tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68482221372677915042024-03-10T02:46:50.033+00:00Don Okereke's BlogSecurity and Situational Awareness, Open Source Intelligence, Cybersafety and Cybersecurity, Threat Alerts, Geopolitical Risks, etc.
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For Articles, Press Releases, Adverts etc, Email: donnuait(a)yahoo.com, Twitter: @DonOkereke.Don Okerekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06678079913273123553noreply@blogger.comBlogger2899125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848222137267791504.post-91852903359686870132023-03-20T11:49:00.004+00:002023-03-30T13:40:04.523+01:00The National Security, Cyber Risks, Geopolitical, Career, Educational Implications of Artificial Intelligence’ – ChatGPT <p style="text-align: center;"></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk5tZxXK_TQjlPdrdMdyLjokf_nCusFXNKJLpoIY_PbjJHRq7gH-Xe_LiBm3u0_tFQ3elfwAwtOvOB2VbZlGR4t-zpCD3ITl178M-eIcckUJxs5lGTcm4q6803uj-fibjvDPy-tGt2nIX5fIEiY5ZOpyWpsVB8MHvFi7hKBESUTZ4WUBaX9DobYuqf/s864/Artificial%20Intelligence_ChatGPT_.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="648" data-original-width="864" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk5tZxXK_TQjlPdrdMdyLjokf_nCusFXNKJLpoIY_PbjJHRq7gH-Xe_LiBm3u0_tFQ3elfwAwtOvOB2VbZlGR4t-zpCD3ITl178M-eIcckUJxs5lGTcm4q6803uj-fibjvDPy-tGt2nIX5fIEiY5ZOpyWpsVB8MHvFi7hKBESUTZ4WUBaX9DobYuqf/w400-h300/Artificial%20Intelligence_ChatGPT_.jpg" width="400" /></a></b></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Introduction</span></b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">: Artificial intelligence (AI) </span><a href="https://www.investopedia.com/terms/a/artificial-intelligence-ai.asp"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">refers</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> to the simulation of human intelligence in machines or
computer systems that are programmed to think like humans and mimic their
actions. Similarly, </span><a href="https://www.techopedia.com/definition/34933/chatgpt"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">ChatGPT</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> (Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer) is an online
artificial intelligence chatbot that is trained to have human-like
conversations and generate detailed responses to queries or questions. ChatGPT became
a blockbuster and a global sensation when it was released in November 2022. </span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">According
to web traffic data from similarweb.com, OpenAI’s ChatGPT surpassed </span><a href="https://www.similarweb.com/website/chat.openai.com/#ranking"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">one billion page
visits</span></a><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> in February 2023, cementing its position as the fastest-growing App
in history. </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">In contrast, it took </span><a href="https://siliconvalleyjournals.com/chatgpt-has-100-million-users-two-months-after-its-launch/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">TikTok</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> about nine months after its global launch to reach 100
million users, while Instagram took more than two years.</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">Users of
ChatGPT span the world, with the United States having the highest number of
users, accounting for 15.73% of the total. India is second with 7.10%. China is
20<sup>th</sup> with 16.58%, Nigeria is 24<sup>th</sup> with 12.24% while South
Africa is 41<sup>st</sup> with 12.63%, as at March 14, 2023. </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">OpenAI, the parent company of ChatGPT is</span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> currently</span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> </span><a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/chatgpt-openai-valuation-bot-microsoft-language-google-tech-stock-funding-2023-1#:~:text=OpenAI%2C%20the%20parent%20company%20of,%2410%20billion%20investment%20in%20OpenAI."><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">valued</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> at about $29 billion. Feedback and reactions from
academics, </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">global
and business leaders to artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT, is mixed. The likes of Bill Gates agree that ChatGPT can
free up time in workers lives by making employees </span><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/post/preview?post_id=63f9307aaa84992bc379436a&mode=desktop&r=US&IR=T"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">more efficient</span></a><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">. </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">A </span><a href="https://economics.mit.edu/sites/default/files/inline-files/Noy_Zhang_1.pdf"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">research</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> titled – ‘’Experimental Evidence on the Productivity
Effects of Generative Artificial Intelligence’’ - by two economics PhD
candidates at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) attests that using
ChatGPT made white collar work swifter with no sacrifice in quality and then
made it easier to “improve work quickly”. </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Israeli president, Isaac Herzog, recently </span><a href="https://news.sky.com/story/israel-president-uses-chatgpt-artificial-intelligence-to-write-part-of-major-speech-12801304"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">revealed</span></a><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> that the opening
part of his speech was written by artificial intelligence software -ChatGPT.
Lately, Bill Gates and the UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, were </span><a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/bill-gates-and-uk-pm-rishi-sunak-take-the-hot-seat-get-grilled-by-ai-bot-chatgpt-during-interview/articleshow/98097472.cms"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">reportedly</span></a><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> grilled by AI
ChatGPT during an interview. Similarly, the United States Department of Defense
(DoD) </span><a href="https://voicebot.ai/2023/02/09/us-army-drafts-chatgpt-to-write-articles/"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">enlisted</span></a><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> ChatGPT to write a
press release about a new task force exploiting novel ways to forestall the
threat of unmanned aerial systems. On the flip side, Elon Musk, is of the
opinion that ‘’artificial intelligence <i>is the real </i></span><a href="https://www.analyticsinsight.net/ai-the-biggest-existential-threat-to-humankind-says-elon-musk/#:~:text=Musk%20claims%20AI%20will%20outsmart,people%20should%20not%20cherish%20that."><i><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">existential risk</span></i></a><i><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> to humankind''</span></i><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">. According to
Musk, <i>''artificial intelligence will
outsmart humanity and overtake human civilization in less than five years’’</i>.
</span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">On March 29, 2023, an open letter with <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2023/03/29/elon-musk-and-tech-leaders-call-for-ai-pause-over-risks-to-humanity/?sh=306e4f5f6dfc">signatures</a>
from a bevy of 1,000 prominent tech leaders and researchers from academic and
industrial heavyweights like Oxford, Cambridge, Stanford, Caltech, Columbia,
Google, Microsoft and Amazon, including Elon Musk, Apple co-founder Steve
Wozniak, surfaced online, urging the world’s leading artificial intelligence
labs to pause the training of new super-powerful systems for six months, saying
that recent advances in AI present “profound risks to society and humanity''.</span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> Prior to now, theoretical
physicist and one of</span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 18.0pt;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Britain's
pre-eminent scientists, Professor Stephen Hawking, seem to agree with Elon Musk.
He </span><a href="https://phys.org/news/2014-12-hawking-ai-human.html"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">warned</span></a><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> in in 2014 that
artificial intelligence could spell the end of the human race. In the words of
Hawking, "Once humans develop artificial intelligence it would take off on
its own, and re-design itself at an ever increasing rate’’. He went further to
asset that, ‘’Humans, who are limited by slow biological evolution, couldn't compete,
and would be superseded’’. Cybersecurity experts from the National Cyber
Security Centre (NCSC), a branch of the United Kingdom’s Spy agency, Government
Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), </span><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/uk-spy-agency-gchq-ai-chatbots-security-threat-chatgpt-hacking-2023-3?r=US&IR=T"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">says</span></a><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> artificially
intelligent chatbots like ChatGPT pose a security threat because sensitive
queries, including potentially user-identifiable information could be hacked or
leaked.<o:p></o:p></span></p><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: justify;"><span><a name='more'></a></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Underlying Principle And Modus Operandi of ChatGPT <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">ChatGPT is essentially a </span><a href="https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/2023/01/26/what-are-large-language-models-used-for/"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">large language model</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> (LLM). </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">A large language model, or LLM, is essentially a
deep learning algorithm that can recognize, summarize, translate, predict, and
generate text and other content based on knowledge gained from massive
datasets.</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">On
March 14, 2023, OpenAI officially </span><a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/how-to/whats-chat-gpt-4-everything-you-should-know-about-ai-that-not-only-answers-but-questions/articleshow/98679818.cms?from=mdr"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">announced</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;"> the launch of the large multimodal model GPT-4. </span><a href="https://www.pcmag.com/news/the-new-chatgpt-what-you-get-with-gpt-4-vs-gpt-35"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">A major difference</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;"> between GPT-3.5 and GPT-4 is that </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;">while
GPT-3.5 is a text-to-text model, GPT-4 is more of a data-to-text model. </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">Additionally, GPT-3.5 is limited to about
3,000-word responses, while GPT-4 can generate responses of more than 25,000
words and is more multilingual. GPT-4 is 82% less likely to respond to requests
for disallowed content than its predecessor and scores 40% higher on certain
tests of factuality. GPT-4 is also more multilingual and will let developers decide
their AI's style of tone and verbosity.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYS-oE0AMt6NWdcYp3i5eih7zK4F9vG4xjrh-TZ0lhPCAUOlovwoQj1JoNFx48QbPxzqzG_xDtW6FceUUL4NFLPAO5kynTkHQHNdDk0vqToqrQzMwCK9UKdWBQxzG2lUtvW7K5XfAK4LbsJ_dQlpSqWF4K1HuqIb7ElGC3T4mwNrv4JjH-6xr33kM_/s1184/Examples%20of%20Large%20Language%20Models_LLM_OpenAI_Copy.ai_Algolia_cogram_Contenda_AI21labs_Google%20AI_Hugging%20face_Github_tabnine_writesonic_HyperWrite_MessageBird_Replier.ai_Casetext.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="646" data-original-width="1184" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYS-oE0AMt6NWdcYp3i5eih7zK4F9vG4xjrh-TZ0lhPCAUOlovwoQj1JoNFx48QbPxzqzG_xDtW6FceUUL4NFLPAO5kynTkHQHNdDk0vqToqrQzMwCK9UKdWBQxzG2lUtvW7K5XfAK4LbsJ_dQlpSqWF4K1HuqIb7ElGC3T4mwNrv4JjH-6xr33kM_/w640-h350/Examples%20of%20Large%20Language%20Models_LLM_OpenAI_Copy.ai_Algolia_cogram_Contenda_AI21labs_Google%20AI_Hugging%20face_Github_tabnine_writesonic_HyperWrite_MessageBird_Replier.ai_Casetext.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image Credit: Bain Capital Ventures</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Basically, Large Language Models (LLMs) are trained with
massive amounts of data to accurately predict what word comes next in a
sentence. To give an idea, ChatGPT model is said to have been trained using
databases from the internet that included a massive </span><a href="https://www.sciencefocus.com/future-technology/gpt-3/"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">570GB</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> of data sourced from books, Wikipedia, research
articles, web texts, websites, other forms of content and writing on the
internet. Approximately 300 billion words were reportedly fed into the system. <span style="color: black;">This</span></span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;"> is equivalent to roughly 164,129 times the
number of words in the entire Lord of the Rings series (including The Hobbit). </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Currently, ChatGPT has very limited knowledge of the world after 2021 hence
is inept at answering questions about recent or real-time events. </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;">In
addition to English language, ChatGPT understands 95 other languages spoken
around the world including French, Spanish, German, and Chinese.</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> <span lang="EN">Unfortunately, ChatGPT does not currently recognize any
Nigerian local language. ChatGPT uses speech and text-t-speech technologies
which means you can talk to it through your microphone and hear its responses
with a voice. It is important to note that the ChatGPT model can become
overwhelmed, generate incorrect information, repetitions or unusual
combinations of words and phrases. </span></span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">This is because ‘’</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Large language models like ChatGPT are trained to generate text that is </span><a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/chatgpt-explains-why-ais-like-chatgpt-should-be-regulated1/"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">fluent and coherent</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">, but they may not
always be able to generate responses that are as nuanced or creative as those
written by a human. </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">A blog </span><a href="https://oxford-review.com/chatgpt-making-up-references/"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">post</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;"> by Dr. David Wilkinson, a lecturer at Oxford
university and editor-in-chief of The Oxford Review, purports that ChatGPT
appears to be making up academic references. In essence, Wilkinson counsels
that just because it’s coming out of ChatGPT doesn’t mean it’s right. ‘’You
need to be very careful about what you’re doing, particularly in academic
circumstances, but also professional’’.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">How AI-Powered ChatGPT Sparked A Chatbot Arms
Race</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;">After ChatGPT went viral, major tech companies around the world started
scrambling to deploy generative artificial Intelligence. </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">Sequel to
speculations that the release of ChatGPT could disrupt and upend the search
engine business, Google reportedly triggered a “</span><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidphelan/2023/01/23/how-chatgpt-suddenly-became-googles-code-red-prompting-return-of-page-and-brin/"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">code red</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">”, summoning founders
Sergey Brin and Larry Page back to the company. Soon after,<span style="color: black;"> Google launched an experimental AI-powered chatbot called </span></span><a href="https://blog.google/technology/ai/bard-google-ai-search-updates/amp/"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">Bard</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;"> which is
powered by its Language Model for Dialogue Applications (or LaMDA for short). Google
is said to be utilizing artificial intelligence to improve its search features,
including the popular Google Lens and the new multisearch feature. Google’s
parent company – Alphabet lost $163bn in value after the search engine’s new
chatbot - Bard, answered a question about the James Webb telescope incorrectly
during a demo. Microsoft recently </span><a href="https://nypost.com/2023/03/16/microsoft-adds-chatgpt-tech-to-office-software/amp/"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">imbedded</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;"> ChatGPT
technology in its product suit including Microsoft 365 – Word documents, Excel
spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations, and Outlook emails.</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;"> <span style="color: black;">Not to be outflanked, Apple, Meta (parent company of
Facebook), and Amazon plunged their generative artificial intelligence. Apart
from Microsoft Bing, other artificial intelligence-powered search engines
giving Google a run for its money include Wolfram Alpha, You.Com</span>, <span style="color: black;">Perplexity AI</span>, <span style="color: black;">Andi</span>,
<span style="color: black;">Metaphor</span>, <span style="color: black;">Neeva</span>,
amongst others.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy_XI2oq8EgFk5AXug-POAVBnCZP_jsmRo47DHaJ8uD6NvRU11Jr5QbXAMF4OjkvC5jNZ01QkwS100Tr9aSsKKkDBP0o9IMUzaT07Z_e_o5nNF7NVZuZGNwg1I-w_5Qk5nRR_9ViZZ-z7Bum8IbTZ6H6WvrlUCr4K8gRosyImCkWMBxw6yzr9CvTnq/s1140/Artificial%20Intelligence_ChatGPT%20Arms%20Race_United%20States_China_OpenAI_Chatbot_Baidu_Ernie__.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="619" data-original-width="1140" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy_XI2oq8EgFk5AXug-POAVBnCZP_jsmRo47DHaJ8uD6NvRU11Jr5QbXAMF4OjkvC5jNZ01QkwS100Tr9aSsKKkDBP0o9IMUzaT07Z_e_o5nNF7NVZuZGNwg1I-w_5Qk5nRR_9ViZZ-z7Bum8IbTZ6H6WvrlUCr4K8gRosyImCkWMBxw6yzr9CvTnq/w400-h217/Artificial%20Intelligence_ChatGPT%20Arms%20Race_United%20States_China_OpenAI_Chatbot_Baidu_Ernie__.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image Credit: Study IQ</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Artificial Intelligence (ChatGPT) And National Security Concerns</span></b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">No
technological innovation is without some downside, especially a nascent and
evolving technology. <span style="color: black;">Just recently, the United
Kingdom’s </span></span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">intelligence, security, and
cybersecurity agency, the</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">Government Communications Headquarters, commonly
known as GCHQ, </span><a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11862779/amp/GCHQ-spy-chiefs-warn-Microsofts-ChatGPT-AI-chatbots-pose-security-risk.html"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">warned</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;"> that </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;">Artificial Intelligence powered chatbots like
ChatGPT are emerging security threats. The GCHQ says companies operating the
technology - like Microsoft and Google - are able to read questions typed into
the chatbots.</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">
</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">United States Congressman Ted Lieu recently </span><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/23/opinion/ted-lieu-ai-chatgpt-congress.html"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">wrote</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> an opinion piece in the New York Times where he opined
his enthusiasm about Artificial Intelligence (AI) and "the incredible ways
it will continue to advance society", but also said he’s "very
concerned about AI, particularly uncontrolled and disorganized AI".<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ted ''Imagine a world where autonomous
weapons would roam the streets, decisions about your life are made by AI
systems that perpetuate societal biases and hackers use AI to launch
devastating cyberattacks’’.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">According to Steven Stalinsky, the executive director of
Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), ‘’</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;">it is not a question of
whether terrorists will use Artificial Intelligence (AI), but of how and when’’.
