy that will work for Nigeria

    Feature: Simulating the Security Policy that will work for Nigeria

    By Ayo Akinfe

    At yesterday’s meeting with his security chiefs I hope Tinubu was able to reach an agreement with them to proceed with a policy which looks something like this.

    [1] Given that the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) is totally overwhelmed by the security situation, it is crystal clear that we need at least one new layer of security. As things stand, the NPF lacks the capacity to respond to distress calls and attacks taking place up and down the country because it is hopelessly overstretched

    [2] We will thus create regional security forces along the same lines as Amotekun. For them to become operational, these regional security forces must be approved by their state houses of assembly and these bodies will operate across their geo-political zones to prevent governors using them as private armies

    [3] By 2025, to become an Amotekun officer or one of an equivalent body, the minimum academic qualification you must have is four O’Levels. These are going to be professional outfits that engage in community policing and treat members of the public with respect, courtesy and dignity. They will have strict disciplinary codes too that will be exemplary

    [4] Amotekun and its sister organisations will have a hierarchy structure identical to that of the NPF. If you join as a university graduate, you will be an assistant superintendent. All Amotekun operatives will be trained to provide first aid, antenatal, emergency healthcare and paramedical services. If a woman is giving birth for instance, they will be well qualified to deliver that child

    [5] In every local government where Amotekun operates, there will be a weekly meeting with the divisional police officer to share intelligence. If need be, the local military commander will be asked to attend such meetings too

    [6] Most of Amotekun’s funding will come from private sector contributors. Basically, the plan will be to brand Amotekun as Nigeria’s investment police. If for instance Nissan, Hewlett Packard, Apple or Dell want to open a manufacturing facility in Nigeria, Amotekun will provide 24 hour protection, guarding their facilities under a three shift structure

    [7] International security companies like G4S, Securitas, Mitie, Vision Security Group and OCS will provide constant training for Amotekun staff. Their uniforms must at least be of the same standard as that of airline or bank staff and the minimum wage will be N50,000 a month

    [8] Amotekun will have a dedicated anti-rape team made up of female operatives. As about one third of Amotekun’s officials will be women, there will be 24-hour attention for victims of sexual assault. Members of the anti-rape team will carry anti-rape kits on them

    [9] Each local government area will have one Amotekun office where members of the public can drop in to offer intelligence. They will also have emergency numbers and email addresses where people can offer information anonymously

    [10] Amotekun will have a 12-man board of directors who shall be the six state governors, the regional chief executive, a regional controller-general, two appointed females and other traditional military officers. The chair of the geo-political governors forum will be its chairman, while one of the appointed ladies will be a lawyer who serves as its legal adviser and acts as the secretary of the board of directors, while the other will be the finance director. The last thing Nigeria needs is for this to become another group of bandits. The memory of Bakassi Boys is still fresh.

  • Feature: Proposed Security Policy for Nigeria at Chatham House

    Feature: Proposed Security Policy for Nigeria at Chatham House

    by Ayo Akinfe

    Were I invited to talk about Nigerian insecurity at Chatham House, I would unveil policy plans that look something like this

    [1] Insecurity is by far our biggest problem in Nigeria today. I would appoint a coordinating minister for security who will coordinate the affairs of the defence, police and internal affairs ministries

    [2] I will also appoint a coordinating minister of the economy who will oversee the finance, agriculture, labour & employment, trade & industry and petroleum ministries

    [3] I am amazed that none of the presidential candidates picked a former soldier a running mate. Tinubu could have picked Martin Luther Agwai, Atiku could have gone with Onyabor Ihejirika, while Peter Obi could have selected Luka Yusuf and Rabiu Kwankwaso could have gone with Kenneth Minimah. As Nigeria stands today, the combination of an economist and a former soldier would be ideal for the presidency

    [4] When I look at the calibre of military hardware being supplied to Ukraine, I shudder. I am particularly gobsmacked with the high tech High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (Himras) systems currently being delivered. They can hit targets about 300km away, are highly mobile and are fully digitised. Nigeria demands similar support in its fight against terrorism

    [5] I want the US, EU and UK to supply Nigeria with surveillance equipment, high tech drones and Himras systems that can enable us take out the likes of Boko Haram, Iswap, kidnappers, etc in their dens and forests

    [6] Since February 2022, the US has offered military aid of up to $7bn to Ukraine. Nigeria demands likewise

    [7] Similarly, the European Union has sent equipment worth €2.5bn to Ukraine since hostilities began

    [8] Not to be left out, the UK has equally sent £2.5bn worth of equipment to the Ukraine

    [9] All these nations pledging to be friends of Nigeria need to be put on the spot. If they can do it for Ukraine, why can’t they do it for Nigeria?

