Date: 2016-08-23

A Cyber security expert, Mr Aremu Brimoh, of the University of Ilorin, has called on the National Assembly to enact a law to reduce cyber crimes in the country. Brimoh made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ilorin on Monday.

He said the need for such a law was necessary as it would help to fight the threat posed by internet fraud and other cyber crimes in the country. Brimoh said that such a law when promulgated should prescribe stiff penalty for anybody caught perpetrating cyber crime in the society.

"These cyber criminals are giving Nigeria bad names around the world. To redeem Nigeria's image, heavy punishment should be meted out to anyone engaging in internet crime," he said. The expert expressed concern at the rate cyber crimes had outgrown internet usage in the country.

Brimoh said that Nigeria was ranked 56 out of 60 countries embracing Internet usage. "The rate of cyber crimes in the country is becoming too alarming and I am using this medium to appeal to the National Assembly to formulate laws that will help to reduce this act to the barest minimum. "Nigeria, as we speak is the 56th out of 60th countries with high internet usage," he said.

Brimoh, therefore, urged government at all levels to create a forum where specialists in computer technology and internet protocols could educate citizens on the need to maintain and set up data security on their systems. (NAN)