He noted that terrorists currently use technology, including cryptocurrency for
fundraising and encryption for communications; AI for hacking and weapons systems,
including drones and self-driving car bombs, bots for outreach, recruitment,
and planning attacks. </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">Stalinsky</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><a href="https://www.newsweek.com/terrorists-love-new-technologies-what-will-they-do-ai-opinion-1787482?amp=1"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">buttressed</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;"> that, ‘’Jihadis,
for their part, have always been early adopters of emerging technologies:
Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden used email to communicate his plans for the
9/11 attacks. American-born Al-Qaeda ideologue Anwar Al-Awlaki used YouTube for
outreach, recruiting a generation of followers in the West. Indeed, by 2010,
senior Al-Qaeda commanders were conducting highly selective recruitment of
"specialist cadres with technology skills"</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;">As a matter of fact there is growing concern that ChatGPT could
make </span><a href="https://ecfr.eu/article/insights-from-an-ai-author-the-geopolitical-consequences-of-chatgpt/?amp"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">disinformation</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;">
campaigns and political interference more widespread and realistic than ever. The
CEO, <b>Sam Altman</b> of OpenAI, the company that created ChatGPT acknowledged
that artificial intelligence technology will reshape society but acknowledges
that it comes with real dangers such as - </span><a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/openai-ceo-sam-altman-ai-reshape-society-acknowledges/story?id=97897122&ref=upstract.com"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">large-scale
disinformation</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;">. </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">It
is feared<span style="color: black;"> that non-state actors and authoritarian
regimes could exploit ChatGPT to pollute public spaces with toxic elements and
further undermine citizens’ trust in democracies. To this end, </span>Adrian
Joseph, British Telecom’s chief data and artificial intelligence officer said
‘’the United Kingdom needs to invest in and support the creation of a British
version of ChatGPT, </span><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/feb/22/uk-needs-its-own-britgpt-or-will-face-an-uncertain-future-mps-hear"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">BritGPT</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">, or the country
would risk national security and declining competitiveness.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">The head of the
FBI, Christopher Wray told a House Homeland Security Committee hearing that the
Agency has "</span><a href="https://www.npr.org/2022/11/17/1137155540/fbi-tiktok-national-security-concerns-china"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">national security concerns</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">" about TikTok,
warning that the Chinese government could potentially use the popular
video-sharing app to harvest data on millions of Americans thereby potentially
compromising personal devices or influencing operations if they elect to do so.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj31kEoTlaKrLmTQ8QvyE_7EWFy-7HIthkqcU_9bsX8vcv3noAW3IcXhT23Q4Ces_7H0lzGtOyQVkpGzACjIle-ezCIgkZj_Azls4JvxUzU-aFEsPi5AGpG5Z78DBuPRUGIck77oQXJLEbBNd64ohGVwNoxPvJzicWU9BPCdl2B9JSpDnx3lwPUhQ7E/s790/Christopher%20Wray_FBI%20Director_Federal%20Bureau%20of%20Investigation.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="552" data-original-width="790" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj31kEoTlaKrLmTQ8QvyE_7EWFy-7HIthkqcU_9bsX8vcv3noAW3IcXhT23Q4Ces_7H0lzGtOyQVkpGzACjIle-ezCIgkZj_Azls4JvxUzU-aFEsPi5AGpG5Z78DBuPRUGIck77oQXJLEbBNd64ohGVwNoxPvJzicWU9BPCdl2B9JSpDnx3lwPUhQ7E/w400-h280/Christopher%20Wray_FBI%20Director_Federal%20Bureau%20of%20Investigation.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Open Source Intelligence Analysis in the Age of Artificial
Intelligence - ChatGPT<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">The former director of the US National
Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, Robert Cardillo predicted years ago that bots
would soon be analyzing most of the imagery collected by satellites and replace
many human analysts. According to a </span><a href="https://www.fanaticalfuturist.com/2017/06/us-intelligence-director-ai-will-replace-75-percent-of-spies/"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">report</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">, ‘’artificial intelligence and automation will plausibly
perform 75 percent of the tasks currently done by the new front line of
American intelligence spies – the analysts who collect, analyze, and interpret
geospatial images beamed from drones, open source intelligence, reconnaissance
or intelligence satellites and other feeds around the globe’’. Perhaps this is
why </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">the United States Central Intelligence Agency
(CIA) is exploring </span><a href="https://defensescoop.com/2023/02/16/cia-to-investigate-how-generative-ai-like-chatgpt-can-assist-intelligence-agencies/"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">using</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;"> chatbots and generative artificial intelligence
capabilities to assist its officers in completing day-to-day job functions and
their overarching spy missions.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5jf00UGW1RSLZFsfSHpnSYY86ttviKLw4Wa02xIWduyoDHtKPjP_o1GhInmo5eUzHy-XLe-u0SgMQFQezhwVRiwQ-v6GOyYLih94YM-xhuI6-7KtNtSWVyHWk0D5-VBr8rIAmzW-Ln2l98YQgpeFbPf7E4hMPyISHtWZSA7aZjdr_4EGPZ5qqQhUo/s796/Artificial%20Intelligence_ChatGPT_Central%20Intelligence%20Agency_CIA.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="413" data-original-width="796" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5jf00UGW1RSLZFsfSHpnSYY86ttviKLw4Wa02xIWduyoDHtKPjP_o1GhInmo5eUzHy-XLe-u0SgMQFQezhwVRiwQ-v6GOyYLih94YM-xhuI6-7KtNtSWVyHWk0D5-VBr8rIAmzW-Ln2l98YQgpeFbPf7E4hMPyISHtWZSA7aZjdr_4EGPZ5qqQhUo/w400-h208/Artificial%20Intelligence_ChatGPT_Central%20Intelligence%20Agency_CIA.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image Credit: <a href="https://techviral.net/cia-secret-artificial-intelligence-projects/">TechViral</a></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Nevertheless, Patrick Biltgen, principal at the defense
and intelligence contractor Booz Allen Hamilton is one of those who </span><a href="https://spacenews.com/on-national-security-analyzing-intelligence-in-the-age-of-chatgpt/"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">doesn’t foresee</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> artificial intelligence or ChatGPT
upstaging or putting human intelligence analysists out of jobs, at least for
now. According to Biltgen, ‘’a lot of Artificial Intelligence-aided reporting
today is very formulaic and not as credible as human analysis’’. He asserts
that, a ChatGPT for national security analysis will have to be pre-trained
“with all the intelligence reports that have ever been written, plus all of the
news articles and all of Wikipedia’’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Says, “I don’t believe you can make a predictor machine, but it might be
possible for a chatbot to give me a list of the most likely possible next steps
that would happen as a result of his series of events.” Biltgen went further to
say that ‘’on the other hand, Intelligence analysts are building upon their
knowledge of what they have seen happen over time.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Amy Zegart, a senior fellow at Stanford’s Freeman Spogli
Institute for International Studies and Hoover Institution, as well as chair of
the HAI Steering Committee on International Security, </span><a href="https://hai.stanford.edu/news/re-imagining-espionage-era-artificial-intelligence"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">believes</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> that in the new era of artificial intelligence,
''sophisticated intelligence can come from almost anywhere - armchair
researchers, private technology companies, commercial satellites and ordinary
citizens who livestream on Facebook</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">''</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">. Amy asserts that,
‘’Human intelligence will always be important, but machine learning can free up
humans for tasks that they’re better at. She says, while ‘’satellites and artificial
intelligence algorithms are good at counting the number of trucks on a bridge,
they can’t tell you what those trucks mean. You need humans to figure out the
wishes, intentions, and desires of others. The less time that human analysts
spend counting trucks on a bridge.</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;"> There is a vast amount of open-source data,
but you need artificial intelligence to sift through it’’.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">According to the MI5 Director-General, Ken McCallum,
"The UK faces a broader and more complex range of threats, with the clues
hidden in ever-more fragmented data’’. For instance, artificial intelligence
can be used to scan, triage images, and identify dangerous weapons. In this
light, British MI5 is </span><a href="https://www.mi5.gov.uk/news/partnership-between-mi5-and-the-alan-turing-institute-revealed"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">partnering</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> with the Alan Turing Institute
aimed at<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>‘’applying artificial
intelligence (AI) and data science to provide new insights, confront and mitigate
national security challenges to the United Kingdom’’.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm66fLUr4ZKfxtjEpnJdseMlgRMEGvO-tDOg1oyivnfug73FdXOYQfHDK34tZo0pocL6i_uYfvLH_4PShwwMIaJ_93tWqIkKaAaRzKJ2CDEjSI6C3PmYLpI-W6bZWDnx9kk0qhATsBbU56FLsCWko-iYm4F9yljyNlBPtfwHPfvw1L3nUO3XTBBilZ/s953/Artificial%20intelligence_%20Alan%20Turing%20Institute_ChatGPT.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="624" data-original-width="953" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm66fLUr4ZKfxtjEpnJdseMlgRMEGvO-tDOg1oyivnfug73FdXOYQfHDK34tZo0pocL6i_uYfvLH_4PShwwMIaJ_93tWqIkKaAaRzKJ2CDEjSI6C3PmYLpI-W6bZWDnx9kk0qhATsBbU56FLsCWko-iYm4F9yljyNlBPtfwHPfvw1L3nUO3XTBBilZ/w400-h263/Artificial%20intelligence_%20Alan%20Turing%20Institute_ChatGPT.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image Credit: <a href="https://ai-uk.turing.ac.uk/">The Alan Turin Institute</a></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;">ChatGPT is an incredibly powerful
tool that is </span><a href="https://dorksearch.com/blog/future-of-osint-people-searching/"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">revolutionizing</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;"> OSINT
investigations. It can automate repetitive tasks, such as data collection, analyzing
and extracting information from large amounts of text unstructured data from
various sources, thereby making investigations more efficient and effective.
This allows investigators to focus on what really matters so as to verify the
information properly. For example, an investigator can automate or instruct
ChatGPT to ‘’provide a list of all known aliases and social media accounts associated
with the individual named [insert name]” or to ‘’extract all posts and comments
made by the individual named [insert name] on the social media platform [insert
platform]”. In addition, ChatGPT can be used for social network analysis, generating
leads and connections between individuals and organizations. For instance, an
investigator can instruct ChatGPT to ‘’find connections between individuals and
organizations based on their online presence and interactions, and list them”. Google
Dorking, also known as Google Hacking, is a technique used by sleuths in OSINT
(Open-Source Intelligence) investigations to search for specific information on
the internet using advanced search operators. This technique allows
investigators to search specific parts of a website or narrowing search results
to a specific file type.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Research shows that 80 percent of information processed
by intelligence and analytical bodies in United Nations </span><a href="https://tech-blog.zif-berlin.org/real-time-conflict-monitoring-using-artificial-intelligence-peace-operations"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">peace operations</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> originate from publicly
available information (PAI), or loosely – open source intelligence (OSINT), making
OSINT a discipline that significantly dominates other intelligence disciplines
(Nikolić 2017). For instance, by ‘’tracking and constantly monitoring social
media, analysts can gain real-time insights into public opinion even in
volatile environments’’.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">The
United Nations is exploring the deployment of artificial intelligence,
particularly machine learning and natural language processing, for noble
purposes of </span><a href="https://cpr.unu.edu/publications/articles/robots-will-not-only-wage-future-wars-but-also-future-peace.html"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">peace, security,
and<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>conflict prevention</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">. Three ways come to
mind vis-à-vis overcoming cultural and language barriers, anticipating the
deeper drivers of conflict, and advancing decision making. </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">An artificial intelligence system was recently used by the United Nations
Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) to </span><a href="https://www.visionofhumanity.org/artificial-intelligence-as-a-tool-for-peace/"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">test support</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> for potential policies, such as the
development of a unified currency.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhempkWXdxGqgE_iPn8rUgh_F1bvnwNjFuNf2scIwO0aGS9r5Gf8m9u8FxlzO9hfaU5GGXSRKSazGW5COBOLi_ooEF5VXwqPQ2f9pNmZvWr4nmhSURWBaXGx2f2oV0WEI5iLGEuNrbH-1AxNavmCFnOZOJ764_0C88jVJdLZR6VckjJPJWOx8c46iPd/s381/United%20Nations_Artificial%20Intelligence%20for%20Good_Conflict%20Prevention_ChatGPT.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="348" data-original-width="381" height="365" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhempkWXdxGqgE_iPn8rUgh_F1bvnwNjFuNf2scIwO0aGS9r5Gf8m9u8FxlzO9hfaU5GGXSRKSazGW5COBOLi_ooEF5VXwqPQ2f9pNmZvWr4nmhSURWBaXGx2f2oV0WEI5iLGEuNrbH-1AxNavmCFnOZOJ764_0C88jVJdLZR6VckjJPJWOx8c46iPd/w400-h365/United%20Nations_Artificial%20Intelligence%20for%20Good_Conflict%20Prevention_ChatGPT.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">The Geopolitical Upshots of Artificial
Intelligence, ChatGPT</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;">ChatGPT seem to be engendering geopolitical competition between
world powers. </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">Ideally,
ChatGPT should be accessible anywhere in the world with internet connectivity,
but this is far from the reality. Some countries, especially authoritarian
regimes such as<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>China, Russia,
Afghanistan, Iran, Venezuela, North Korea, implement </span><a href="https://www.demandsage.com/chatgpt-statistics/#:~:text=ChatGPT%20has%20more%20than%20100,a%20short%20period%20of%20time."><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">censorship</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;"> and surveillance to
monitor internet usage and restrict the use of ChatGPT due to geopolitical and
national security concerns. <span style="color: black;">China leads the pack. Though
not officially available in China, ChatGPT caused quite a stir there. Some
users are able to access it using tools such as virtual private network (VPN)
or third-party integrations into messaging apps such as WeChat to </span></span><a href="https://mezha.media/en/2023/02/24/china-is-afraid-of-chatgpt-because-it-gives-uncensored-answers/amp/"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">circumvent</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;"> its
censorship by the Chinese government. Japan's Nikkei news service reported that
Chinese tech giants, Tencent and Ant Group were told not to use ChatGPT
services on their platforms, either directly or indirectly because there seem
to be a growing alarm in Beijing over the AI-powered chatbot’s uncensored
replies to user queries. Writing on Foreign Policy, Nicholas Welch and Jordan
Schneider </span><a href="https://foreignpolicy.com/2023/03/03/china-censors-chatbots-artificial-intelligence/"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">cited</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;"> a recent
writeup by Zhou Ting (dean of the School of Government and Public Affairs at
the Communication University of China) and Pu Cheng (a Ph.D. student) who
argued that, ‘’the dangers of AI chatbots include becoming a tool in cognitive
warfare, prolonging international conflicts, damaging cybersecurity, and
exacerbating global digital inequality. Zhou and Pu alluded to an unverified
ChatGPT conversation in which the bot justified the United States shooting down
a hypothetical Chinese civilian balloon floating over U.S. airspace yet
answered that China should not shoot down such a balloon originating from the
United States. </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">According to Shawn Henry, Chief Security Officer of CrowdStrike,
a cybersecurity firm, "China wants to be the No. 1 superpower in the world
and they have been targeting U.S. technology, U.S. personal information.
They've been doing electronic espionage for several decades now''.</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">A report from the
cybersecurity company Feroot, said TikTok App can </span><a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Business/tiktok-data-app-report/story?id=97913249"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">collect and transfer</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;"> your data even if
you've never used App. "TikTok can be present on a website in pretty much
any sector in the form of TikTok pixels/trackers. The pixels transfer the data
to locations around the globe, including China and Russia, often before users
have a chance to accept cookies or otherwise grant consent, the Feroot report
said’’. The top three EU bodies - European Parliament, European Commission, and
the EU Council, the United States, Denmark, Belgium, Canada, Taiwan, Pakistan,
India, Afghanistan, have all </span><a href="https://www.euronews.com/next/2023/03/17/which-countries-have-banned-tiktok-cybersecurity-data-privacy-espionage-fears"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">banned</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;"> TikTok especially on
government devices, citing cybersecurity concerns. New Zealand became the
latest country on March 17 to announce the ban of TikTok on the phones of
government lawmakers at the end of March 2023.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;">Not to be outflanked, Chinese
company, Baidu is set to release its own AI-powered chatbot. Another </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">Chinese e-commerce
platform, Alibaba is reportedly </span><a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/02/23/china-tech-companies-are-closely-watching-chatgpts-ai-skills.html"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">testing</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;"> ChatGPT-style
technology. Alibaba christened its artificial intelligence language model: </span><a href="https://www.theepochtimes.com/china-barges-into-the-chat-bot-arms-race_5052914.html"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">DAMO</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;"> (Discovery,
Adventure, Momentum, and Outlook). Another Chinese e-commerce says its “ChatJD”
will focus on retail and finance <span style="color: black;">while TikTok has a
generative AI text-to-image system.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;">Education And Plagiarism In The
Age of ChatGPT</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;">The advent of ChatGPT unnerved
some universities and academics around the world. As an illustration, <i>a
2,000-word essay written by ChatGPT, helped a student get the passing grade in
the MBA exam at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.</i> </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">Apart from the <span style="color: black;">Wharton exam that ChatGPT passed with plausibly a B or B-
grade</span>, other<span style="color: black;"> advanced exams that the AI
chatbot has </span></span><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/list-here-are-the-exams-chatgpt-has-passed-so-far-2023-1?amp"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">passed</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;"> so far
include: all three parts of the United States medical licensing examination
within a comfortable range. ChatGPT recently passed exams in four law school
courses at the University of Minnesota. In total, the bot answered over 95
multiple choice questions and 12 essay questions that were blindly graded by
professors. Ultimately, the professors gave ChatGPT a "low but passing
grade in all four courses" approximately equivalent to a C+. ChatGPT
passed a Stanford Medical School final in clinical reasoning with an overall
score of 72%. ChatGPT-4 recently took other exams, including Uniform Bar Exam,
Law School Admission Test (LSAT), Graduate Record Examinations (GRE), and the
Advanced Placement (AP) exams. It aced aforesaid exams </span><a href="https://www.firstpost.com/world/chatgpt-aces-lsat-gre-but-fails-english-literature-12303682.html/amp"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">except</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;"> English
language and literature. ChatGPT may not always be a smarty-pants, it
reportedly </span><a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/chatgpt-ai-chatbot-fails-upsc-exam-will-it-do-ma-next-568340/amp"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">flunked</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;"> the
Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) ‘exam’</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;"> used by the<span style="color: black;">
Indian government to recruit its top-tier officials.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Zm38zWWb40XOddYjwgGxtFdD3uv5eHdeQi7hQwmluMLwkqOGouGawXqUSv-6G1vMJ4KOQ9CS3c3NTCkmPdJoGKDdoFDucXhSFPmgaGJDzwpic7k_hyBElqBsYN9VMp7T-y4KvD1rgKEYNGEA5ojopyJA5CAux_4otk7Fwp4BHuLR9cdjWuiHkkoY/s1024/ChatGPT%20Plagiarism_Artificial%20Intelligence.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1024" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Zm38zWWb40XOddYjwgGxtFdD3uv5eHdeQi7hQwmluMLwkqOGouGawXqUSv-6G1vMJ4KOQ9CS3c3NTCkmPdJoGKDdoFDucXhSFPmgaGJDzwpic7k_hyBElqBsYN9VMp7T-y4KvD1rgKEYNGEA5ojopyJA5CAux_4otk7Fwp4BHuLR9cdjWuiHkkoY/w400-h225/ChatGPT%20Plagiarism_Artificial%20Intelligence.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image Credit: YouTube</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;">Thus, several schools in the
United States, Australia, France, India, have</span><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/chatgpt-schools-colleges-ban-plagiarism-misinformation-education-2023-1?amp"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;"> banned</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;"> ChatGPT
software and other artificial intelligence tools on school network or
computers, due to concerns about plagiarism and false information. Annie
Chechitelli, Chief Product Officer for Turnitin, an academic integrity service
used by educators in 140 countries, </span><a href="https://www.voanews.com/amp/schools-ban-chatgpt-amid-fears-of-artificial-intelligence-assisted-cheating-/6958125.html"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">submits</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;"> that
Artificial Intelligence plagiarism presents a new challenge.</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;"> <span style="color: black;">In addition, Eric Wang, vice president for AI at Turnitin
asserts that, ‘’[ChatGPT] tend to write in a very, very average way’’. “Humans
all have idiosyncrasies. We all deviate from average one way or another. So, we
are able to build detectors that look for cases where an entire document or
entire passage is uncannily average.”</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;">Dr. LuPaulette Taylor who teaches
high school English at an Oakland, California is one of the those concerned
that ChatGPT could be used by students to do their homework hence undermining
learning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">LuPaulette who has taught for the past
42 years, listed some skills that she worries could be eroded as a result of
students having access to AI programs like ChatGPT. According to her, <span style="color: black;">“The critical thinking that we all need as human beings,
the creativity, and also the benefit of having done something yourself and
saying, ‘I did that’’.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">To guard against plagiarism with ChatGPT, <span style="color: black;">Turnitin recently successfully developed an AI writing </span></span><a href="https://www.turnitin.com/press/turnitin-announces-ai-writing-detector-and-ai-writing-resource-center-for-educators"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">detector</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;"> that, in
its lab, identifies 97 percent of ChatGPT and GPT3 authored writing, with a
very low less than 1/100 false positive rate. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Interest</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">ingly, a </span><a href="https://www.zdnet.com/article/teachers-are-using-chatgpt-more-than-students-heres-how/"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">survey</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> shows that teachers are actually using ChatGPT more than
students. The study by the Walton Family Foundation found that within only two
months of introduction, 51% of 1,000 K-12 teachers reported having used
ChatGPT, with 40% using it at least once a week.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;">The wolf at the door: ChatGPT
could make some jobs obsolete</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">There are existential worries
that artificial intelligence, ChatGPT will lead to career loses. </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">According to a <a href="https://www.entrepreneur.com/business-news/ai-could-replace-300-million-jobs-according-to-goldman/448627#:~:text=With%20the%20rise%20of%20platforms,market%20could%20face%20significant%20disruption.%22">report</a>
released by Goldman Sachs economists, artificial intelligence could replace up
to 300 million full-time workers around the world due to likelihood of
automation and the most at-risk professions are white-collar workers. An
earlier study released in 2018 by McKinsey Research Institute</span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;"><a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/future-of-work/ai-automation-and-the-future-of-work-ten-things-to-solve-for">predicted</a>
that 400 million people worldwide could be displaced as a result of artificial
intelligence before 2030. </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Pengcheng Shi, an
associate dean at the department of computing and information sciences,
Rochester Institute of Technology believes that </span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">the wolf is at the door</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> and that ChatGPT will </span><a href="https://nypost.com/2023/01/25/chat-gpt-could-make-these-jobs-obsolete/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">affect some careers</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">. He affirms that </span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">the
financial sector, health care, publishing, and a number of industries are
vulnerable. According to a survey of 1,000 business leaders in the United
states by resumebuilder.com, companies </span><a href="https://www.hrreporter.com/focus-areas/automation-ai/survey-finds-many-employers-laying-off-workers-because-of-chatgpt/373964"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">currently</span></a><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> use
ChatGPT for writing job descriptions (77 per cent), drafting interview
questions (66 per cent), responding to applicants (65 per cent), writing code
(66 per cent), writing copies/content (58 per cent), customer support (57 per
cent), creating summaries of meetings or documents (52 per cent), research (45
per cent), generating task lists (45 per cent). Within five years, 63 per cent
of business leaders say ChatGPT will “definitely” (32 per cent) or “probably”
(31 per cent) lead to workers being laid off. As a matter of fact, companies
are already reaping the rewards of deploying ChatGPT: 99 per cent of employers
using ChatGPT say they’ve saved money. When assessing candidates to hire, 92%
of business leaders say having Artificial Intelligence /chatbot experience is a
plus, and 90% say it’s beneficial if the candidate has ChatGPT-specific
experience. It follows that job seekers will need to add ChatGPT to their
skillset to make themselves more marketable in a post-ChatGPT world because as
seen throughout history, as technology evolves, workers’ skills need to evolve. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgen5Di9Ku-So5oRE8LRswynD44WkLoPTg6TT5qe-Y3RYiAe-894y4tkzyJdhEiwTIRtmicJJ5VNkSXu_m0ABtDhlcdQ7FxRpZM-RB0uFdjS735SjhjL1RHtXkyiRWmeeRPjkHR_OymFctvvB6f0C6t2pnoYu8gjEMc8NQvdm4Zg_RnjYIx0Lsaa9s_/s1500/Artificial%20Intelligence_AI__Robots_Jobs_ChatGPT.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgen5Di9Ku-So5oRE8LRswynD44WkLoPTg6TT5qe-Y3RYiAe-894y4tkzyJdhEiwTIRtmicJJ5VNkSXu_m0ABtDhlcdQ7FxRpZM-RB0uFdjS735SjhjL1RHtXkyiRWmeeRPjkHR_OymFctvvB6f0C6t2pnoYu8gjEMc8NQvdm4Zg_RnjYIx0Lsaa9s_/w426-h640/Artificial%20Intelligence_AI__Robots_Jobs_ChatGPT.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image Credit: <a href="https://www.electricaldirect.co.uk/blog/robots-taking-over-jobs">Electrical Direct</a></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;">Software engineering</span></b><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">: </span></b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;">Now that
ChatGPT can seamlessly draft codes and generate a website, any person who
hitherto earned a living doing such a job should be worried. </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">On the contrary<span style="color: black;">, Professor Oded Netzer of the Columbia Business School, reckons
that AI will help coders rather than replace them.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;">Journalism</span></b><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">: </span></b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;">Artificial
Intelligence is already making inroads into newsrooms, especially in
newsgathering</span><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">,
</span></b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">c<span style="color: black;">opy editing, summarizing, and making an article concise.</span></span><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 6pt; text-align: center;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;">Legal
profession:</span></b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;"> Writing under the banner: ‘’Legal Currents and Futures: ChatGPT:
A Versatile Tool for Legal Professionals’’,<b> </b>Jeanne Eicks, J.D.,
associate dean for Graduate and Lifelong Learning Programs at The Colleges of
Law, </span><a href="https://www.collegesoflaw.edu/blog/2023/03/14/legal-currents-and-futures-chatgpt-a-versatile-tool-for-legal-professionals/"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">posits</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;"> that, ‘chatbots
such as ChatGPT can support legal professionals in several ways such as <b>s</b>treamlining
communication and schedule meetings with clients and other parties involved in
legal cases, automating creation of legal documents such as contracts and
filings</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">,
<span style="color: black;">conducting legal research and searching of legal
databases, analyzing data and making predictions about legal outcomes.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;">Graphic design</span></b><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">: </span></b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;">An
artificial intelligence tool, DALL-E, can generate tailored images from
user-generated prompts on command. </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Artificial intelligence </span><a href="https://thechainsaw.com/nft/nft-art/best-ai-image-generator/"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">image generators</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> such as Stable
Diffusion, WOMBO, Craiyon, Midjourney, DALL-E (owned by OpenAI, the company
behind ChatGPT), use computer algorithms and artificial intelligence via deep
learning and analyzing from large datasets, creating a new insanely
comprehensive image based on the prompted text.<span style="color: black;"> T</span></span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;">hese
tools will pose a threat to many in the graphic and creative design spaces.</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;">Customer service agents</span></b><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">: </span></b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;">Robots
and chatbots are already doing customer service jobs – chatting and answering
calls. ChatGPT and related technologies could ramp up this trend. As a matter
of fact, a 2022 study from the tech research company Gartner </span><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/chatgpt-jobs-at-risk-replacement-artificial-intelligence-ai-labor-trends-2023-02?amp"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">predicted</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;"> that
chatbots will be the main customer service channel for roughly 25% of companies
by 2027.</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">Artificial
intelligence</span></b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">
<b>and banking</b>: </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">In the financial or banking world,
artificial intelligence or ChatGPT can be deployed in customer service, fraud
detection, wealth management, financial planning, know your customer (KYC) and
anti-money laundering (AML), customer onboarding, risk management.</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;">Healthcare industry</span></b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;">:
Artificial intelligence (AI) has made </span><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2023/03/02/revolutionizing-healthcare-the-top-14-uses-of-chatgpt-in-medicine-and-wellness/amp/"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">significant
advancements</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;"> in the healthcare industry.</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;"> <span style="color: black;">ChatGPT can be
deployed as a virtual assistant for telemedicine, remote patient monitoring,
medical recordkeeping and writing clinical notes, medical translation, </span>d<span style="color: black;">isease surveillance</span>, <span style="color: black;">medical
education, and </span>m<span style="color: black;">ental health support,</span> i<span style="color: black;">dentifying potential participants for clinical trials</span>,
triaging p<span style="color: black;">atients by asking them questions about
their symptoms and medical history to determine the urgency and severity of
their condition. Similarly, Dr Beena Ahmed, an Associate Professor at t</span></span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">he University of New South Wales (</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;">UNSW),
Australia, </span><a href="https://newsroom.unsw.edu.au/news/science-tech/chatgpt-medical-data-predicting-future-population-health"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">believes</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;"> that
artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning systems could be used in the
future to make predictions on specific health outcomes for individuals based on
medical data collected from large populations thereby improving life
expectancy. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;">Automobile
industry</span></b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;">: American automaker, General Motors is </span><a href="https://www.semafor.com/article/03/10/2023/gm-wants-to-bring-chatgpt-like-assistant-to-drivers"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">mulling</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;"> the idea
of deploying ChatGPT as </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">a virtual personal
assistant on its vehicles. </span><a name="_Hlk129713180"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;">American
automaker, General Motors is </span></a><a href="https://www.semafor.com/article/03/10/2023/gm-wants-to-bring-chatgpt-like-assistant-to-drivers"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk129713180;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">mulling</span></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk129713180;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;"> the idea
of deploying ChatGPT as </span></span><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk129713180;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">a virtual personal assistant on its vehicles. </span></span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">For instance, if a driver got a flat tire, they could ask the car to play
an instructional video inside the vehicle on how to change it. Hypothetically,
a diagnostic light could pop up on a car’s dashboard and a motorist will be
able to dialogue with the digital assistant whether they should pull over or
keep driving to deal with it the issue when they get home. It might even be
able to make an appointment at a recommended repair shop.</span><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 8pt; text-align: center;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">ChatGPT is
Revolutionizing Supply Chain Management</span></b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">: ChatGPT is anticipated to be a game-changer
for </span><a href="https://ts2.ai/machine-learning-for-predictive-analytics-in-supply-chain-management/"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">supply chain
management</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">.