    [10] I will launch a public works programme to provide jobs for up to 30m youths. This is to combat terrorism, kidnappings and banditry which appeal to our youths a lot at the moment

  • Flour Mills of Nigeria PLC Gets ISO 27001 certification For Robust Cyber Security Framework

    Flour Mills of Nigeria PLC Gets ISO 27001 certification For Robust Cyber Security Framework

    Flour Mills of Nigeria PLC, a leader in Fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) recently passed the PECB ISO 27001 certification audit for its Information Technology (IT) and cybersecurity framework and policies. This certification has placed Flour Mills of Nigeria PLC as the foremost Nigerian firm in the FMCG sector to be presented with such a certification. ISO 27001 (Information Security Management System) is the most recognized international standard for information security management for any organization globally. It provides clear processes for effective implementation and continuous mitigation of data/security breach for any organization. This certification has placed Flour Mills of Nigeria PLC as an organization that is in line with the global best practices when it has to do with cybersecurity and data breaches.

    The PECB ISO 27001 Certification was facilitated by Nigeria’s cybersecurity firms, Kecam Technologies Limited and DataSixth CyberSecurity Limited. These firms in line with an internationally recognized audit firm conducted a series of interviews, ensured that the right implementation was in place, and also guided the organization to achieve the PECB ISO/27001 certification.

    On the importance of the certification to Flour Mills of Nigeria PLC, Omoboyede Olusanya, Group Managing Director / CEO said ” We appreciate this certification and the credit should go to the team that ensured that this happened. This is a document that shows that we have done something and we are very particular in the areas of cybersecurity. We are desirous to build a world-class organization. It is a process and it is an ingrained process, there is a continuous stride that we have here. We will keep improving.”

    Speaking to the media, Serge Yao, the Group Head of Information Technology (IT) Flour Mills of Nigeria PLC said, “This certification brings reassurance to business’s cybersecurity posture. It proves that we have well-defined system to handle cyber-attacks and cybersecurity. This certification testifies that FMN take seriously the confidentiality of information asset and IT risks are controlled. (Financial loss and damage to reputation are mitigated). We started our cybersecurity program fourteen months ago; the whole organization was engaged, and I want to thank FMN leadership team for the continuous support. It has been a transformational journey for all our employees toward cybersecurity; weak areas were exposed and rectified. Globally, targets for cyber-attacks have shifted toward manufacturing firms; so, we must mitigate IT risks and potential damage. We are the first indigenous FMCG to be certified and many more will follow for sure. This is a beginning, and we will continue to follow the best practices and ensure that we have our recertification next year. “

    On the importance of certification, Bonny Mekwunye, the Chief Executive Officer of, Kecam Technologies Limited, an indigenous Cybersecurity company in Nigeria said “About 10.5 trillion dollars will be the cost of cybercrime by the year 2025, what does this mean, it is basically that many organizations will be exposed to cyber-attack, it is important that organizations must start thinking how to build their cyber security framework such as people, processes and technology. This is where ISO certification comes in. This is a globally recognized body that is designed for organizations that are desirous and serious to look into their cyber security processes. Flour Mills Nigeria PLC has seen the relevance to protect their digital infrastructure and we were invited to provide a consulting service with our other partner which is DataSixth CyberSecurity Limited. This certification means that they are globally recognized in the area of data security just like other big firms in the world. “

    The country manager of DataSixth CyberSecurity Limited, Happiness Obioha said “This certification is all about data security for the organization and the need to have a round the clock continuous protection. This is a bold step for Flour Mills of Nigeria PLC. There is cyber resilience and they are sure that their critical infrastructure is protected. This certification demonstrates that the organization is equal to the task in the area of cybersecurity and it shows that they are digitally inclined. This certification will build a lot of moral, trust and confidence for the organization and their stakeholders.”

    The ISO 27001 is a globally acceptable certification for organizations that are desirous of strengthening the IT and cybersecurity frameworks. It uses a top-down, risk-based approach, and most time it is technology-neutral. The approach is in six phases such as the organization’s security policy, the scope of their Information Security Management System, risk assessment, how they manage identified risks, how objectives and controls are implemented and statement of applicability.