CITAD Advocates Use of Technology in the fight against Insurgency

The Executive Director Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) Engineer Y.Z Yau has said that Its seem like government and its security agencies failed to restore peace in the country, Instead, they seem to be in a debate among themselves as to who can offer the most ridiculous explanation of their failure.

According to him “we are all aware that insecurity across the country has made nowhere in Nigeria a safe place in the country as Kidnapping, banditry, secessionist violence have all become common place that peace is the only illusive constant.

Engineer Y.Z Yau made the observation in a press conference held at CITAD Kano office on Wednesday.

Explained that for the government to curtail the insecurity there is need for security agencies to increase the use of digital technology in term of intelligensia sharing among agencies to fight merchants of violence in the country adding that reequipping our army and intelligence agencies who have been underequipped will help in minimizing the nation’s security challenge for quite long.

Saying if these criminals can wage a campaign of terror and violence using Technology and intelligence, this means that government’s’ counter insurgency must also turn to be based on intelligence, but we have not seen this in the way that army and other agencies are prosecuting the campaign against insurgents.

Engineer Y.Z Yau added What government should do in adopting Technology and intelligence, need to develop, through consultation its Use of Technology for Counter Insurgency Plan and Strategy, Identity and address connectivity blind spots in the country, especially within environments where bandits and insurgents are operating

The statement further explained that developing a full characterisation of insurgents use of social media and track down their conversations using the identified markers and also need for internationally accepted standards, protocols for monitoring suspected insurgents .

Malam YZ Yau said in doing these, government should not indiscriminately monitor citizens to trample and desecrate their right to digital privacy.