The use of machine learning for supply chain management will entail:
forecasting, inventory optimization, and customer service.</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;">The implication of the
foregoing is that the most </span><a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/us-health-weekend-features-project/article-11710217/Will-ChatGPT-job-Experts-reveal-five-professions-risk-AI.html"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">resilient careers</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;"> will be
those that require a face to face interaction and physical skills that AI
cannot replace. Hence, trades, such as plasterers, electricians, mechanics,
etc., and services – everything from hairdressers to chiropodists - will
continue to rely on human understanding of the task and human ability to
deliver it.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">Cybersecurity
And The Dark Side of Artificial intelligence</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">Phishing emails: </span></b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">A </span><a href="https://www.sangfor.com/blog/cybersecurity/cybersecurity-risks-of-chatgpt"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">phishing email</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;"> is a type of malware
wherein the attacker crafts a fraudulent, yet believable email to deceive
recipients into carrying out harmful instructions. These instructions can be by
clicking on an unsecured link, opening an attachment, providing sensitive
information, or transferring money into specific accounts.</span></p><p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgKvM0BwbHOMC_dwHiQN1_Go-lwknLqmsg-YoK9p3HUBY2WyabW7QyZvQt3QDoBOwqI6tnoOgA7kFE8Oh1t0hkkfo02YCG3oEqhmFPeIG89RwIe4SlH4zWiDNvllP3Rq4wEdPipqOgPTpzWlspPcTucUhVvmMT6ZlPkky_bpA0zsmhJqZaRzqZgoiv/s1052/Cybersecurity%20ChatGPT_Phishing.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="537" data-original-width="1052" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgKvM0BwbHOMC_dwHiQN1_Go-lwknLqmsg-YoK9p3HUBY2WyabW7QyZvQt3QDoBOwqI6tnoOgA7kFE8Oh1t0hkkfo02YCG3oEqhmFPeIG89RwIe4SlH4zWiDNvllP3Rq4wEdPipqOgPTpzWlspPcTucUhVvmMT6ZlPkky_bpA0zsmhJqZaRzqZgoiv/w400-h204/Cybersecurity%20ChatGPT_Phishing.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">Data theft: </span></b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">Entails any
unauthorized exfiltration and access to confidential data on a network. This
includes personal details, passwords, or even software codes – which can be
used by threat actors in a ransomware attack or any other malicious purpose.</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">Malware</span></b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">: Or Malicious
software, is a broad term referring to any kind of software that intends to
harm the user in some form. It can be used to infiltrate electronic devices, servers,
steal information, or simply destroy data.</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">Botnets: </span></b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">A botnet attack is a
targeted cyber-attack during which a group of devices – computers, servers,
amongst others that are all connected to the internet are infiltrated and
hijacked by a hacker.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">The
Positive Side of ChatGPT Towards Enhancing Cybersecurity<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">On
the flip side, ChatGPT, like other large language models, can be deployed to </span><a href="https://www.cloudwize.io/blog/chatgpt-security-risks-you-need-to-know-about/"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">enhance</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;"> cybersecurity. Some
examples include:</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">Phishing detection:</span></b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;"> ChatGPT can be
trained to identify and flag potentially malicious emails or messages designed
to trick users into providing sensitive information.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">Spam filtering:</span></b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;"> ChatGPT can be used
to automatically identify and filter out unwanted messages and emails, such as
spam or unwanted advertising.</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">Malware analysis:</span></b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;"> ChatGPT can be used
to automatically analyze and classify malicious software, such as viruses and
trojans.</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">Intrusion detection:</span></b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;"> ChatGPT can be used
to automatically identify and flag suspicious network traffic, such as
malicious IP addresses or unusual patterns of data transfer.</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">Vulnerability
Assessment:</span></b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">
ChatGPT can be used to automatically analyze software code to find and report
vulnerabilities, such as buffer overflow attacks.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">ChatGPT
And Privacy Concerns</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">Data
privacy</span></b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">:
ChatGPT is unarguably a </span><a href="https://theconversation.com/chatgpt-is-a-data-privacy-nightmare-if-youve-ever-posted-online-you-ought-to-be-concerned-199283"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">data privacy
nightmare</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">.
If you’ve ever posted online, you ought to be concerned. More than 4% of
employees have [in]advertently put </span><a href="https://www.darkreading.com/risk/employees-feeding-sensitive-business-data-chatgpt-raising-security-fears"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">sensitive corporate
data</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">
into the large language models (LLM) such as ChatGPT, raising concerns that its
popularity may result in massive leaks of proprietary information if adequate
data security is not in place. This explains why some global institutions
including JP Morgan, KPMG have </span><a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/companies-block-chatgpt-amid-privacy-fears-5bgb5dlv9"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">blocked</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;"> the use of ChatGPT
while others like Accenture are instructing their teams to be cautious with how
they use the technology because of privacy concerns. In a similar vein,</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;"> British law firm with international footprint,
Mishcon de Reya LLP</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;">, </span><a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2023/03/12/city-law-firm-joins-ranks-banning-chatgpt/"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">banned</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;"> its
lawyers from typing client data into ChatGPT over privacy and security fears.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">Conclusion:</span></b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">It
is obvious that ChatGPT has far-ranging implications and ramifications for national
security, open source intelligence (OSINT) gathering, education, research and on
the workforce. But the most alarming ramifications of such a technological innovation
will be seen in areas of disinformation, cyber-crime, because ChatGPT carries
with it a tremendous risk of misuse, and this will be buoyed by paucity of regulatory
framework. </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">There’s always a fear that government involvement can
slow innovation.</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">
However, I agree with the submissions of Sophie Bushwick and Madhusree Mukerjee
on </span><a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/chatgpt-explains-why-ais-like-chatgpt-should-be-regulated1/"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">Scientific American</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;"> where they advocated
inter-alia, for regulation and oversight over the use of artificial
intelligence. They contend that, ‘’</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">overly strict
regulations could stifle innovation and prevent the technology from reaching
its full potential. On the other hand, insufficient regulation could lead to
abuses of the technology’’. Hence, i</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">t is </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">important to
strike the right balanc</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">e.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">Written by:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">© Don OKEREKE<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Tech-savvy
security thought leader, analyst, researcher, writer, content creator, military
veteran.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Blog: </span><a href="http://www.donokereke.blogspot.com/"><span color="windowtext" face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">http://www.donokereke.blogspot.com</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Twitter: @DonOkereke<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">March 18, 2023; Updated 30 March<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p></p>Don Okerekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06678079913273123553noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848222137267791504.post-76858335017596581422023-02-06T13:08:00.000+00:002023-02-06T13:08:06.976+00:00Election Security Risk Analysis: Hybrid Threats, Early Warning Signs And Prospects of A Seamless Political Transition in Nigeria<p style="text-align: center;"><b style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYqrhyzXxUa95Nd-kkV5roVjaz3g92YeQevy_Bdn6_151j7-lwBXyGGeu8vn7vsNxie2isnvsqWNrTngQwvKJOAtdaxD82j2Y89gehs1gUBU2EVbk2T0CUFz1iBbaKNM-fw4D7-QqUi-CHZIFiHwPVcbTho24_MxvNyylyC4JmLwaGn1dzgi1TdYah/s825/Nigeria%2022%20States%20at%20high%20risk%20of%20election%20manipulation_EMRI%20Report_Violence_Vote%20Buying.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="456" data-original-width="825" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYqrhyzXxUa95Nd-kkV5roVjaz3g92YeQevy_Bdn6_151j7-lwBXyGGeu8vn7vsNxie2isnvsqWNrTngQwvKJOAtdaxD82j2Y89gehs1gUBU2EVbk2T0CUFz1iBbaKNM-fw4D7-QqUi-CHZIFiHwPVcbTho24_MxvNyylyC4JmLwaGn1dzgi1TdYah/w400-h221/Nigeria%2022%20States%20at%20high%20risk%20of%20election%20manipulation_EMRI%20Report_Violence_Vote%20Buying.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Introduction: </b><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">Barring
unforeseen circumstances, </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">Presidential and
National Assembly elections in Nigeria will hold across 109 senatorial
districts and 360 federal constituencies on Saturday, February 25, 2023.
Similarly, gubernatorial and State Assembly elections is slated to take place
two weeks after the presidential election in 28 states and </span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">993
state constituencies</span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">
</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">on Saturday, March 11, 2023</span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">. T</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">hree </span><a href="https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/561653-inec-releases-date-for-bayelsa-imo-kogi-off-cycle-governorship-elections.html"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">off-cycle</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> [1] governorship elections for Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi
states, will hold same day, Saturday, 11 November, 2023. It is interesting to
note that about </span><a href="https://www.vanguardngr.com/2023/01/48-million-out-of-93-5-million-eligible-voters-are-youths-inec/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">48 million</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> [2] out of the 93.5 million
eligible voters in Nigeria are youths. The implication of this is that if
majority of youths exercise their franchise, they might flip the outcome of the
general election. </span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">Election can be likened warfare in Nigeria and the situation is
not different preparatory to the 2023 general elections. If anything, the
tension, uncertainty have escalated. </span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">Synonymous with every election season in
Nigeria, governance is now relegated to the back seat while ethno-religious
politicking, political brinkmanship, intolerance, gaslighting, dog-whistling,
disinformation seems to have taken the front seat. This election security threat assessment was carried out
using publicly available information (PAI), open source intelligence (OSINT) to
glean and forecast likely m</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">ultidimensional or hybrid
election security threats in Nigeria such as internecine conflicts, </span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">cybersecurity challenges, logistics and legal issues that
could hinder the 2023 general elections.<span><a name='more'></a></span></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Election Security, Election War-chest And Logistics Deployment<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">With a whopping </span><a href="https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/501833-apart-from-n40bn-annual-budget-inec-wants-n305bn-to-conduct-2023-elections.html"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">N305 billion</span></a><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> [3] budgeted to
conduct the 2023 general elections, it promises be the most expensive election
in the annals of Nigeria. Whereas Nigeria’s amended </span><a href="https://leadership.ng/2023-campaign-finance-inec-invokes-n50000-donation-limit/"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Section 88</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> [4] of
the Electoral Act</span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">
pegs the maximum amount to be spent by a Presidential candidate to N5bn
(approximately $12m), from the current N1bn (400 per cent increase), and 1
billion Naira for gubernatorial election, a former Presidential Spokesman </span><a href="https://www.theafricareport.com/185924/nigeria-want-to-be-president-here-is-how-much-it-will-cost-you/"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">reckons</span></a><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> [5] that in reality,
“No Nigerian President in the last 20 years has spent less than $100m to be
President''. Given the rate of inflation and depreciation of the Naira, the war
chest could have ramped up to a staggering $300m. Tells how expensive politics,
prosecuting an election is in Nigeria.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">The forthcoming 2023 general election also promises to be a security and
logistics nightmare for the electoral commission, the Independent National
Electoral Commission (INEC) who obviously have no direct control over logistics
and security. For instance, barely few weeks to the general election, the
Independent National Electoral Commission says the lingering petrol scarcity
could </span><a href="https://punchng.com/fuel-scarcity-may-hamper-movement-of-materials-personnel-inec/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">hamper</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> [6] the movement of election materials and election
personnel. Apparently, the INEC relies on private transportation and transport
unions such as the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), National
Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), Marine Workers’ Union (MWUN), to
move electoral materials to the nook and cranny of the country. Similarly, the
electoral Commission would rely on government security forces (GSF). The
Nigerian Navy expected to help ferry election materials to riverine communities,
the Nigerian Air force (NAF) will provide </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Calibri Light"; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin;">logistics
support with its retrofitted </span><a href="https://www.vanguardngr.com/2023/01/elections-air-force-to-support-inecs-logistics-with-retroftted-c-130-hercules-aircraft/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Calibri Light"; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin;">C-130
Hercules aircraft</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> [7], amongst others. To this end, the
INEC chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, </span><a href="https://punchng.com/over-500000-security-personnel-to-man-polling-booths/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">revealed</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> [8] that 530,538 security agents, including policemen
and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) personnel would be
deployed to polling booths for the 2023 general election. Talking about
logistics management, the INEC says the 2023 general elections will involve </span><a href="https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/571543-inec-to-use-100000-vehicles-4200-boats-for-2023-elections-signs-mou-with-transport-unions.html"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">nationwide deployment</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> [9] of over one million
personnel (including ad hoc staff), 100,000 vehicles, about 4,200 boats to be
escorted by naval gunboats and massive quantities of materials to 774 LGA’s;
8,809 Electoral Wards and 176,846 polling units across the length and breadth
of Nigeria. Technology will play a role in coordinating this massive logistics.
In this light, he INEC says it </span><a href="https://nairametrics.com/2023/01/18/2023-how-inec-plans-to-use-technology-to-track-materials-prof-yakubu/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">established</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> [10] a ‘’Logistics Management
System - Election Logistics Framework (ELF), which uses an android application
and web dashboard to track election materials procurement through storage to
delivery’’.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Though the deployment of the Nigerian military as an election watchdog is a
contentious and controversial issue, it appears the pervasive insecurity in
Nigeria is an extenuating factor. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">As apprehension rises over the
likelihood of holding elections in parts on Nigeria, </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">the </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">Chief of Defence Staff, Lt.
