NCC mobilises Kano community against cyber crimes

The National Communications Commission (NCC), on Thursday met with residents of Kura community in Kano State, to educate them on cyber crimes and what role they should play as consumers to avoid falling victims.

Mrs. Felicia Onwuegbechulum, Director, Consumer Affairs Bureau of the Commission, in a speech at the occasion, explained that the commission was tasked with highlighting threats of cyber crime to all users of telecommunication services.

According to her, the NCC sensitises consumers on the role they need to play to be protected from cyber criminals and hackers.

“It is for that reason that the Commission embarked on various initiatives to increase access to internet for Nigerians to facilitate positive engagement.

“The Kura event, with the theme, `mitigating the effects of cyber crimes: the role of telecom consumers’, is part of the commission’s various outreach programmes of awareness campaign,” she said.

Earlier, Alhaji Ismail Adedigba, Deputy Director, Consumer Affairs Bureau of the Commission, had said that the Commission had initiated a process of establishing an Internet Industry Code of Practice for internet service providers in the country.

“The Internet Code is a regulatory intervention expected to secure the country’s cyber space against imminent threats from cyber attackers and to address issues such as online child protection, privacy and data protection, among others,” Adedigba said.

He, however, urged consumers to take the opportunity seriously as the Commission was educating them on what roles they should play in minimising the effect of cyber crimes.

Some members of the community, who spoke with our correspondent, expressed happiness over the town hall meeting, and commended NCC for bringing it to their doorsteps.

Malam Rilwanu Muhammed, a traditional ruler in the area, in a remark, said that the meeting had given them the opportunity to have access to various telecom operators directly addressing burning concerns of the residents.