US Consulate raises alarm on increasing cybercrime

The United States of America Consulate in Nigeria is worried about the increasing cybercrime rate in Nigeria and other part of the world.

Referencing the Cybersecurity Ventures, which predicted that the global community will lose more than $6 trillion yearly by 2021, the US Consulate called for concerted efforts to clip its wing.

For effect, the US Consulate General, John Bray, speaking at 14th Annual National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM), organised by the Consulate in Lagos, encouraged Nigerians and the rest of the world to guard against possible cyber attacks and to be more cautious and avoid releasing information that could be used against them, while browsing online.

Bray noted that Cybersecurity is everyone’s responsibility, even as he strongly advised on safe use of the Internet.

In a related development, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said it will not relent in the fight against cybercrime in the country.

According to him, with the number of Internet users growing daily, law enforcement officials expect the number of victims to increase, as well as the value of their losses.

Already, experts have also estimated that without good cybersecurity in place, nearly half of the entire G-20 economy will be lost to cybercriminals.

Bray stressed the need for increased awareness on cybersecurity matters, which he said, remained critical to any nation. He said the awareness campaign was designed to help encourage individuals to protect their computers and the nation’s critical cyber infrastructure, in an era of increased cyber attacks.