General Lucky Irabor allayed fears and </span><a href="https://www.channelstv.com/2022/08/09/insecurity-2023-elections-will-hold-defence-chief-assures-nigerians/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">assured</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;"> [11] that the elections will indeed hold as scheduled.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> The
Defence Headquarters </span><a href="https://punchng.com/polls-dhq-to-deploy-troops-in-sokoto-imo-katsina-others/"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">confirmed</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> [12] it
would deploy substantial troops to areas ravaged by terrorists, bandits, and
gunmen to ensure the safety of electorates during the polls. </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">According to the<span style="color: black;"> Director, Defence Information, Major General Jimmy Akpor,
“Nobody is sleeping; we’ll continue to do our utmost and scale-up our
operations, intelligence and physical, kinetic and non-kinetic activities to
ensure that the environment is safe for socioeconomic activities’’. To this
end, there’s likely to be massive military deployment in the entire southeast,
including Imo, Anambra, Benue, Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto state, amongst others,
before the general elections. While they are at it, t</span></span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">he military and other security agencies must be apolitical and desist from
extrajudicial killing. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">It is commendable that the Inspector General of Police is </span><a href="https://radionigeria.gov.ng/2023/01/18/election-security-igp-issues-revised-guidelines-to-officers/"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">distributing</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> [13] more
than 1 million copies of the 36-page Nigeria Police Force handbook - “Revised
Standard Operational Guidelines/Rules for Police Officers and Other Law
Enforcement Agents on Election Security Duties” ahead of the 2023 General
Election. Hopefully those that would be deployed for election duties will read
and assimilate the spirit and letter of the standard operating procedure which
spells out “crowd control, use of force and lethal weapon, escorting and
protection of election materials, general conduct, procedure of arrest, dress
and accoutrement, managing political parties’ convention and rallies”, amongst
others.</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">It
is a welcome development that the police hierarchy has</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> </span><a href="https://www.tv360nigeria.com/2023-elections-igp-bans-states-security-outfits-from-election-duty/"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">banned</span></a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> [14] the deployment of quasi
security outfits</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">established by regional or state governments such as the </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #222222; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Southwest Security Outfit called
Amotekun</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">, Ebubeagu et al </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #222222; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">from participating in election
campaigns and other electoral processes.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Despite Huge Spending
on Security, Insecurity Is Nigeria’s Undoing<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Talking about money-spinning and sapping undertakings in Nigeria,
(in)security tops the list. The Nigerian government has spent more than </span><a href="https://guardian.ng/news/worsening-insecurity-seven-year-n8tr-defence-spending-fresh-n762b-loan-worry-senate-csos/"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">N8 trillion on defence budgets</span></a><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> [15] in the last
seven years while additional N722.53 billion ($1.76 billion) was borrowed from the
domestic capital market. This is in addition to the $1 billion that the
presidency withdrew from the </span><a href="https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/545386-nigerian-govt-withdrew-1-billion-from-excess-crude-account-for-security-minister.html"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Excess Crude Account</span></a><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> (ECA) [16] and supposedly
splashed on national security. </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">Recall that president
Buhari's administration appropriated N1.55 trillion for </span><a href="https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/10/2023-budget-how-n1-55trn-allocated-to-defence-ministry-army-navy-airforcell-be-spent-fg/"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">defence/military</span></a><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;"> [17] out of the N20.51tn
2023 proposed appropriation bill presented to the National Assembly. </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Nigeria's Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Lucky Irabor on October 18,
2022, </span><a href="https://thenationonlineng.net/cds-nigeria-has-lost-100000-lives-spent-9b-on-boko-haram-insurgency/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">lamented</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> [18] that Nigeria lost 100,000 lives and spent $9
billion (about N3.24 trillion) since the Boko insurgency began in 2009.</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Of
course, aforesaid defence/security spending excludes the </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">muddy, corruption-laden, and unaccounted-for ‘’security votes’’, </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">which Transparency
International </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">approximates to be over $670 million annually, as of
2017. To get a hang on the security vote miasma, consider the report of </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">a former </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Nigeria analyst, Bureau of Intelligence and Research, US Department of
State, Mr. Matthew T. Page, titled - </span><a href="http://ti-defence.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/DSP_Nigeria_Camouflage_Cash_Web2.pdf"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Camouflaged Cash: How ‘Security Votes’ Fuel Corruption in Nigeria</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> [19]. </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8_xwETqeH6i7qFxIvynXUoaAQFqIBrJGMLzf_IZGd_D6UQwKRm4i_LtQ8JOxjf0HY8sGJDPXYMulKfwX6EH6L_-HAFPknYFfwHgVThEGV3F-LQwFgFYfdl8a0KDIPSM5tr4yQeLzksMYcLACla8D92hXD-m2gPtzXDzDNooZwpPUqmHHUzZzHbYpU/s695/Nigeria%202023%20Federal%20Defence%20Military%20Budget_Revenue_Inflation_Capital%20Expenditure_Debt%20Service_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="695" data-original-width="654" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8_xwETqeH6i7qFxIvynXUoaAQFqIBrJGMLzf_IZGd_D6UQwKRm4i_LtQ8JOxjf0HY8sGJDPXYMulKfwX6EH6L_-HAFPknYFfwHgVThEGV3F-LQwFgFYfdl8a0KDIPSM5tr4yQeLzksMYcLACla8D92hXD-m2gPtzXDzDNooZwpPUqmHHUzZzHbYpU/s320/Nigeria%202023%20Federal%20Defence%20Military%20Budget_Revenue_Inflation_Capital%20Expenditure_Debt%20Service_.jpg" width="301" /></a></div><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">It needs no explanation that the security situation
in Nigeria has deteriorated over the years and there is no assurance that a
silver bullet is in the offing. A </span><a href="https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/546476-majority-of-nigerians-feel-less-safe-than-they-did-five-years-ago-report.html"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">research</span></a><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> [20] by World Risk Poll which attests that three
in five Nigerians (61 per cent) feel less safe than they did five years ago. </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">The prevailing security situation in Nigeria
renews calls for state policing. In an unprecedented and unanimous move, 17
southern governors commended their 19 northern counterparts for joining the
call for the establishment of </span><a href="https://www.channelstv.com/2022/09/20/fgs-capacity-to-secure-nigeria-shaky-southern-govs-laud-northern-govs-call-for-state-police/"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">state police</span></a><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;"> [21] to tackle the persistent security
challenges in Nigeria. Similarly, Nigerian </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Senators across political parties, on
Wednesday 27<sup>th</sup> July 2022, voiced their discontentment with the
deteriorating security situation in the country. The Senate gave President Muhammadu
Buhari a six week </span><a href="https://guardian.ng/news/senators-across-parties-threaten-to-impeach-buhari-over-insecurity/"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">ultimatum</span></a><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> [22] to properly
address worsening insecurity or face immediate impeachment. </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Opinions, Fears That
2023 Political Transition May Not Pan Out Well<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">L</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">egal luminary, Chief </span><a href="https://www.channelstv.com/2022/04/19/afe-babalola-calls-for-interim-government-in-place-of-2023-elections/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Afe Babalola</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> [23] apparently fired the first
salvo when he advocated that the</span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> 2023 election be deferred. In a press
release on April 18, 2022, Chief Babalola ‘’</span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">advised the
federal government to suspend the 2023 elections and allow a </span><a href="https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/524531-afe-babalola-wants-2023-elections-suspended-recommends-interim-govt.html"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">6-month interim government</span></a><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;"> [24] after
President Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure that would give a new constitution that would
tackle insecurity, economic, political and other ills bedeviling the nation’’.
Not long after Babalola’s prompting, precisely on May 9, 2022, another elder
statesman and senior lawyer, Robert Clarke, </span><a href="https://punchng.com/buhari-needs-tenure-extension-to-curb-insecurity-san/"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">proposed</span></a><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;"> [25] that President Muhammadu Buhari ‘’should
serve for an extra six months to give him enough time to address the country’s
security woes’’.</span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">
Mr. Clarke extenuated what seems like a sales pitch by citing that, </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">‘’the Constitution provided the President to extend his tenure for six
months in the first instance if conditions were not ripe for an election’’.
Also, Reverend Chris Okotie on Sunday, June 19, 2022, ‘’proposed an </span><a href="https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/06/okotie-at-63-i-wish-to-head-interim-govt/"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">interim government</span></a><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;"> [26] as a solution to
Nigeria’s political problems’’. </span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">At the risk of
spiritualizing, we may have to ponder on the take of the General Overseer of
the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye who opined
sometime in April, 2022, that, “As we speak, I am </span><a href="https://guardian.ng/news/2023-im-not-sure-yet-if-therell-be-an-election-says-pastor-adeboye/"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">not sure yet</span></a><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> [27] if
there will be an election in Nigeria. I said yet – because the Lord has not
told me about it’’. </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">Afterwards, precisely </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">on Thursday, June 23, 2022, during a bilateral meeting on
the margins of the 26th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Kigali,
Rwanda, </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">the
erstwhile </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson,
rhetorically asked President Muhammadu Buhari if he will be running for another
term in office? It is either Johnson wasn’t<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>aware that Buhari is constitutionally barred from seeking another term
in office or we can safely infer that his prying question was aimed at
extracting assurances from Buhari that he would relinquish power in 2023. The
latter seems more tenable. The </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">United Kingdom’s government is also concerned about the
prospect of the 2023 elections in Nigeria. During the launch of the Nigerian
Governors’ Forum Peace and Inclusive Security Initiative (PISI) in Abuja, Mr.
Chris Beecroft, director, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO),
expressed </span><a href="https://www.ndr.org.ng/uk-government-expresses-anxiety-over-2023-elections/"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">anxiety</span></a><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> [28] over the 2023
general elections Nigeria. Mr. Beecroft cited active insurgency in the
Northeast; farmers-herders’ conflicts across the country, resource conflicts in
the Niger-Delta, the tension in the southeast and banditry in the northwest as
some of the major security challenges that may affect the election.</span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Legal Loopholes And Allegation
of Election Sabotage<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">A
senior advocate of Nigeria, </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Chief Wole
Olanipekun is one of those worried about the legal loop-hole and ticking time
bomb in Nigeria’s new electoral act 2022. According to him, Section 65 of the
Electoral Act, ‘’empowers the Chief Returning Officer of the Independent
National Electoral Commission (INEC), to return and also review his decision’’.
Chief Olanipekun contends that this clause is ‘’a very dangerous act in
Nigeria’s electoral system’’. He </span><a href="https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2023/01/19/olanipekun-powers-arrogated-to-inec-chairman-in-section-65-of-electoral-act-dangerous/"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">argues</span></a><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> [29] that, “the returning officer is not a court of law,
not a tribunal, not vested with jurisdiction to exercise quasi- decision or to
assume jurisdiction over any matter that is judicial in nature.” Similarly, </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">A few
weeks to the February/March general election, the Independent National
Electoral Commission INEC is reportedly </span><a href="https://www.vanguardngr.com/2023/01/38-days-to-polls-joined-in-791-lawsuits-inec-expresses-satisfaction-with-preparations/amp/"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">confronted</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> [30] with
‘’at least, 791 court cases, a geometric rise from the 600 cases it was
confronted with as of November 2022’’. Interestingly, it appears the
presidential candidate of the APC, Bola Tinubu seems to have doubts about the
presidential election. On Wednesday, January 25, 2023, Bola Tinubu opined that,
‘’</span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">the
lingering <span style="color: black;">fuel scarcity, and introduction of the new
Naira notes are plots to </span></span><a href="https://tribuneonlineng.com/fuel-scarcity-new-naira-notes-plot-to-sabotage-general-elections-tinubu/"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">sabotage</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> [31] general
elections’’. The implication of Tinubu’s assertion is that it is either he’s
trying to separate his campaign from the shortcomings of the ruling government
or his own ruling party and indirectly, the presidency is indeed not
comfortable with his candidacy. Well, President </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Buhari has </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcQHPiQJSYA"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">assured</span></a><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> [32] that there is no going back on
the Naira redesign and that nobody will be allowed to intimidate voters.</span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Early Warning Signs
Or Shaping Operations? <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Early warning signals suggests that
the 2023 general election and political transition in Nigeria may not be
seamless. </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Lately, a coalition of civil society organisations under
the aegis of Alliance for Democratic Sustenance (ADS) led by Malam Yusuf
Bulama, </span><a href="https://guardian.ng/news/group-raises-alarm-over-alleged-plot-to-sabotage-elections-urges-buhari-to-intervene/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">raised the alarm</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> [33] over what he
called a subterranean plot to truncate the conduct of the general elections.
According to the civil society group, “We have impeccable information from
highly placed and reliable sources of a clandestine meeting by some powerful
and highly placed persons aimed at truncating the democratic transition to
another democratically elected government in the country''. Akin to a serial
doomsday prognosis, the Conflict Research Network, West Africa (CORN West
Africa) on Tuesday January 10, 2023, </span><a href="https://businessday.ng/news/article/group-warns-of-threat-to-2023-polls-in-northeast-nigeria/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">raised alarm</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> [34] that ‘’terrorism could threaten
the peaceful conduct of 2023 elections in northeast Nigeria if a proactive
specific security plan was not designed for the zone’’. Prior to now, precisely
o</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">n Monday, January 09, 2023,
the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) reiterated that the 2023
general election faces </span><a href="https://leadership.ng/just-in-2023-elections-may-be-affected-by-insecurity-says-inec/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">serious threat of cancellation or postponement</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;"> [35] if the waves of insecurity in parts of the
country fails to improve. In what can be regarded as a Freudian slip or a
‘shaping operation’, Board of Electoral Institute (BEI), Prof. Abdullahi Abdu
Zuru, who represented the INEC chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu at the Validation
of Election Security Training Resources in Abuja, presaged that, <i>''if the
insecurity is not monitored and dealt with decisively, it could ultimately
culminate in the cancellation and/or postponement of elections in sufficient
constituencies to hinder the declaration of elections results and precipitate
constitutional crisis.</i></span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Similarly, the umbrella body of all
registered political parties in Nigeria, Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), </span><a href="https://www.icirnigeria.org/insecurity-2023-elections-may-not-hold-political-parties-council-warns/"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">warned</span></a><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> [36] that the rising
level of insecurity in parts of Nigeria may abort the 2023 general elections.
Chairman of the IPAC, Yabagi Yusuf Sani reportedly dropped the clue during a
meeting with the Director-General of the Department of State Service (DSS)
Yusuf Magaji Bichi.</span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">A </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">report<span style="color: black;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">by Professor Okechukwu Ibeanu and Idayat Hassan</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> of the </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD),</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> titled ‘Nigeria’s presidential polls:</span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span><a href="https://cddwestafrica.org/nigerias-presidential-polls-a-swot-analysis/"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">A SWOT Analysis</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">’ [37] released on
September 6, 2022, warns that in addition to significant logistic challenges in
reaching the 176,846 polling units (</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">a 56,872
increase on 2019)</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">, ‘’it</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> is becoming increasingly clear that insecurity will be a major factor
that could even lead to a</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">possible postponement of the election, at least in some parts of the
country’’.</span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">TheCable, August 23, 2022, </span><a href="https://www.thecable.ng/exclusive-elections-may-not-hold-in-several-north-west-states-over-insecurity-governors-tell-buhari"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">reported</span></a><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> [38] that,
''Nigerian governors are of the opinion that elections may not hold in several
north-west states comprising Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto and
Zamfara in 2023 as a result of the prevalent insecurity in the geopolitical
zone''. In the same vein, </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">a publication titled –
‘Insecurity: Will elections hold in 2023?, TheCable </span><a href="https://www.thecable.ng/insecurity-will-elections-hold-in-2023"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">quoted</span></a><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;"> [39] INEC’s
Commissioner, Mr. Festus Okoye, to have asserted in a paper he presented at a
brainstorming session between the Department of State Services (DSS) and Civil
Society Organisations held at the DSS Headquarters in Abuja on April 6, 2022,
that, “The security situation in the country may affect voter mobilization,
deployment of personnel and materials to different parts of the country.” </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Sequel to the
flip-flops and crises of confidence sown, the INEC went on overdrive, trying to
douse tension and reassure Nigerians and the international community that the
2023 general election would hold as scheduled. The INEC boss re-echoed this
during his outing at the </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Royal Institute of
International Affairs (</span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Chatham
House), London on Tuesday, January 17, 2023. Perhaps it is worth studying why </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Chatham House</span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">
has morphed into a sort of an international validation outpost for Nigerian
politicians.</span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Chances of seamless, simultaneous elections nationwide<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Citing</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> anonymous intelligence shared about Nigeria’s election
security by concerned civil society actors conversant with the undertaking of
the Inter-agency Consultative Committee on Electoral Security (ICCES), </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">THISDAY Newspaper </span><a href="https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2022/10/02/insecurity-threatens-conduct-of-2023-elections-in-686-communities/"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">revealed</span></a><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> [40] that, ‘the
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) may be under constraint to
conduct 2023 elections in plausibly over 686 communities under the atrocious
activities of armed non-state actors across the federation’’. According to the
report, ‘’affected communities and wards cut across 90 local government areas
(LGAs) and 18 states of the federation’’. Out of the 686 affected communities,
618 were identified in the north alone with 336 in the Northwest and 200
communities domiciled in Zamfara state. The implication of this is that Zamfara
state is currently deemed as the most dangerous state in Nigeria.</span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Similarly,
in the Northeast, 168 communities were identified. Gombe is the only state that
is comparatively safe in the Northeast while there are about 79 wards in Borno
state where elections may not hold. Aforesaid report submits that it would be
challenging to hold elections in about 114 wards in North-central Nigeria,
largely in Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger and Plateau. “In Southeastern Nigeria, 55
communities mainly in Abia, Anambra, and Imo state were referenced as red
zones. The findings put the number of communities affected in the South-south
at three, all located in Rivers State. THISDAY Newspaper report extrapolated
that 90.1 per cent of the purported unsafe communities are domiciled in the
north alone while 9.09 per cent representing 68 unsafe communities are in
southern Nigeria. </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">A
purported </span><a href="https://www.thecable.ng/exclusive-elections-may-not-hold-in-several-north-west-states-over-insecurity-governors-tell-buhari"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">policy brief</span></a><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> [41] by some northern governors to president
Buhari, anticipates that elections may not hold in the North West states of
Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara in 2023, due to
growing insecurity.</span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">For instance, data
collated by Punch Newspaper as at December 18, 2022,</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> estimated that no fewer than </span><a href="https://punchng.com/50-inec-offices-attacked-in-four-years-data/"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">50 offices</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> [42] and facilities of the Independent National
Electoral Commission were attacked across 15 states in the past 4 years. However,
</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">data from the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data
Project (ACLED), suggests aforesaid data might be a conservative estimate.</span><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">According to ACLED’s
December 2022 data, ‘’there have been more than </span><a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2023/1/18/nigeria-electoral-commission-attacks-spark-polls-concern"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">100 attacks</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> [43] associated with elections
since the last elections in 2019’’. No fewer than 67 of such attacks were
recorded on non-election days between January 2019 and December 2022.</span><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">G</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">unmen </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">on Monday,
November 28, 2022, </span><a href="https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/11/gunmen-kill-labour-party-women-leader-in-kaduna/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">killed</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;"> [44] the women leader of the Labour Party (LP)</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;"> </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">in Kaura LG</span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">A</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;"> of Kaduna State, </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">Mrs. </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">Victoria Chintex</span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;"> at her residence in Kaura, Kaduna. </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Suspected thugs on Monday, October 17,
2022, </span><a href="https://www.channelstv.com/2022/10/17/thugs-disrupt-pdp-rally-in-kaduna-atiku-fumes/"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">disrupted</span></a><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> [45] the campaign
train of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kaduna State. The campaign
convoy of the presidential candidate of the PDP, former Vice President Atiku
Abubakar, was reportedly </span><a href="https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2022/11/09/atikus-campaign-convoy-attacked-in-maiduguri-apc-pdp-trade-blame/"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">attacked</span></a><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> [46] in Maiduguri,
Borno state, on November 9, 2022.</span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">States With High Risk of Election
Manipulation, Voter Suppression<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">An “Election Manipulation Risk Index EMRI”, a triangulated </span><a href="https://www.vanguardngr.com/2023/01/election-manipulation-imo-lagos-kano-19-others-tagged-high-risk-states/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">data</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> [47] developed by the International Press Centre and
eight other organizations including Partners for Electoral Reform, The Albino
Foundation, The Kukah Centre, Enough is Enough, Centre for Journalism
Innovation and Development, SBM Intelligence, Dataphyte and YIAGA Africa,
classified 22 states out of the 36 states in Nigeria as ‘’high risk’’ as it
pertains to election manipulation. The states include Imo, Anambra, Enugu,
Ebonyi, Abia, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Lagos, Oyo, and Osun. Others are Ekiti, Kwara,
Niger, Plateau, Taraba, Kaduna, Bauchi, Adamawa, Kano, Katsina, Sokoto and
Jigawa states. According to the EMRI report, 12 states with medium election
manipulation risks include Borno, Yobe, Nasarawa, Benue, Kogi, Zamfara, Kebbi,
Ogun, Edo, Delta, Bayelsa and Cross River while three states: Gombe, Ondo, and
the Federal Capital Territory FCT, were classified as low risk. The EMRI report
identifies indicators such as voter suppression, resistance against electoral
technology like BVAS and IReV, political interference with INEC operations,
administrative lapses, tampering with the voter register, and frivolous
election litigations, as electoral risks that may potentially impugn the
election integrity of the 2023 elections.</span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">Election Violence Heat Map: States To Watch Out For</span></b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">The situation in Lagos state pre,
during and after the election promises to be dicey, unpredictable. Perhaps as a
sign of things to come, t</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">he Campaign train of the
Governorship Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party – PDP in Lagos State,
Dr. Abdulazeez Olajide Adediran (JANDOR) was reportedly </span><a href="https://gazettengr.com/pdp-claims-assassination-attempt-on-jandor-blames-apc/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">attacked</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> [48] on Sunday, 23<sup>rd</sup> October, 2022 while his
entourage were returning from a visitation to members of the party at the Ikoga
Junction area of Badagry LGA.</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">Similarly, on Tuesday, January 24, 2023, thugs </span><a href="https://dailypost.ng/2023/01/24/lagos-2023-thugs-attack-pdps-jandor-funke-akindele-again/"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">attacked</span></a><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;"> [49] the convoy of Peoples Democratic Party
(PDP) governorship candidate in Lagos state, Abdul-Azeez Adediran (Jandor) in
Kosofe LGA, stabbing a security officer.</span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> Also, </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Nollywood actress
and PDP deputy governorship candidate in Lagos State Funke Akindele was on
Tuesday, January 24, 2023, </span><a href="https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/577834-2023-funke-akindele-chased-out-of-lagos-market.html"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">reportedly</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> [50] chased out of the Ikosi fruit
market in Lagos by suspected thugs while campaigning.</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Supporters and thugs loyal to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) reportedly clashed and </span><a href="https://www.ripplesnigeria.com/lagos-guber-campaigns-turn-violent-shots-fired-as-apc-pdp-thugs-clash-videos/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">shot sporadically</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> [51] in the Aguda area
of Surulere, Lagos, on Friday, January 27, 2023.</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span><i><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Plausible </span></i><i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-font-kerning: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">election suppression
and violence flashpoints in Lagos include: </span></i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Oshodi-Isolo LGA (Ajao Estate, Mafoluku, Okota, </span><i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-font-kerning: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">Ago Palace
Way</span></i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">, Oke-Afa, Ejigbo areas), </span><i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-font-kerning: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">Amuwo-Odofin
(FESTAC, </span></i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Satellite town</span><i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-font-kerning: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">), Surulere (Aguda, Ijesha), Mushin
(Jandor’s neck-of-the-woods), Apapa (</span></i><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Olodi Apapa</span><i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-font-kerning: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">, Agegunle), Alimosho
(the largest and most densely populated LGA in Lagos, nay, Nigeria). This</span></i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;"> prognosis is deduced from trends, open source
intelligence (OSINT) and the fact that </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">there is a high
concentration of opposition supporters, non-locals in aforesaid areas. For
instance, there was election violence <span style="color: black;">specifically at
Ago Palace Way during the February 2019 election as suspected thugs </span></span><a href="https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/02/tension-grips-ago-palace-way-lagos-residents-over-fears-of-reprisal-attacks/amp/"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">reportedly</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;"> [52]
stormed a polling unit and set ablaze no fewer than 100 ballot boxes filled
with election materials. </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">It is not unexpected that the ruling party will attempt to rein in Jandor,
the PDP and the Labour party in Mushin (where the PDP gubernatorial candidate
hails from), and also Alimosho, said to be the largest and most densely
populated local government area in Lagos. Note that the projected population of
Alimosho LGA is 3,082,900, as of 2019.</span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">Another concern or risk worth mentioning is the
devil-may-care rivalry and role played by the leadership and membership of
transport unions such as the </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">National Union
of Road Transport Workers</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;"> (NURTW), </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">Road Transport Employees Association
of Nigeria (</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">RTEAN) </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">and the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO),
or the newly constituted Lagos Parks Management Committee led by Musiliu
Akinsanya, popularly known as MC Oluomo, have played in the past and will
likely play during the 2023 elections. For one, the INEC intends using the
NURTW to move election materials. What if they deliberately compromise or
jeopardize the delivery of election materials in some areas? Of course the
ongoing petrol scarcity could be a good alibi.</span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Imo state in
particular and the entire southeast is also another election violence hotspot. </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Imo state is apparently the new Afghanistan in Nigeria. </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">This is because of
the activities of so-called separatist agitators - </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">IPOB factions, unknown gunmen and ‘’ungun known men’’ </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">run amok and seem to
be bent on disrupting elections in the southeast. <span style="color: black;">Mr
Cajethan Duke </span></span><a href="https://leadership.ng/imo-apc-raises-the-alarm-over-attacks-on-members/"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">claimed</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> [53] in
a statement, that no fewer than 50 members of his party had been killed in the
state. </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Cambria Math";">A witness, Isa Adamu, said no fewer than </span><a href="https://dailytrust.com/bloodbath-in-s-east-police-mobilize-against-ipob-terror/"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Cambria Math";">eight people were killed</span></a><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Cambria Math";"> [54] by
gunmen in Umunna town near Okigwe on Friday, including some mechanics who had
gone to repair a vehicle in the town.</span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Imo state recorded the highest number of attacks
on INEC facilities with more than a dozen incidents…and counting. One of the
recent attacks happened on Saturday, January 14, 2023 </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">when gunmen numbering about 20 on Saturday, January 14, 2023, </span><a href="https://dailypost.ng/2023/01/15/gunmen-attack-imo-inec-office-kill-one-say-no-election-in-biafra-land/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">attacked</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> [55] INEC’s office at Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government
Secretariat, Imo State, killing one person in the process.</span><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">This substantiates
the </span><a href="https://independent.ng/2023-election-may-not-hold-in-3-lgas-in-imo-inec/"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">statement</span></a><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> [56] of the Resident
Electoral Commissioner (REC) of Imo state on September 7, 2022, that the 2023
general election may not hold in three local government areas (LGAs) in the
state, including in Orlu, Orsu, Njaaba (Okigwe LGA should be in the list) due
to what can be characterized as </span><a href="https://www.clingendael.org/pub/2021/countering-hybrid-threats/2-hybrid-threats-searching-for-a-definition/"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">hybrid threats</span></a><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> [57] </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">On Sunday, January 22, 2023, gunmen </span><a href="https://www.premiumtimesng.com/regional/ssouth-east/577342-gunmen-behead-council-chairman-in-imo.html"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">beheaded</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> [58] the sole administrator of Ideato North LGA of Imo
State. The victim, Christopher Ohizu, was abducted two days earlier alongside
two others when the gunmen attacked him and set his residence ablaze. The
hoodlums beheaded the victim after his family reportedly paid N6 million as
ransom to them. Sources said the gunmen were attacking those backing the
conduct of the 2023 elections in the Southeast. Similarly, on Tuesday, January
24, 2023, gunmen killed the ward chairman, Christian Ihim popularly known as
‘’Zako’’ of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Umuchoke ward in Okwe,
Onuimo LGA of Imo State. The gunmen also kidnapped five other chieftains of the
ruling party in the community. Recall that gunmen had on December 15, 2022, </span><a href="https://punchng.com/gunmen-kill-imo-apc-ward-chairman-kidnap-others/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">killed</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> [59] the Labour Party candidate for the Onuimo LGA state
House of Assembly election, Christopher Elehu, popularly known as Wasco, after
they set ablaze his country home in Okwe community. Also, gunmen have kidnapped
two community leaders in Ogbaku in the Mbaitoli LGA of the state. A</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> driver
and four police orderlies were on Monday, January 02, </span><a href="https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2023/01/03/four-policemen-killed-as-gunmen-attack-ohakims-convoy/"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">killed</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> [60] as
the convoy of a former governor of Imo state and an APC leader, Chief Ikedi
Ohakim was attacked by gunmen at Umualumoke, Oriagu in Ehime Mbano LGA of Imo
state. Ohakim escaped death by the hair’s breadth because he was in a
bulletproof vehicle with two of his children when the gunmen struck. </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">From the foregoing, it is safe to say that Imo state is the new Afghanistan
in Nigeria and if adequate measures are not put in place, it will be a
herculean task to conduct elections in Imo state.</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Scores of people were killed, and properties worth billions of Naira
destroyed in Aku-Okigwe, in Imo state as a result of the random kidnapping, bloodletting
and arson attacks by criminals, non-state actors and counter-offensive, indiscriminate
extrajudicial killings by government security forces (GSF) searching for the
criminals. The conflict is deep-seated, and it is unlikely that normalcy will
return prior to the election or afterwards. The implication is that Aku community
and pockets of communities in the southeast are deserted as residents live as
IDPs in neighbouring communities. They will be disenfranchised during the
forthcoming election.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;"> </span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">In 2021, the Kaduna State Independent Electoral Commission
(KADSIECOM) </span><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://www.thecable.ng/kaduna-postpones-council-election-in-4-lgas-over-insecurity"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">postponed</span></a></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;"> [61]
council election in four LGAs - Chikun, Kajuru, Zangon Kataf and Birnin Gwari
LGAs, due to insecurity. </span><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://dailytrust.com/ansaru-militants-take-over-kaduna-communities-ban-political-activities"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">Reports</span></a></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"> [62] indicate that Ansaru terrorist group banned
political activities in many communities in the Eastern part of Birnin-Gwari
LGA of Kaduna State.<b> </b>It would be a challenge to hold elections in this
part of Kaduna state.</span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p style="background: white; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Political Intolerance And The
Risk of Election Violence in Nigeria<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">The National Security Adviser (NSA), </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Babagana Monguno on Friday</span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">, November 11, 2022, stated</span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">that </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">“rogues” </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">are
</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">planning to disrupt the 2023 elections</span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">. </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Monguno said he was aware that in the last month, at least </span><a href="https://www.arise.tv/with-52-violence-cases-in-one-month-nsa-monguno-says-rogues-planning-to-disrupt-2023-elections/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">52 cases of electoral violence</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> [63] </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">were reported </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">across 22 states in the country</span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">. Sequel to the NSA's declaration, the
British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Wendy Campbell Laing stated
that, </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">“When people feel intimidated, they can’t get out to
vote, the election itself will not be credible, that is why the violence is of
great concern”</span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">.
On this note, she averred that the United Kingdom </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>will be watching closely any
individual who acts violently or incites people through the social media</span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> and would not
hesitate to impose </span><a href="https://guardian.ng/news/2023-uk-is-watching-nigeria-closely-british-high-commissioner-tells-politicians/"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">visa sanction</span></a><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> [64] on such
individuals</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">As a matter of fact, on Wednesday, the United States Secretary of
State, Anthony Blinken went ahead to impose </span><a href="https://www.state.gov/imposing-visa-restrictions-on-individuals-involved-in-undermining-the-democratic-process-in-nigeria/"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">visa restrictions</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> [65] in
his words, ‘’on specific individuals in Nigeria for undermining the democratic
process in a recent Nigerian election’’.</span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> According to Blinken, <span style="color: black;">‘’additional persons who undermine the democratic process
in Nigeria—including in the lead-up to, during, and following Nigeria’s 2023
elections—may be found ineligible for U.S. visas under this policy’’.</span> </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">The United Nations and the Economic Community of West African States
(ECOWAS) on Tuesday, 17 January, 2023, </span><a href="https://dailytrust.com/un-ecowas-warn-nigeria-against-election-violence/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">warned</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> [66] Nigeria against violence in this year’s general
elections. ‘’While the UN cautioned that if things go wrong in Nigeria, there
would be serious consequences for the peace and stability of the entire region;
the ECOWAS said if violence occurs in Nigeria, no other nation in the
sub-region could accommodate Nigerian refugees’’.</span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">In new </span><a href="https://punchng.com/2023-uk-eu-australia-issue-security-alerts/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">security advisories</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> [67] independently
issued on Thursday, January 19, 2023, Australia, United Kingdom and the
European Union, warned their citizens to reconsider their intending visits to
Nigeria, avoid all political gatherings and election related sites in the lead up
to, during and after the election due to the hostile “security climate” and
threats preparatory to the 2023 general elections. Recall that in October 2022,
the United States, UK, Canada, Germany, and Bulgaria issued terror alerts,
warning their citizens in Nigeria to avoid shopping malls, religious centres,
and hotels which they said could be targeted by terrorists. </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">In its final </span><a href="https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/343971-626-killed-during-2019-nigeria-elections-report.html"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">report</span></a><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> [68] on the 2019
general election, the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room conservatively
estimated that, ”At least, 626 people were killed between the start of the
campaign in October 2018 and the final election in March 2019’’. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">In 2021, the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data
Project (ACLED)</span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">
</span><a href="https://acleddata.com/10-conflicts-to-worry-about-in-2022/nigeria/"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">recorded</span></a><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> [69] a 22% increase
in the number of organized political violence events in Nigeria. The violence
resulted in over 9,900 reported fatalities, nearly a 30% increase compared to
2020.</span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Cybersecurity, Election Hacking And Interference<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Evidence abound that state-actors and cyber sleuths interfere with
the electoral ecosystem. Their interference can range from one or a combination
of information operations, disinformation, broadcasting deep-fake videos across
social media platforms, to corrupting data, altering voter registration
databases hence disentrancing or impeding citizens’ ability to vote, to
attempting to tamper with the outcome of vote count, and undermining voters’
confidence on the legitimacy, integrity of an election. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">With an </span><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-63719505"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">approximately</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;"> [70] 80 million Nigerians online, social media plays
enormous role in Nigerian political space hence fake news, disinformation is a
thriving industry in Nigeria. For instance, a British Broadcasting Corporation
investigation discovered that ‘’political parties in Nigeria are secretly
paying social media influencers to spread disinformation about their opponents
ahead of the 2023 general elections.</span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;"> <span style="color: black;">According to the BBC's Global Disinformation Team, a
politician acknowledged that in addition to dolling out gifts and promising
contracts, nay, political appointments, his team paid a social media influencer
up to 20 million Naira (about ($45,000; £37,000) for delivering a ‘result’. The
modus operandi of their strategists entails planting fabricated stories through
other micro-influencers aimed at eliciting emotions and misinforming people.
Idayat Hassan, director at the Centre for Democracy and Development, says the
activities of these influencers is tantamount to "political
interference". According to her, "It is undermining trust in
democracy, undermining trust in the electoral system, and it is instigating
conflict". Election interference is not exclusive to Nigeria. </span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">The </span><a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-38247987"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">website</span></a><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> [71] </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">of
Ghana’s election commission was allegedly hit by a cyber-attack in </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">2016. The commission said an attempt to put up "fake results"
failed.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> Also, </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-themecolor: text1;">in
2021, the German<b> </b></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">government </span><a href="https://www.dw.com/en/germany-warns-russia-over-cyberattacks-ahead-of-election/a-59101191"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">warned</span></a><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> [72] Russia over a wave of
cyberattacks - "combining conventional cyberattacks with disinformation
and influence operations" on German politicians. Similarly, in a BBC
report of 11 September 2020, tech giant, Microsoft </span><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-54110457"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">sent word</span></a><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> [73] that </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">hackers with ties to
Russia, China and Iran targeted US and British political parties and tried to
meddle in elections. According to a newly </span><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/joewalsh/2022/09/13/russia-has-secretly-spent-300-million-to-influence-foreign-elections-us-says/?sh=19ff9c6e4784"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">declassified</span></a><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> [74] US State
Department cable, Russia covertly spent more than $300m since 2014 to try to
influence politicians and other officials in more than two dozen countries.
Similarly, two Iranian nationals were charged for </span><a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/two-iranian-nationals-charged-cyber-enabled-disinformation-and-threat-campaign-designed"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">cyber-enabled</span></a><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> [75] disinformation
and threat campaign designed to influence the 2020 U.S. presidential election</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">In the
just concluded 2022 Kenyan election, </span><a href="https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2022-08-12-it-system-used-for-relaying-results-safe-from-intruders-iebc/"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">reports</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> [76] indicate that about 200 hacking
attempts were made on election results, between Thursday, 11th August and
Friday 12th August. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Thus,
it is not surprising that the<span style="color: black;"> Chairman of the INEC
Boss, Professor Mahmoud Yakubu </span></span><a href="https://nairametrics.com/2022/09/09/inec-reveals-cyberattacks-on-its-portal-during-ekiti-osun-governorship-polls/"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">confirmed</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> [77] sometime
in September 2022, that the Commission’s ‘’result viewing portal (IReV) during
the gubernatorial elections in Ekiti and Osun states, experienced several
cyberattacks from hackers across the world, </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">some of them from Asia’’</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">. </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">I reckon that t<span style="color: black;">he risk
and threat of election interference will be higher during Nigeria’s forthcoming
presidential election. It behooves on the INEC to ramp up its cybersecurity
defenses (including elimination of human error) and ensure that critical
technological infrastructure such as its servers, the Result Viewing (IReV) web
portal and the </span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">over </span><a href="https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2022/07/31/inec-to-deploy-over-200000-bvas-for-2023/"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">200,000 Bimodal Voter Accreditation System</span></a><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> (BVAS) [78] that would be deployed across the </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">176,846 polling</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> units across
the country, for the 2023 general election, </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">are not compromised by hackers. </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">According to IBM Cyber Security Intelligence Index Report, </span><a href="https://thehackernews.com/2021/02/why-human-error-is-1-cyber-security.html#:~:text='Human%20error%20was%20a%20major,in%2095%25%20of%20all%20breaches.&text=Mitigation%20of%20human%20error%20must,cyber%20business%20security%20in%202021."><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">human error</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> [79] (and I must add, insider
threat) is the main cause of 95% of cybersecurity breaches. In other words,
humans are the weakest link in cybersecurity</span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">.<span style="color: black;"> </span></span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">For instance, citing data shared by cybersecurity firm Trellix, TIME
Magazine of October 12, 2022, </span><a href="https://time.com/6221168/election-workers-cyberattacks-midterms-2022/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">reports</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> [80] that in Pennsylvania, United States of America,
''malicious emails targeting county election workers surged around its primary
elections on May 17, 2022, rising more than 546% in six months, to 7,555 by the
end of the second quarter of 2022''.</span><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Border
Security And Integrity of Nigerian Elections<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Just recently, the Nigerian Immigration
Service (NIS) said it arrested </span><a href="https://dailytrust.com/immigration-arrests-516-illegal-immigrants-with-pvcs-nimc-in-kaduna/"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">516 illegal
immigrants</span></a><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">
[81] from Chad, Cameroon, Togo, and Senegal in Kaduna State, with some of them
having Nigeria’s permanent voters and national identity cards. According to the
state comptroller of the NIS, Liman Sani Kila, ‘’in the last year’s mop-up
operations, the command retrieved 1,000 PVCs from illegal immigrants arrested
within Kaduna Zone’’. </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Prior to now, in November 2022, the
NIS said it arrested and repatriated </span><a href="https://pmnewsnigeria.com/2022/11/02/18-foreigners-arrested-for-allegedly-possessing-voters-cards/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">18 foreigners</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> [82] for allegedly possessing
voters’ cards in Oyo state. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Aforesaid number of illegal immigrants in possession
of Nigeria’s permanent voters and identity cards is a small fry. There are
hundreds of thousands out there who </span><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">will
influence the outcome of elections in Nigeria</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">. Perhaps this explains
why president Buhari belatedly ordered that </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">‘’Nigerian borders should be made </span><a href="https://gazettengr.com/buhari-orders-borders-shut-against-foreign-bodies-seeking-to-manipulate-presidential-election/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">impenetrable</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> [83] to foreign bodies who might
want to come in and manipulate the election process or engage in other
nefarious activities”. <span style="color: black;">Mr. president should be
reminded that Nigeria’s borders is quite massive covering 5,330 kilometers. As
a matter of fact, </span>15 out of the 36 states in Nigeria </span><a href="https://infomediang.com/states-in-nigeria-that-share-land-borders-with-foreign-countries/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">share land borders</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> [84] with foreign
countries<span style="color: black;">. W</span>ith an area of 923,768km², Nigeria
is said to be </span><a href="https://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/map/nigeria-political-map.htm#:~:text=Nigeria%20is%20bordered%20by%20Benin,of%20the%20U.S.%20state%20California."><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">almost four times the size of the United Kingdom</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> [85] or slightly more than twice the size of California in the United
States of America. <span style="color: black;">We also understand that there are
conservatively, no fewer than </span></span><a href="https://www.channelstv.com/2022/05/24/immigration-decries-inability-to-effectively-man-borderlines-1490-illegal-entry-points/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">1,490 illegal entry points to Nigeria</span></a><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> [86] and </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">the entire workforce of
Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) is tenably not more than 25,000. In essence,
it is difficult to ‘police’ Nigeria’s extensive illegal borders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Conclusion:</span></b><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">It goes
without question that </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">the
pervasive security challenges in Nigeria will pose </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">tremendous challenges in conducting seamless election
simultaneously across Nigeria</span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">. </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Despite aforesaid monies expended on national
security, ‘u</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">ngoverned spaces’ proliferates across Nigeria. From the
northeast to the southeast, northcentral to the northwest, there are swathes of
land where so-called "unknown gunmen", bandits and kidnappers, reign
supreme, even imposing ‘’tax’’, "protection levy" on communities.</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">My prognosis is that unless a miracle happens, a staggered,
inconclusive, </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">or a run-off election </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">will not be ruled out
for </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">the presidential election. This is
because constitutionally, a presidential candidate is required to garner at
least 25 per cent of votes cast in two-thirds of Nigeria’s 36 states. I</span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">f Nigeria’s current
system of government is not rebooted</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">,</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">
</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">separatist agitation and quest for Biafra, Yoruba Nation, will
likely escalate in the southeast and southwest if </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">either Peter Obi or Bola Tinubu loses the presidential
election. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">In the words of </span><a href="https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2023/01/10/threats-to-nigerias-2023-elections/amp/"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Reuben Abati</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> [87], ‘’The
2023 election is bound to be an election like no other. It would be a contest
between the old and new order, the rich and the poor, the establishment, and
the people’’.</span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">
<span style="color: black;">Bring to mind that the 2023 federal budget has a
deficit of N77 trillion, unemployment rate is over 33% and </span></span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">63% of persons living within Nigeria (133 million people) are </span><a href="https://nigerianstat.gov.ng/news/78#:~:text=Highlights%20of%20the%202022%20Multidimensional,quarter%20of%20all%20possible%20deprivations."><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">multidimensionally poor</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> [88].</span><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">The</span><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">unbecoming bigotry, ethnic jingoism, xenophobia,
religious sentiments that seem to shape support for the various presidential
candidates, attests to the fact that the much bandied #OneNigeria mantra, is a
farce. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Whichever the</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> presidential
election swings, it is not Uhuru!</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Written by:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">© Don OKEREKE<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Tech-savvy security thought leader, analyst, researcher, writer, content
creator, military veteran.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Blog: </span><a href="http://www.donokereke.blogspot.com/"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">http://www.donokereke.blogspot.com</span></a><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Twitter: @DonOkereke<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">February 03, 2023.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">References<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/561653-inec-releases-date-for-bayelsa-imo-kogi-off-cycle-governorship-elections.html"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/561653-inec-releases-date-for-bayelsa-imo-kogi-off-cycle-governorship-elections.html</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 6.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.vanguardngr.com/2023/01/48-million-out-of-93-5-million-eligible-voters-are-youths-inec/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://www.vanguardngr.com/2023/01/48-million-out-of-93-5-million-eligible-voters-are-youths-inec/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/501833-apart-from-n40bn-annual-budget-inec-wants-n305bn-to-conduct-2023-elections.html"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/501833-apart-from-n40bn-annual-budget-inec-wants-n305bn-to-conduct-2023-elections.html</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 7.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 3.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://leadership.ng/2023-campaign-finance-inec-invokes-n50000-donation-limit/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://leadership.ng/2023-campaign-finance-inec-invokes-n50000-donation-limit/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.theafricareport.com/185924/nigeria-want-to-be-president-here-is-how-much-it-will-cost-you/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://www.theafricareport.com/185924/nigeria-want-to-be-president-here-is-how-much-it-will-cost-you/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 5.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 3.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://punchng.com/fuel-scarcity-may-hamper-movement-of-materials-personnel-inec/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://punchng.com/fuel-scarcity-may-hamper-movement-of-materials-personnel-inec/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.vanguardngr.com/2023/01/elections-air-force-to-support-inecs-logistics-with-retroftted-c-130-hercules-aircraft/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://www.vanguardngr.com/2023/01/elections-air-force-to-support-inecs-logistics-with-retroftted-c-130-hercules-aircraft/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">8.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://punchng.com/over-500000-security-personnel-to-man-polling-booths/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://punchng.com/over-500000-security-personnel-to-man-polling-booths/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 1.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">9.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/571543-inec-to-use-100000-vehicles-4200-boats-for-2023-elections-signs-mou-with-transport-unions.html"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/571543-inec-to-use-100000-vehicles-4200-boats-for-2023-elections-signs-mou-with-transport-unions.html</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">10.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://nairametrics.com/2023/01/18/2023-how-inec-plans-to-use-technology-to-track-materials-prof-yakubu/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://nairametrics.com/2023/01/18/2023-how-inec-plans-to-use-technology-to-track-materials-prof-yakubu/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 2.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">11.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.channelstv.com/2022/08/09/insecurity-2023-elections-will-hold-defence-chief-assures-nigerians/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://www.channelstv.com/2022/08/09/insecurity-2023-elections-will-hold-defence-chief-assures-nigerians/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">12.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://punchng.com/polls-dhq-to-deploy-troops-in-sokoto-imo-katsina-others/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://punchng.com/polls-dhq-to-deploy-troops-in-sokoto-imo-katsina-others/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 5.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 7.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">13.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://radionigeria.gov.ng/2023/01/18/election-security-igp-issues-revised-guidelines-to-officers/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://radionigeria.gov.ng/2023/01/18/election-security-igp-issues-revised-guidelines-to-officers/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">14.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.tv360nigeria.com/2023-elections-igp-bans-states-security-outfits-from-election-duty/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://www.tv360nigeria.com/2023-elections-igp-bans-states-security-outfits-from-election-duty/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">15.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://guardian.ng/news/worsening-insecurity-seven-year-n8tr-defence-spending-fresh-n762b-loan-worry-senate-csos/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://guardian.ng/news/worsening-insecurity-seven-year-n8tr-defence-spending-fresh-n762b-loan-worry-senate-csos/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">16.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/545386-nigerian-govt-withdrew-1-billion-from-excess-crude-account-for-security-minister.html"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/545386-nigerian-govt-withdrew-1-billion-from-excess-crude-account-for-security-minister.html</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 6.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 5.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">17.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/10/2023-budget-how-n1-55trn-allocated-to-defence-ministry-army-navy-airforcell-be-spent-fg/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/10/2023-budget-how-n1-55trn-allocated-to-defence-ministry-army-navy-airforcell-be-spent-fg/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">18.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://thenationonlineng.net/cds-nigeria-has-lost-100000-lives-spent-9b-on-boko-haram-insurgency/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://thenationonlineng.net/cds-nigeria-has-lost-100000-lives-spent-9b-on-boko-haram-insurgency/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 4.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">19.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="http://ti-defence.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/DSP_Nigeria_Camouflage_Cash_Web2.pdf"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">http://ti-defence.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/DSP_Nigeria_Camouflage_Cash_Web2.pdf</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">20.</span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/546476-majority-of-nigerians-feel-less-safe-than-they-did-five-years-ago-report.html"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/546476-majority-of-nigerians-feel-less-safe-than-they-did-five-years-ago-report.html</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 6.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 5.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">21.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.channelstv.com/2022/09/20/fgs-capacity-to-secure-nigeria-shaky-southern-govs-laud-northern-govs-call-for-state-police/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://www.channelstv.com/2022/09/20/fgs-capacity-to-secure-nigeria-shaky-southern-govs-laud-northern-govs-call-for-state-police/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">22.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://guardian.ng/news/senators-across-parties-threaten-to-impeach-buhari-over-insecurity/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://guardian.ng/news/senators-across-parties-threaten-to-impeach-buhari-over-insecurity/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 1.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">23.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.channelstv.com/2022/04/19/afe-babalola-calls-for-interim-government-in-place-of-2023-elections/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://www.channelstv.com/2022/04/19/afe-babalola-calls-for-interim-government-in-place-of-2023-elections/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 3.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 7.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">24.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/524531-afe-babalola-wants-2023-elections-suspended-recommends-interim-govt.html"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/524531-afe-babalola-wants-2023-elections-suspended-recommends-interim-govt.html</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">25.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://punchng.com/buhari-needs-tenure-extension-to-curb-insecurity-san/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://punchng.com/buhari-needs-tenure-extension-to-curb-insecurity-san/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 3.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 7.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">26.</span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/06/okotie-at-63-i-wish-to-head-interim-govt/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/06/okotie-at-63-i-wish-to-head-interim-govt/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 6.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">27.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://guardian.ng/news/2023-im-not-sure-yet-if-therell-be-an-election-says-pastor-adeboye/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://guardian.ng/news/2023-im-not-sure-yet-if-therell-be-an-election-says-pastor-adeboye/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 5.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 7.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">28.</span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.ndr.org.ng/uk-government-expresses-anxiety-over-2023-elections/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://www.ndr.org.ng/uk-government-expresses-anxiety-over-2023-elections/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">29.</span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2023/01/19/olanipekun-powers-arrogated-to-inec-chairman-in-section-65-of-electoral-act-dangerous/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2023/01/19/olanipekun-powers-arrogated-to-inec-chairman-in-section-65-of-electoral-act-dangerous/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 4.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">30.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.vanguardngr.com/2023/01/38-days-to-polls-joined-in-791-lawsuits-inec-expresses-satisfaction-with-preparations/amp/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://www.vanguardngr.com/2023/01/38-days-to-polls-joined-in-791-lawsuits-inec-expresses-satisfaction-with-preparations/amp/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">31.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://tribuneonlineng.com/fuel-scarcity-new-naira-notes-plot-to-sabotage-general-elections-tinubu/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://tribuneonlineng.com/fuel-scarcity-new-naira-notes-plot-to-sabotage-general-elections-tinubu/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">32.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcQHPiQJSYA"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcQHPiQJSYA</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 4.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">33.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://guardian.ng/news/group-raises-alarm-over-alleged-plot-to-sabotage-elections-urges-buhari-to-intervene/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://guardian.ng/news/group-raises-alarm-over-alleged-plot-to-sabotage-elections-urges-buhari-to-intervene/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">34.</span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://businessday.ng/news/article/group-warns-of-threat-to-2023-polls-in-northeast-nigeria/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://businessday.ng/news/article/group-warns-of-threat-to-2023-polls-in-northeast-nigeria/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 7.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 5.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">35.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://leadership.ng/just-in-2023-elections-may-be-affected-by-insecurity-says-inec/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://leadership.ng/just-in-2023-elections-may-be-affected-by-insecurity-says-inec/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">36.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.icirnigeria.org/insecurity-2023-elections-may-not-hold-political-parties-council-warns/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://www.icirnigeria.org/insecurity-2023-elections-may-not-hold-political-parties-council-warns/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 5.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 7.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">37.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://cddwestafrica.org/nigerias-presidential-polls-a-swot-analysis/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://cddwestafrica.org/nigerias-presidential-polls-a-swot-analysis/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">38.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.thecable.ng/exclusive-elections-may-not-hold-in-several-north-west-states-over-insecurity-governors-tell-buhari"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://www.thecable.ng/exclusive-elections-may-not-hold-in-several-north-west-states-over-insecurity-governors-tell-buhari</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 5.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 6.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">39.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.thecable.ng/insecurity-will-elections-hold-in-2023"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://www.thecable.ng/insecurity-will-elections-hold-in-2023</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">40.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2022/10/02/insecurity-threatens-conduct-of-2023-elections-in-686-communities/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2022/10/02/insecurity-threatens-conduct-of-2023-elections-in-686-communities/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 7.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 5.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">41.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.thecable.ng/exclusive-elections-may-not-hold-in-several-north-west-states-over-insecurity-governors-tell-buhari"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://www.thecable.ng/exclusive-elections-may-not-hold-in-several-north-west-states-over-insecurity-governors-tell-buhari</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">42.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://punchng.com/50-inec-offices-attacked-in-four-years-data/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://punchng.com/50-inec-offices-attacked-in-four-years-data/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">43.</span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2023/1/18/nigeria-electoral-commission-attacks-spark-polls-concern"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2023/1/18/nigeria-electoral-commission-attacks-spark-polls-concern</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">44.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/11/gunmen-kill-labour-party-women-leader-in-kaduna/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/11/gunmen-kill-labour-party-women-leader-in-kaduna/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 6.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 6.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">45.</span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.channelstv.com/2022/10/17/thugs-disrupt-pdp-rally-in-kaduna-atiku-fumes/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://www.channelstv.com/2022/10/17/thugs-disrupt-pdp-rally-in-kaduna-atiku-fumes/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">46.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2022/11/09/atikus-campaign-convoy-attacked-in-maiduguri-apc-pdp-trade-blame/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2022/11/09/atikus-campaign-convoy-attacked-in-maiduguri-apc-pdp-trade-blame/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 5.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 7.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">47.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.vanguardngr.com/2023/01/election-manipulation-imo-lagos-kano-19-others-tagged-high-risk-states/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://www.vanguardngr.com/2023/01/election-manipulation-imo-lagos-kano-19-others-tagged-high-risk-states/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">48.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://gazettengr.com/pdp-claims-assassination-attempt-on-jandor-blames-apc/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://gazettengr.com/pdp-claims-assassination-attempt-on-jandor-blames-apc/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 7.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 5.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">49.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://dailypost.ng/2023/01/24/lagos-2023-thugs-attack-pdps-jandor-funke-akindele-again/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://dailypost.ng/2023/01/24/lagos-2023-thugs-attack-pdps-jandor-funke-akindele-again/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">50.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/577834-2023-funke-akindele-chased-out-of-lagos-market.html"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/577834-2023-funke-akindele-chased-out-of-lagos-market.html</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 7.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 4.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">51.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.ripplesnigeria.com/lagos-guber-campaigns-turn-violent-shots-fired-as-apc-pdp-thugs-clash-videos/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://www.ripplesnigeria.com/lagos-guber-campaigns-turn-violent-shots-fired-as-apc-pdp-thugs-clash-videos/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">52.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/02/tension-grips-ago-palace-way-lagos-residents-over-fears-of-reprisal-attacks/amp/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/02/tension-grips-ago-palace-way-lagos-residents-over-fears-of-reprisal-attacks/amp/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 7.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 6.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">53.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://leadership.ng/imo-apc-raises-the-alarm-over-attacks-on-members/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://leadership.ng/imo-apc-raises-the-alarm-over-attacks-on-members/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">54.</span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://dailytrust.com/bloodbath-in-s-east-police-mobilize-against-ipob-terror/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://dailytrust.com/bloodbath-in-s-east-police-mobilize-against-ipob-terror/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 1.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">55.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://dailypost.ng/2023/01/15/gunmen-attack-imo-inec-office-kill-one-say-no-election-in-biafra-land/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://dailypost.ng/2023/01/15/gunmen-attack-imo-inec-office-kill-one-say-no-election-in-biafra-land/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 6.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 2.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">56.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://independent.ng/2023-election-may-not-hold-in-3-lgas-in-imo-inec/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://independent.ng/2023-election-may-not-hold-in-3-lgas-in-imo-inec/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 5.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">57.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.clingendael.org/pub/2021/countering-hybrid-threats/2-hybrid-threats-searching-for-a-definition/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://www.clingendael.org/pub/2021/countering-hybrid-threats/2-hybrid-threats-searching-for-a-definition/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 6.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 7.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">58.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.premiumtimesng.com/regional/ssouth-east/577342-gunmen-behead-council-chairman-in-imo.html"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://www.premiumtimesng.com/regional/ssouth-east/577342-gunmen-behead-council-chairman-in-imo.html</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">59.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://punchng.com/gunmen-kill-imo-apc-ward-chairman-kidnap-others/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://punchng.com/gunmen-kill-imo-apc-ward-chairman-kidnap-others/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">60.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2023/01/03/four-policemen-killed-as-gunmen-attack-ohakims-convoy/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2023/01/03/four-policemen-killed-as-gunmen-attack-ohakims-convoy/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">61.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.thecable.ng/kaduna-postpones-council-election-in-4-lgas-over-insecurity"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://www.thecable.ng/kaduna-postpones-council-election-in-4-lgas-over-insecurity</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 4.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 6.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">62.</span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://dailytrust.com/ansaru-militants-take-over-kaduna-communities-ban-political-activities"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://dailytrust.com/ansaru-militants-take-over-kaduna-communities-ban-political-activities</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 6.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">63.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.arise.tv/with-52-violence-cases-in-one-month-nsa-monguno-says-rogues-planning-to-disrupt-2023-elections/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://www.arise.tv/with-52-violence-cases-in-one-month-nsa-monguno-says-rogues-planning-to-disrupt-2023-elections/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 4.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 7.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">64.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://guardian.ng/news/2023-uk-is-watching-nigeria-closely-british-high-commissioner-tells-politicians/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://guardian.ng/news/2023-uk-is-watching-nigeria-closely-british-high-commissioner-tells-politicians/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 7.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">65.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.state.gov/imposing-visa-restrictions-on-individuals-involved-in-undermining-the-democratic-process-in-nigeria/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://www.state.gov/imposing-visa-restrictions-on-individuals-involved-in-undermining-the-democratic-process-in-nigeria/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 4.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 6.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">66.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://dailytrust.com/un-ecowas-warn-nigeria-against-election-violence/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://dailytrust.com/un-ecowas-warn-nigeria-against-election-violence/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">67.</span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://punchng.com/2023-uk-eu-australia-issue-security-alerts/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://punchng.com/2023-uk-eu-australia-issue-security-alerts/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 7.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">68.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/343971-626-killed-during-2019-nigeria-elections-report.html"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/343971-626-killed-during-2019-nigeria-elections-report.html</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 2.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 7.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">69.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://acleddata.com/10-conflicts-to-worry-about-in-2022/nigeria/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://acleddata.com/10-conflicts-to-worry-about-in-2022/nigeria/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 6.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">70.</span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-63719505"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-63719505</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 4.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 7.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">71.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-38247987"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-38247987</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 7.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">72.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.dw.com/en/germany-warns-russia-over-cyberattacks-ahead-of-election/a-59101191"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://www.dw.com/en/germany-warns-russia-over-cyberattacks-ahead-of-election/a-59101191</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 4.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 6.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">73.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-54110457"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-54110457</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">74.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/joewalsh/2022/09/13/russia-has-secretly-spent-300-million-to-influence-foreign-elections-us-says/?sh=19ff9c6e4784"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://www.forbes.com/sites/joewalsh/2022/09/13/russia-has-secretly-spent-300-million-to-influence-foreign-elections-us-says/?sh=19ff9c6e4784</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 1.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">75.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/two-iranian-nationals-charged-cyber-enabled-disinformation-and-threat-campaign-designed"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/two-iranian-nationals-charged-cyber-enabled-disinformation-and-threat-campaign-designed</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">76.</span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2022-08-12-it-system-used-for-relaying-results-safe-from-intruders-iebc/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2022-08-12-it-system-used-for-relaying-results-safe-from-intruders-iebc/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">77.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://nairametrics.com/2022/09/09/inec-reveals-cyberattacks-on-its-portal-during-ekiti-osun-governorship-polls/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://nairametrics.com/2022/09/09/inec-reveals-cyberattacks-on-its-portal-during-ekiti-osun-governorship-polls/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">78.</span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2022/07/31/inec-to-deploy-over-200000-bvas-for-2023/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2022/07/31/inec-to-deploy-over-200000-bvas-for-2023/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">79.</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> </span><a href="https://thehackernews.com/2021/02/why-human-error-is-1-cyber-security.html#:~:text='Human%20error%20was%20a%20major,in%2095%25%20of%20all%20breaches.&text=Mitigation%20of%20human%20error%20must,cyber%20business%20security%20in%202021"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://thehackernews.com/2021/02/why-human-error-is-1-cyber-security.html#:~:text='Human%20error%20was%20a%20major,in%2095%25%20of%20all%20breaches.&text=Mitigation%20of%20human%20error%20must,cyber%20business%20security%20in%202021</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">80.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://time.com/6221168/election-workers-cyberattacks-midterms-2022/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://time.com/6221168/election-workers-cyberattacks-midterms-2022/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">81.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://dailytrust.com/immigration-arrests-516-illegal-immigrants-with-pvcs-nimc-in-kaduna/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://dailytrust.com/immigration-arrests-516-illegal-immigrants-with-pvcs-nimc-in-kaduna/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">82.</span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://pmnewsnigeria.com/2022/11/02/18-foreigners-arrested-for-allegedly-possessing-voters-cards/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://pmnewsnigeria.com/2022/11/02/18-foreigners-arrested-for-allegedly-possessing-voters-cards/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">83.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://gazettengr.com/buhari-orders-borders-shut-against-foreign-bodies-seeking-to-manipulate-presidential-election/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://gazettengr.com/buhari-orders-borders-shut-against-foreign-bodies-seeking-to-manipulate-presidential-election/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">84.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://infomediang.com/states-in-nigeria-that-share-land-borders-with-foreign-countries/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://infomediang.com/states-in-nigeria-that-share-land-borders-with-foreign-countries/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">85.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/map/nigeria-political-map.htm#:~:text=Nigeria%20is%20bordered%20by%20Benin,of%20the%20U.S.%20state%20California"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/map/nigeria-political-map.htm#:~:text=Nigeria%20is%20bordered%20by%20Benin,of%20the%20U.S.%20state%20California</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">86.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.channelstv.com/2022/05/24/immigration-decries-inability-to-effectively-man-borderlines-1490-illegal-entry-points/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://www.channelstv.com/2022/05/24/immigration-decries-inability-to-effectively-man-borderlines-1490-illegal-entry-points/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">87.</span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2023/01/10/threats-to-nigerias-2023-elections/amp/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2023/01/10/threats-to-nigerias-2023-elections/amp/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">88.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://nigerianstat.gov.ng/news/78#:~:text=Highlights%20of%20the%202022%20Multidimensional,quarter%20of%20all%20possible%20deprivations"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">https://nigerianstat.gov.ng/news/78#:~:text=Highlights%20of%20the%202022%20Multidimensional,quarter%20of%20all%20possible%20deprivations</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">.<o:p></o:p></span></p>Don Okerekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06678079913273123553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848222137267791504.post-17536653633468361052023-01-19T12:56:00.003+00:002023-01-19T12:56:46.029+00:00VIP Protection: Advocating For Mandatory Bullet-Proof Vehicle For Armed Police Escort<p style="text-align: center;"><b style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL8NoRi7cHkWp913xOUx4EOMdHdxuxptkkVCQOELcQAxqmYLfHa42UFOtQKuKUoWztMX6hrfryUz69MeTnUPmDJlPm3FxDOQalAQV9aaLWv5RFRUcA4OMBkH4BhjwSwQJnxYtr1UGW-UA-xxsvedhoy79plfvUFh4LeoIMhMberxvOT03x2N1L26AF/s954/The%20Beast%20Bullet%20Proof%20Vehicle_US.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="638" data-original-width="954" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL8NoRi7cHkWp913xOUx4EOMdHdxuxptkkVCQOELcQAxqmYLfHa42UFOtQKuKUoWztMX6hrfryUz69MeTnUPmDJlPm3FxDOQalAQV9aaLWv5RFRUcA4OMBkH4BhjwSwQJnxYtr1UGW-UA-xxsvedhoy79plfvUFh4LeoIMhMberxvOT03x2N1L26AF/s320/The%20Beast%20Bullet%20Proof%20Vehicle_US.jpg" width="320" /></a></b></div><b style="text-align: justify;">Introduction: </b><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; text-align: justify;">According to the Nigeria Security
Tracker, NST, a project of the Council on Foreign Relations’ Africa programme
that tracks and maps violence in Nigeria, no fewer than </span><a href="https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/12/2022-year-of-killings-deaths-floods-pains-politics/" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">8,058 lives</span></a><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; text-align: justify;"> were cut
short violently across Nigeria in 2022. Specifically, no fewer than </span><a href="https://www.icirnigeria.org/insecurity-138-policemen-killed-within-eight-months-in-nigeria/?amp=1" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">138 policemen were
killed</span></a><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; text-align: justify;"> across Nigeria in the last eight months – January to August, 2022.</span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; text-align: justify;"> ‘’States with the highest number of policemen killed within
this period are Niger with 24, Enugu with 18, Anambra with 13, Imo 12, Borno
and Kogi with nine each. Others include Delta
and Kastina with 7 each, Kebbi with 5, Ebonyi and Benue with 4, Cross River,
Edo, Oyo, Taraba with 3 each, Jigawa, Rivers, Bayelsa and Ondo with 2 each,
Nasarawa, Kaduna, Kwara, Lagos, Osun and the FCT with 1 each’’. The unrelenting
and unfolding security challenges in Nigeria seem to have boosted the demand
for armed protection services, close or VIP protection, with attendant up-tick
in the sale of armoured, bullet proof, reinforced, or treated vehicles. Perhaps
this is why Senator Shehu Sani describes bullet-proof vehicles ‘’as a major
lifeline in the face of rising insecurity in Nigeria’’. Report by<b> </b>Punch
Newspaper, September 26, 2022, shows that as preparations for the 2023 general
elections gain momentum and amidst worsening insecurity across the country, the
demand for bullet-proof Sports Utility Vehicles in Nigeria have </span><a href="https://punchng.com/demand-for-bullet-proof-vehicles-special-security-gadgets-surges/?amp" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">increased
significantly</span></a><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; text-align: justify;">. According to Colonel Hassan Stan-Labo (retd.), ‘’politicians
were rushing to purchase bullet-proof vehicles because they are very
vulnerable, having failed to use public resources judiciously’’. Recall that
the use of bullet proof vehicles in Nigeria is regulated by the Office of the
National Security Adviser (ONSA). This means that an </span><a href="https://customs.gov.ng/?p=2803" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">end user certificate</span></a><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; text-align: justify;"> (EUC) is needed and granted
to private individuals who provide evidence of threat to their lives. Again,
like many paper-tiger stipulations in Nigeria, aforesaid is far from been a hard-and-fast
rule.<span><a name='more'></a></span></span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">On armed protection and escort</span></b><b><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">It is not unusual to see nouveau-riches,
high-net worth individuals (HNWI) having scores of armed policemen, government
security forces (GSF) in their escort team. The more armed security escort one
can muster in Nigeria suggests how moneyed or connected the individual is. Granted
deployment of armed security protection is supposed to offer some confidence or
deterrent but in practice, it provides no guarantee and cannot forestall
targeted, surprise attack by determined criminals. All the assailants need to
do is, lay an ambush and launch a kamikaze attack at say, a bad portion of the
road where vehicles must slow down.</span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">In this analysis, I will zero in
on policemen and some GSF killed especially during an ambush while providing
armed escort to high-net worth individuals (HNWI). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Between Friday, January 6
and Sunday, January 09, 2023, seven personnel of the Nigerian Security and
Civil Defence Corps (possibly comprising police, soldiers as well as members of
vigilantes) were </span><a href="https://www.thecable.ng/nscdc-officers-feared-dead-as-gunmen-attack-security-escort-team-in-kaduna"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">killed</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> during an ambush while escorting
an expatriate to a mining site in Birnin Gwari area of Kaduna state.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">On Monday, January 02, 2023, a
driver and four police orderlies were </span><a href="https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2023/01/03/four-policemen-killed-as-gunmen-attack-ohakims-convoy/"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">killed</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> as the
convoy of a former governor of Imo state and an APC leader, Chief Ikedi Ohakim
was attacked by gunmen at Umualumoke, Oriagu in Ehime Mbano LGA of Imo state.
Ohakim escaped death by the hair’s breadth because he was in a bulletproof
vehicle with two of his children while his security details were tenably in an
open Hilux truck.</span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">
A similar scenario played out when Senator Ifeanyi Ubah was </span><a href="https://www.channelstv.com/2022/09/11/gunmen-attack-ifeanyi-ubahs-convoy-in-anambra/"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">attacked</span></a><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> at Enugwukwu,
Njikoka LGA of Anambra on Sunday, September 11, 2022. Five of his police escort
in addition to other aides were killed. Ubah escaped because he was ensconced
in his bullet proof vehicle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Armed assailants on December
22, 2022, reportedly </span><a href="https://crisis24.garda.com/alerts/2022/12/nigeria-armed-attack-on-security-escort-leaves-one-chinese-national-dead-near-maradun-lga-zamfara-state-dec-22"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">attacked</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> a vehicle carrying two
Chinese contractors and their police escort while en route to Maradun LGA,
Zamfara State. One of the Chinese nationals was reportedly killed and another
wounded in the ambush<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Seven persons, including three
policemen were on Friday, October 21, 2022, killed when suspected assassins </span><a href="https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/10/apostle-suleiman-confirms-death-of-seven-persons-in-his-convoy/"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">attacked</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> the
convoy of the General Overseer of Omega Fire Ministries International, Apostle Johnson
Suleiman along the Benin-Auchi expressway in Edo State. Apostle Suleman, his
wife, and children were unscathed because they were reportedly in his treated Sports
Utility Vehicle when the attack occurred. </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">A</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">fter his </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">close shave, </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Suleman was </span><a href="https://www.legit.ng/nigeria/1499502-attack-i-money-i-buy-bulletproof-cars-member-church-apostle-suleman-says/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">reported</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> to have said, ''if I had the money, I would buy
bulletproof cars for every member in this church''. Why </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">not
‘anointing oil’ or handkerchief? That’s by the way.</span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Three police officers who were on
escort duty in Port Harcourt on Thursday, November 24, 2022 were </span><a href="https://dailypost.ng/2022/11/25/police-confirm-killing-of-3-officers-on-escort-duty-in-port-harcourt/"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">shot dead</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> at
Rumuokoro flyover when gunmen kidnapped their victim, an oil executive and
carted away valuables with an undisclosed amount of money.</span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">On Tuesday, July 5, 2022,
gunmen </span><a href="https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/541082-gunmen-attack-buharis-security-protocol-media-officials.html"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">attacked</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> the advance team of
President Muhammadu Buhari near Dutsinma, on their way to Daura, Katsina State.
Two persons in the convoy are receiving treatment for the minor injuries they
suffered.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Two police orderlies of the
Enugu State Commissioner for Lands, Chidi Aroh, were on Sunday, February 22,
2022, killed when gunmen </span><a href="https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/02/gunmen-attack-enugu-commissioner-kills-2-police-orderlies/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">ambushed</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> their Hilux van along
Ukpo-Nimo Road, Anambra State. The commissioner reportedly escaped in his SUV.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">One of
the policemen escorting Chinese expatriates was on Wednesday, June 16, 2021, </span><a href="https://newsbreak.ng/police-escorts-killed-as-gunmen-abduct-chinese-expatriates-working-on-lagos-ibadan-rail-line/amp/"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">killed</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> as gunmen abducted four Chinese expatriates working on the
Lagos-Ibadan railway project.</span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Prior to his emergence as
governor, gunmen at Isuofia, in Aguata LGA of Anambra State on Wednesday 31,
2021, attacked the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Prof.
Charles Soludo, </span><a href="https://eonsintelligence.com/details/news-108923456/three-police-escorts-killed-as-gunmen-attack-former-cbn-governor-kidnap-commissioner-301710757"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">killing three of his
escorts</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> and kidnapped a Commissioner.</span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Aforesaid instances are evidence
of government security forces killed while escorting VIPs. Regrettably, very
meagre financial compensation are paid to the next-of-kin of diseased personnel
who pay the supreme price after unending paper-work, bureaucracy that could
take several months. For instance, </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">as part of a welfare insurance scheme for
police officers who died in active service, on Tuesday, January 10, 2022,
Nigerian Police authorities presented a cheque of N43.2 million to families of </span><a href="https://www.premiumtimesng.com/regional/ssouth-east/574999-igp-gives-n43-2-million-to-families-of-slain-police-officers.html#:~:text=The%20Inspector%2DGeneral%20of%20Police%2C%20Usman%20Alkali%20(IGP),in%20a%20statement%20on%20Tuesday."><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">20 police officers</span></a><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> who lost their lives
in active service in Anambra State. If we do the math, 43.2 million Naira
divided by 20 equals a paltry N2.15 million to the family of each slain police
officer.<span style="color: black;"> Sooner than later their wife and children are
ejected from their pathetic accommodation in the barracks.</span></span><b><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">50 percent of Policemen Plausibly
Deployed To Protect Politicians?</span></b><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">In 2018, the then Assistant
Inspector-General of Police (AIG), Zone 5 in Benin, Rasheed Akintunde said only
</span><a href="https://saharareporters.com/2018/02/08/80-percent-our-policemen-are-deployed-protect-politicians-and-vips-says-nigeria-police"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">20 per cent of
policemen</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> are engaged in core police duties of protecting lives and
ensuring peace in the country.</span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> According to him, ‘’<span style="color: black;">the
remaining 80 percent are just busy providing guard duties to some `prominent
people’ and surplus police operatives are redistributed to their extended
families, concubines, and girlfriends. Corroborating the assertion of Akintunde
albeit conservatively, former Inspector General of Police (IGP) and ex-Chairman
of the Police Service Commission, Mike Okiro, also affirmed that more than half
of police personnel in Nigeria are engaged in private guard duties. </span><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">On paper, Nigeria, a country of
plausibly 210 million people, is said to have about 370,000 police personnel.
If 50 percent, equivalent to 185,000 police officers in Nigeria are deployed to
protect private individuals, it means that only 185,000 police personnel are
out there doing regular police work. This definitely falls short of the United
Nations recommended 1 police officer for every 450 persons, for effective
policing.</span><span style="color: black;"> This explains why there is not
enough policemen walking the beats as prescribed by community policing. To
buttress this patent anomaly, the Katsina State Governor, Aminu Masari,
lamented a couple of years ago that only 30 police officers were guarding 100
villages in the state. The Niger State Governor, Abubakar Bello, also substantiated
governor Masari’s assertion. He bemoaned that only 4,000 officers were policing
Niger state, the largest state by landmass, with about 76,363 square kilometres.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Is Police Protection For Hire, Monetized
To The Highest Bidder?</span></b><b><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 7pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">According a 2021 </span><a href="https://www.ft.com/content/a12bb6b1-798d-4863-8b49-104a56ccc716"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">report</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> by UK’s
Financial Times (FT) tagged - Gun for hire: Nigeria security fears spark boom
in private protection, ‘’Many guards for wealthy and middle-class people in
Nigeria are hired police officers’’. The FT report cites that, ‘’Police escorts
are procured in one of two ways: via a private security company or, much more
cheaply, directly at the local police station, which is the route that more and
more middle-class Nigerians take’’. We understand that, ‘’police officers are paid
a stipend — usually between N5,000 and N7,000 ($12-$17) a day, depending on
their rank while the local police command receives an administration fee – all
in cash. This means the money doesn’t go back to the police. <b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b>While many perceive the non-statutory
deployment of armed policemen, trained, and funded by public money <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>to be an anomaly, nothing is done to rein in
the practice. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">Year in year out, lip service directives </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">by succeeding
police leadership, including the incumbent IGP to withdraw armed police
protection to private citizens have never been implemented.</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">So much noise is made, sooner than later they revert to
the status quo. It is business as usual until another IGP takes over and stirs
things up again. The recent </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">launching<span style="color: red;"> </span><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">of </span></span><a href="https://possap.gov.ng/"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">POSSAP</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;"> (Police Specialized Services Automation Project) seems
to negate the much touted posturing to withdraw police protection from private
citizens. Granted the POSSAP portal lends transparency and some accountability
to the entrenched practice of </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">wheeling and dealing police services</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">, but I
think on the other hand, it is tantamount to officially monetizing and
gazetting armed police escort and guard services to private individuals, corporations,
and organizations. By the way, it is hoped that monies accruable to POSSAP is
remitted to the treasury single account (TSA)?</span><b><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">On VIP protection best practices</span></b><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">The rich and powerful will
always have enemies and threats can come from unexpected sources. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">VIP or executive protection qualities go beyond bravado, being
tall, broad-shouldered, and bearing arms. </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Executive protection can be
very complex, demanding and</span><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">entails meticulous planning, intelligence gathering,</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> dynamic risk assessment,
route reconnaissance, explosive detection expertise, weapon training, counter-terrorist
driving and emergency medical response, </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">management.</span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Nowadays, threat
intelligence and open source intelligence (OSINT) are also integral part of
executive protection. For example, there may be a disinformation, doxxing,
early warning on Twitter or on a dark web forum about an executive or a VIP. It
is also worth mentioning that </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">i</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-themecolor: text1;">n so-called
advanced climes, the non-statutory escort duties carried out by policemen in
Nigeria, are usually actioned by private security companies or experienced and licensed
executive protection professionals. </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">H</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-themecolor: text1;">igh time private security companies in
Nigeria </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">upped their game rather than whine how foreign contractors are encroaching
into private security business in Nigeria. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-themecolor: text1;">They should synergize, lobby, sponsor a legislation that will possibly permit
select executive protection personnel, possibly drawn from retired military or
para-military personnel who would be licensed to bear arms. It is also in the
interest of the government to encourage and create an enabling environment for
private security companies in Nigeria to take their place. If they succeed, it
will reduce the pressure on government security forces (GSF).</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Conclusion<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Security let alone executive
<span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">protection, and peace of mind
doesn’t come cheap. For instance, i</span>n 2021, Facebook’s parent company –
Meta </span><a href="https://nypost.com/2022/04/11/mark-zuckerbergs-security-cost-meta-27m-in-2021/amp/"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">earmarked</span></a><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">
nearly $27million for what it described as an ‘’overall security program’’ for
Mark Zuckerberg which includes $15.2 million on ‘’personal security for
Zuckerberg at his residences’’ as well as during his personal travel.
Similarly, Amazon reportedly spent about $1.6 million on security and business
travel for its founder, Jeff Bezos in 2021. If the life of the high-net-worth
individual (HNWI) they are protecting is precious, so is the life of the security
agent. HNWI’s who need armed escort must ensure they acquire spacious bullet-proof
truck for security escorts which will allow them<span style="color: black;"> to
react swiftly and respond to enemy fire. </span>This idea of strangling armed security
escorts in exposed pickup trucks, is an anomaly, a clear case of negligence and
vicarious liability.<span style="color: black;"> If push comes to shove and armed
escort must be deployed to private individuals or companies, the Nigerian </span></span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">p</span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">olice and other security agencies must insist
that one of the pre-requisites, standard operating procedure (SOP) for
deploying personnel to a HNWI must include the provision of bullet-proof
vehicle, truck. As they say, what is good for the geese is also good for the
gander. <span style="color: black;">Stop using policemen and government security
forces (GSF) as cannon fodders or </span>sacrificial lambs<span style="color: black;">. </span>They are human beings with families and loved
ones.</span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Written
by:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">© Don OKEREKE<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Tech-savvy
security thought leader, analyst, researcher, writer, content creator, military
veteran.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Blog: </span><a href="http://www.donokereke.blogspot.com/"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">http://www.donokereke.blogspot.com</span></a><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Twitter: @DonOkereke<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">January 17, 2022.<o:p></o:p></span></p>Don Okerekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06678079913273123553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848222137267791504.post-53254694504136289162023-01-03T12:43:00.002+00:002023-03-30T14:25:03.892+01:00Re: ‘’Abducted officer not yet rescued; search effort ongoing – Nigerian Army’’<p><b style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Setting The Record Straight</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Our attention has been brought to an erroneous and misleading </span><a href="https://guardian.ng/news/abducted-officer-not-yet-rescued-search-effort-ongoing-army/"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">press release</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> on published on Guardian Newspaper, December 31, 2022 and on other
media platforms by the Nigerian Army spokesman, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu
claiming inter-alia, that ‘’Lieutenant PP Johnson, a female army officer, was
abducted on Monday, December 26, 2022, while visiting her grandmother in
Aku-Okigwe in Imo State, shortly after completion of her Cadet training and
subsequent commissioning as a Lieutenant into the Nigerian Army’’.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Apparently, it was on the strength of this false notion that a horde
of military personnel and other security agents invaded Aku community in Okigwe
LGA on Friday, December 30, 2022, tenably in search of the abducted officer.
Reports indicate that rampaging security agents not only shot indiscriminately
but plundered, burnt several houses in the hitherto serene Aku community, located
in Okigwe LGA of Imo state.<span></span></span></p><a name='more'></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> <o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFsJR4hKQm1L0k8BEi_r-o37ap6GNbdNOZaiNXnbfV0wpPvB_9pFc7o0v0IaA0wxKEtsE_Q7Pei6UotBe4HRY0jSwLQnTolTwK2bXncESdK4ZLFodyXeZVgitkKelR-ZBtR9vMvYOBSlHXx4QivaHFJDhn0X2mJI6I0CT_y3yww50s0bB1LWsf8r5e/s598/Sunday%20Ejishim%20shot%20dead%20by%20GSF%20in%20Aku-Okigwe_By%20Nigeria%20Government%20Security%20Forces_Extrajudicial%20Killings.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="598" data-original-width="464" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFsJR4hKQm1L0k8BEi_r-o37ap6GNbdNOZaiNXnbfV0wpPvB_9pFc7o0v0IaA0wxKEtsE_Q7Pei6UotBe4HRY0jSwLQnTolTwK2bXncESdK4ZLFodyXeZVgitkKelR-ZBtR9vMvYOBSlHXx4QivaHFJDhn0X2mJI6I0CT_y3yww50s0bB1LWsf8r5e/w310-h400/Sunday%20Ejishim%20shot%20dead%20by%20GSF%20in%20Aku-Okigwe_By%20Nigeria%20Government%20Security%20Forces_Extrajudicial%20Killings.jpg" title="Mr. Sunday Ejishim shot dead by GSF who invaded Aku community, Okigwe LGA" width="310" /></a></div><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoCaption" style="text-align: center;"><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: justify;"><b>We clarify and explicitly state inter-alia that:</b></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoCaption" style="text-align: center;"><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoCaption" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0px;"><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><b>1. </b>For the
avoidance of doubt, we </span><b style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">DO NOT</b><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"> condone nor hold a brief for non-state actors
in whatever guise. We wholeheartedly condemn the pervasive, sporadic
criminality within Okigwe environ, including the intermittent kidnappings
attributed to so-called ‘herdsmen’, and more specifically the abduction and dehumanizing
treatment meted out to Lieutenant PP Johnson.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoCaption" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: -24px;"><span face="Candara, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">2. 2. </span></span>Army officer,
Lieutenant PP Johnson is <b style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">NOT</b><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"> from Aku community neither is her mother,
father, grandmother from Aku-Okigwe as incorrectly claimed in aforesaid press
release. It follows that the claim of her purportedly visiting her grandmother at
Aku-Okigwe is blatant </span><b style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">FALSEHOOD</b><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"> as she has no paternal or maternal
affiliation to Aku community.</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> 3. </span></span></span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Lieutenant PP
Johnson was not abducted in Aku community. Without pointing fingers, the video
of her abduction and dastardly treatment which was widely circulated online
suggests she was abducted along the Ihube-Enugu expressway. According to
Vanguard Newspaper report, January 1, 2023, Lt. Johnson was abducted at ‘’</span><a href="https://www.vanguardngr.com/2023/01/its-taboo-in-igboland-ihube-residents-condemn-kidnapping-of-female-army-officer-in-abia/"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Mbaraukwa</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">’’,
her maternal home. There is no village, kindred or place known as Mbaraukwa in
Aku-Okigwe. It therefore beggars belief why Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu
tagged in his press release that she was kidnapped while visiting her
grandmother at Aku-Okigwe?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 6pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> 4. </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Aku people are
generally agrarian, peaceful, and law-abiding. Aku people are cognizant of
their rich tradition and cultural heritage which amongst other things, forbids
the mere thought of hurting a 'nwa nwa' (grandchild) let alone dehumanizing or
killing a grandchild. It is a distasteful, an abomination. Children born and
bred in Aku community are aware that hurting/killing a nwa nwa (grandchild) is
an abomination in our clime. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 8pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> 5. </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">The dust is yet
to settle, and people are yet to return home, but we understand that a few
people may have been killed during the latest military bombardment of Aku
community. One of them is a young man named ‘’Sunday Ejishim’’ who was
gruesomely shot dead by the rampaging government security forces (GSF). This is
the umpteenth time that Government Security Forces (GSF) will be launching
unrestrained, indiscriminate attack, and burning of houses on Aku community. Recall
that a secondary school student, Miss Favour Okoronkwo was gunned down in her
family house on November 13, 2022 while Mr. Ifeanyichukwu Orji, a father of
seven children whose wife gave birth to twins not long ago, was shot dead on
November 20, 2022, also in front of his house.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 3pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p> 6. </o:p></span><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">The ongoing indiscriminate military operation, extrajudicial killings,
and barbaric human rights abuses on Aku community negates the Nigerian Armed
Forces Rules of Engagement (RoE), Code of Conduct, the principle of minimum
force and proportionality which amongst other things stipulates that,
"fire must be aimed and controlled and that indiscriminate firing is not
permitted". No doubt the security agencies can go about their operation,
but their action must be intelligence-driven, they must use very minimal force,
ensure there is no </span><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">collateral damage, no indiscriminate burning
of houses, nay, plundering.</span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="break-after: avoid; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; page-break-after: avoid; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 6pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_5" o:spid="_x0000_i1025"
type="#_x0000_t75" style='width:261.75pt;height:240.75pt;visibility:visible;
mso-wrap-style:square'>
<v:imagedata src="file:///C:/Users/L1005919/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image005.png"
o:title=""/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><img border="0" height="321" src="file:///C:/Users/L1005919/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image006.jpg" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_5" width="349" /><!--[endif]--></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoCaption" style="text-align: center;">Figure <!--[if supportFields]><span
style='mso-element:field-begin'></span><span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>SEQ Figure \* ARABIC <span style='mso-element:
field-separator'></span><![endif]--><span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">2</span><!--[if supportFields]><span
style='mso-no-proof:yes'><span style='mso-element:field-end'></span></span><![endif]-->:
Ifeanyichukwu Orji shot dead in Aku community, Okigwe LGA, by government
security forces_20th November 2022<span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 6pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 3pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Our prayers:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">We call upon the
military hierarchy to cease further indiscriminate rampage, killing of innocent
people in Aku-Okigwe community. We call upon the governor of Imo state to rein
in the Imo state-backed security militia from sweeping attacks on innocent
people and burning of houses.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">We call for an independent
judicial inquiry and investigation into the vicious attack on Aku community. The
brutal action by security forces on Aku Community in Okigwe LGA must not be
swept under the carpet. This must not be like the case of ‘’unknown soldier’’. It
must be investigated, and action taken against the masterminds.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">We ask for compensation
as a result of the loss of lives and unimaginable financial losses incurred as
a result of the military action on Aku-Okigwe community.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">E-signed:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Deacon Mahakwe Ukaegbu<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">President General, Aku Community Development
Union (ACDU)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">January 02, 2023<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Hon. Obinna Okoye<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Secretary General, Aku Community Development
Union (ACDU)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">January 02, 2022<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 2pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Don Ifeanyichukwu Okereke<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Administrator, Umu Aku Forum<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">January 02, 2023<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">CC:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">President Muhammadu Buhari<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Governor Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Senator representing Okigwe North, Senator Frank
Ibezim<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Member Representing Okigwe North, Hon. Princess
Miriam Onuoha<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Member Representing Okigwe, Imo House of
Assembly, Hon. Chidi Ogbunikpa<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Chief of Army Staff<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Chief of Civil Military Affairs<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Nigerian Army Human Rights Desk. Email:
na.hrd@army.mil.ng.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Access to justice<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Advocates San Frontiers<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Amnesty International<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Brekete Family<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">CLEEN Foundation<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Federation of International Female Lawyers<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Femi Falana Chambers<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Human Rights Watch<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria
(HURIWA)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">International Federation for Human Rights<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">National Human Rights Commission (NHRC)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Nigerian Bar Association (NBA)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">NOPRIN Foundation<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Office of the United Nations High Commissioner
for Human Rights<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Socio Economic Rights Accountability Project
(SERAP)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">United Nations Human Rights Council<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">West African Bar Association (WABA)<o:p></o:p></span></p>Don Okerekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06678079913273123553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848222137267791504.post-42386690482181616742022-09-09T09:04:00.002+01:002022-09-09T09:04:18.069+01:00 Deteriorating Security at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh68ErhvRwJgt2Wj1829KiyOhB8ZFkGJ4dw7cUWPFxPW_wcbU2PUPL6wvAVkSeWx-7TX__apSe_0WycybtHfwpp-oocftZ59yc0ADK5cRo5_4vQyMSK0btDnBHN20cCtC_62FNPCXasOz5tMflKQmkMIj01bbq6HecxxuLvzk405nGuJHii7CJFJzL1/s601/Airport_Aviation%20Security_Nigeria_Federal%20Airport%20Authority%20of%20Nigeria_FAAN_AVSEC_Murtala%20Mohammed%20International%20Airport.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="467" data-original-width="601" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh68ErhvRwJgt2Wj1829KiyOhB8ZFkGJ4dw7cUWPFxPW_wcbU2PUPL6wvAVkSeWx-7TX__apSe_0WycybtHfwpp-oocftZ59yc0ADK5cRo5_4vQyMSK0btDnBHN20cCtC_62FNPCXasOz5tMflKQmkMIj01bbq6HecxxuLvzk405nGuJHii7CJFJzL1/s320/Airport_Aviation%20Security_Nigeria_Federal%20Airport%20Authority%20of%20Nigeria_FAAN_AVSEC_Murtala%20Mohammed%20International%20Airport.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Seven months ago, unknown persons accessed leased Arik Air aircraft, a Boeing 737-700 and removed vital equipment from inside, where it was parked at the ramp at the domestic wing of the Murtala Muhammad International Airport, Lagos, known as MMA2. Also, last Sunday a young man accessed the United Nigeria Airlines aircraft at the same ramp. Chindu Eze writes that these incidents indicate that security is deteriorating at the nation’s busiest gateway.<p></p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p style="text-align: center;">Last Sunday, a young man who claimed to be 14-year old was arrested inside one of the aircraft of United Nigeria Airlines Limited (UNA) as a suspected stowaway. </p><p style="text-align: center;">According to eyewitness account, the man was as unconscious by when he was apprehended. Statement from the airline indicated that he was discovered during pre-flight inspection and the aircraft in question was being screened and prepared for service.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Further investigation also revealed that the suspect gave his name as Rasheed Mukar from Ilorin but lives at Badagry.</p><p style="text-align: center;">He was reported to have told security personnel during interrogation that he breached airport security from the Ile Zik end of the perimeter fence on the night on Saturday September 3, 2022 to access the airport’s apron where the aircraft was parked.</p><p style="text-align: center;">He also confessed to have gained access to the aircraft through the emergency exit after climbing through the aircraft wings.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Mukar also said he had earlier attempted to gain access to Boeing aircraft types, also parked at the airport, and failed.</p><p style="text-align: center;">According to the suspected stowaway, his intention was to follow the aircraft out of Lagos.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>BASL Statement</b></p><p style="text-align: center;">In a related account from the statement from Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL), which built and is operating the domestic terminal, “The 14-year-old stowaway found unconscious inside one of the airlines of United Nigeria (the Airline) is now safe in the custody of the airport authority where he is being held for further investigation.”</p><p style="text-align: center;">The statement that was signed by Head of Media, Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited, Oluwatosin Onalaja, disclosed that the boy told investigators that he gained access into the airside through an opening at Ile- Zik, FAAN’s perimeter fence along Lagos-Abeokuta expressway. </p><p style="text-align: center;">“At around 6:10a.m. on Sunday 4th September 2022, United Nigeria (the airline) informed Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Ltd (BASL) of a 14-year-old stowaway boy found unconscious inside one of their aircraft. The boy was brought out of the aircraft and taken to the MMA2 clinic for first aid medical attention. He was later transferred for further treatment to the FAAN clinic where he regained consciousness at about 10:20a.m.</p><p style="text-align: center;">“Upon further interrogation by a combined team of BASL AVSEC (Aviation Security) and FAAN (the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria) Aviation Security Officers, the following information was obtained from the boy: his name is Rasheed Mufutau, he is 14 years old, he lives in Badagry but hails from Kwara State, he is an orphan. He gained access into the airside through an opening at Ile- Zik along Lagos-Abeokuta expressway; his intention was to travel, as he was tired of the country.</p><p style="text-align: center;">“He passed through General Aviation Terminal, Air Force hanger and walked down to MMA2 where he hid himself at the Apron. He saw staff on duty at GAT (General Aviation Terminal) and Air Force hanger but dodged them and passed through the bush. He became unconscious as a result of the drugs he took and a lack of ventilation.”</p><p style="text-align: center;">According to the statement, the boy has been discharged from the hospital and taken to the FAAN Crime Office at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport along with United Nigeria Security Guard for further questioning. The airline has since commenced normal operations.</p><p style="text-align: center;">“We are an active part of the ongoing investigation to ascertain exactly what happened and to aid the prevention of any such occurrence in the future,” Onalaja said. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Similar Incident</b></p><p style="text-align: center;">In January this year, unknown persons gained access into the aircraft of a leased Boeing B737-700 being operated by Arik Air at the same terminal facility and stole some critical equipment from inside the aircraft cockpit.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Informed sources told THISDAY that the suspected thieves accessed the aircraft, canonicalized it and took away Flight Management Computer (FMC), Pilot Static Cover and other sensitive parts from the aircraft. The incident happened on January 19, 2022 at about 11:00 pm.</p><p style="text-align: center;">During that time, THISDAY spoke to some airport officials privy to the preliminary investigation on the incident, it found out that Arik Air Chief Security Officer (SCO) reported the incident to FAAN in the mid-day of January 20, 2022 and explained that the Arik Air aircraft with registration number EI-ULN was parked at MMA2 ramp at 4:30 pm the previous day.</p><p style="text-align: center;">The report stated that on commencement of operation the following day at 6:10 am, the pilot in chief, Captain James Johan Lowhoy noticed that the aircraft had been tampered with, as the door was found open and following checks it was revealed that the aircraft Flight Management System had been removed.</p><p style="text-align: center;">The source also disclosed that the Arik Air aircraft engineer in charge of the aircraft stated that at about 4:30 pm on January 19, after the pilot and cabin crew had left the aircraft, the engineers carried out routine checks on the aircraft, which lasted for about one and half hours and when they left, the aircraft was still parked at the apron.</p><p style="text-align: center;">THISDAY also gathered that the aircraft engineers were still at the engineering room when the Arik Air catering personnel came to them at about 8:40 pm and informed them that they wanted to service the aircraft.</p><p style="text-align: center;">“One of the aircraft engineers went with the catering personnel who serviced the airplane, which took about 10 minutes. When the catering personnel left, the engineer closed the airplane and did not go back to the aircraft,” the source said.</p><p style="text-align: center;">THISDAY learnt that while all the activities were going on, all the personnel involved were Arik staff; there was no outsider involved.</p><p style="text-align: center;">A team of crime investigation and intelligence was reported to have stated that there was no Arik aircraft security guard under or at the foot of the aircraft on January 19 when it occurred.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Security Threat</b></p><p style="text-align: center;">The Arik Air aircraft incident was described as insider security threats. But from the reports already made available to the public, last Sunday incident was an outsider’s job. The question many asked was how did the young man gain access to the airside of the airport without being caught by security operatives?</p><p style="text-align: center;">In January, many Nigerians were shocked when the report went virile on social media that Arik Air’s leased aircraft, a Boeing 737-700 with registration number, EI-ULN parked at the ramp of the Murtala Muhammed Domestic Airport (MMA2) was tampered with and critical equipment removed by persons initially suspected to have breached security and accessed the airside of the airport.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Profiling</b></p><p style="text-align: center;">In the aviation industry, personnel who work at sensitive areas of the airport or the airlines are profiled regularly and are even monitored to know what they do outside work and the kind of relationships they keep.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Reacting to the Sunday incident, the industry security consultant and CEO of Centurion Securities, Group Capt. John Ojikutu (rtd) said, “I am happy you quoted the Arik example and there were others too on Azma Air and the other on another Arik Air flight while taxing. The question to ask are: What are the results of the investigation on all these by the responsible authorities especially on the compliances to the Airport Security Programme, Airlines Security Programme in accordance with the National Civil Aviation Security Programme? With the development in the insecurity of the country, especially with the experiences of the past and those at the Kaduna airport, has there been any audit or the review of the Operators Security Programmes including the NCASP (National Civil Aviation Security Programme)?</p><p style="text-align: center;">“What have been the reports or the responses of the Airport Security Committee to these various incursions? As at 2007, there were five access into the aircraft operating areas from the public areas outside the passengers and cargo terminals, how many are there today and how adequately are they manned? The boy was said to have moved from the GAT area to MM2 and there was no internal security patrol nor aprons surveillance that saw him; that tells me that a bigger thing could happen and it is only after the act that we will come to see our failures and neglect. I have heard many times that CCTV or electronic control is what the airport security requires; that may be desirable but equipment alone cannot work without it being manned by skilled manpower. That again is what the responsible authorities must look into in the career progressions of the personnel manning the airport security architectural system. The background checks on those manning must regularly be reviewed alongside the operator’s security programmes; otherwise, you may be keeping insider threats.”</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Security Laxity</b></p><p style="text-align: center;">THISDAY learnt that there has been perceived laxity among security operatives that man strategic places at the airport and security patrol has been on the breach. So industry security experts have called on FAAN to ensure the reinforcement of security at the airports.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Former Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Dr. Harold Demuren, who was in charge of the agency when the underwear bomber, the Nigerian Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, attempted to bomb US airliner on December 25, 2009 en-route Detroit from Amsterdam, said recently in Lagos that Nigeria would have been blacklisted if it didn’t have the security system that captured the movement of Abdulmutallab when he transited from Ghana to board KLM flight to Amsterdam at the Lagos airport.</p><p style="text-align: center;">“At this point, I’ll like to appreciate the contribution of the various agencies at the airport, particularly FAAN for providing the CCTV footage. The Nigerian Immigration Service that provided detailed entry and exit from the airport and the MAEVIS for providing the Advanced Passenger Information System (APIS) information and others. These were parts of the information NCAA used to remove Nigeria’s name from the ‘US Country of Interest Watch list.”</p><p style="text-align: center;">Industry observers, however, express fear that the security system might have degenerated; that FAAN has to show that it is improving on the security architecture it has built over the years.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Recommendations</b></p><p style="text-align: center;">Recently, industry experts under the aegis of Aviation Safety Round Table Initiative (ASRTI) held a meeting on multi-layer security system at the nation’s airports and made recommendations in their communiqué.</p><p style="text-align: center;">They recommended multi-layered security system, which does not necessarily mean physical multi-layer structure but technologically driven security coverage that should be provided for all airports in Nigeria to ensure security of airports, passenger and airports infrastructure.</p><p style="text-align: center;">“There is an urgent need for provision of more funding for security at the nation’s airports to enable acquisition and deployment of state-of-the-art security equipment. There is need to reduce the number of physical security checking points at the nation’s airports to enhance passenger facilitation and avoid discouragement of travel by air with unnecessary delays at the airport</p><p style="text-align: center;">“There is need for collaboration and direct engagement between aviation professionals on aviation issues with relevant aviation agencies so as to prevent loss of confidence in the sector,” the communiqué stated.</p><p style="text-align: center;">It also recommended that security within the airports and in the entire society should be perceived and understood as everybody’s business and not for a selected few. Therefore, every citizen should support security agencies operating within the airports</p><p style="text-align: center;">“There is need for various security agencies at the airports to prioritize national interest, work in synergy and collaboratively, rather than working in silos at the detriment of the intended aviation security objectives</p><p style="text-align: center;">“Since each security agency was established by an Act of the National Assembly, there is need therefore for FAAN to be empowered as the apex coordinator of all other agencies operating at any of our civil airports to coordinate, control operations and the management of security agencies,” ASRTI stated.</p><p style="text-align: center;">September 9, 2022</p><p style="text-align: center;">Culled from: <a href="https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2022/09/09/deteriorating-security-at-murtala-muhammed-airport/">ThisDay Newspaper</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>Don Okerekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06678079913273123553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848222137267791504.post-76095788310211973322022-08-31T12:04:00.002+01:002022-08-31T12:04:43.654+01:00The Role of People in Intelligence Gathering And Sharing<p><b style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPjA7XUNCmlLDFswxjX73EnHKq1imPieYhc8k5xhxdBROabCPJNDZvnHgM--RwLLU9PijViCgxzXTRB5zGGvGjTPhUdboSrgw4hjqkMf6d0qlayYGoJUCLA6R1i4tXWlWSYCQkvjQz9rmuikWoiB1sRSoLgkiYrYSpowyHMG2WDbiMdocYaqMC8oXJ/s900/Halogen%20Security%20Academy_The%20Role%20of%20People%20in%20Intelligence%20Gathering%20and%20Sharing%20Webinar_Don%20OKereke_Tanwa%20Ashiru_Mathtew%20OkojokoAugust%2025,%202022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPjA7XUNCmlLDFswxjX73EnHKq1imPieYhc8k5xhxdBROabCPJNDZvnHgM--RwLLU9PijViCgxzXTRB5zGGvGjTPhUdboSrgw4hjqkMf6d0qlayYGoJUCLA6R1i4tXWlWSYCQkvjQz9rmuikWoiB1sRSoLgkiYrYSpowyHMG2WDbiMdocYaqMC8oXJ/s320/Halogen%20Security%20Academy_The%20Role%20of%20People%20in%20Intelligence%20Gathering%20and%20Sharing%20Webinar_Don%20OKereke_Tanwa%20Ashiru_Mathtew%20OkojokoAugust%2025,%202022.jpg" width="320" /></a></b></div><b style="text-align: center;">This is the text of a webinar presentation delivered
by Don Okereke</b><p></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Introduction:
<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Thank you for the privilege and opportunity to partake in this webinar and
share my perspective on </span><b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">The Role of People in Intelligence Gathering</span></b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> by shedding light on the
meaning of intelligence and how it can be shared.</span><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Context:</span></b><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">There is no gainsaying
the fact that insecurity – terrorism, KRE, banditry is pervasive in Nigeria and
the country seems to be </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">coming apart at the seams</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">. For the sake of emphasis, a</span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">ccording to a
report by SBM intelligence titled “The Economic of Nigeria’s Kidnap Industry”,
between July 2021 and June 2022, no fewer than 3,420 people were abducted
across Nigeria, with 564 others killed in violence associated with abductions.
The report stated that in the same period <b><span style="color: red;">N6.531
billion was demanded in exchange for the release of captives while N653.7
million was paid as ransom.</span></b></span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">The implication of this is
that while legitimate businesses are struggling in Nigeria, kidnap for ransom
and extortion is obviously the fastest growing industry in Nigeria. </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">What is more distressing
is that there seem to be no end in sight unless there is a positive disruption.
</span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">The unrelenting security
challenges we have in Nigeria can be described as largely being man-made and
can be blamed on amongst other things, failure of gathering or disseminating intelligence.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span lang="EN" style="color: red; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Meaning of </span></b><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: red; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">intelligence?</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Intelligence means many
things to many people.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">While <span style="color: red;">INTELLIGENCE</span> can be literarily defined as the ‘’ability
to learn or understand or to deal with new or trying situations’’, in the <span style="color: red;">context of security</span>, INTELLIGENCE refers to <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>processed, evaluated data that is usually
gathered from trusted sources.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">People
often use the words ‘Information’ and ‘Intelligence’ interchangeably. However, there
is a difference between the two.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Differences Between
Intelligence and Information</span></b></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>INTELLIGENCE <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">INFORMATION<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
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<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 30.95pt;" valign="top" width="41">
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l10 level1 lfo7; tab-stops: .25in; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 225.55pt;" valign="top" width="301">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Information or
knowledge that has been processed and logic applied.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 3.75in;" valign="top" width="360">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Pieces of raw data<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 2;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 30.95pt;" valign="top" width="41">
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l10 level1 lfo7; tab-stops: .25in; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 225.55pt;" valign="top" width="301">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Proactive – can
forecast, correlate, offer supposition and direct an investigation/inquiry.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 3.75in;" valign="top" width="360">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Passive – data
accepted and stored<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 3; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 30.95pt;" valign="top" width="41">
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l10 level1 lfo7; tab-stops: .25in; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 225.55pt;" valign="top" width="301">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Not readily
available. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 3.75in;" valign="top" width="360">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Ubiquitous; Available everywhere</span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Intelligence gathering
methodologies<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">There are many ways of gathering
intelligence that are often referred to as "intelligence collection
disciplines". They include:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.5in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span>I.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Human Intelligence (HUMINT)</span></b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> is the collection of information from human sources. The collection may
be done openly, as when DSS/FBI agents interview witnesses or suspects, or it
may be done through clandestine or covert means (espionage).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-align: center;"><span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_1"
o:spid="_x0000_i1025" type="#_x0000_t75" style='width:482.25pt;height:234pt;
visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square'>
<v:imagedata src="file:///C:/Users/L1005919/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image003.png"
o:title=""/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><img height="312" src="file:///C:/Users/L1005919/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image004.jpg" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_1" width="643" /></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.5in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span>II.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Signals Intelligence (SIGINT)</span></b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> refers to electronic transmissions that can be collected by planes,
drones, ground sites, or satellites. Communications Intelligence (COMINT) is a
type of SIGINT and refers to the interception of communications.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.5in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span>III.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Imagery Intelligence (IMINT)</span></b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> is sometimes also referred to as photo intelligence (PHOTINT). Similar
to this is Geospatial Intelligence (GEOINT) - analysis and visual
representation of security related activities on the earth. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 1.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.5in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span>IV.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Measurement and Signatures Intelligence (MASINT) </span></b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">is concerned with weapons capabilities and
industrial activities. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 1.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.5in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span>V.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT)</span></b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> refers to a broad array of information and sources that are generally
available, including information obtained from the media (newspapers, radio,
television, etc.), professional and academic records (papers, conferences,
professional associations, etc.), and public data (government reports,
demographics, hearings, speeches, etc.).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 1.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">Granted Social Media Intelligence (</span><span style="color: red; font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">SOCMINT</span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">)
is considered to be a sub-discipline of </span><span style="color: red; font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">OSINT</span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">. Often
conflated, there is a </span><span style="color: red; font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">subtle</span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> difference or
nuances between </span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">both.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">SOCMINT can be harnessed by government or non-state actors, such as
private intelligence agencies or marketing companies, in order to gain
knowledge about specific individuals, groups, events, or any number of other
targets. SOCMINT data available on social media sites can be either </span><span style="color: red; font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">open to the public </span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">(e.g., Public posts on Facebook or
LinkedIn) or </span><span style="color: red; font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">private. </span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">Private information -such
as contents shared with friends circle- cannot be accessed without proper
permission from the creator or complying with best practices, adherence to laws.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">The Future of
Social Media Intelligence</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">The future of </span><span style="color: red; font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">social media intelligence </span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">will
be largely impacted by Artificial Intelligence (AI). For instance, AI can
analyze extensive amounts of data by instantly identifying trending topics and
patterns that exist within social conversations.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Threat
intelligence</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Threat
intelligence also known as cyber threat intelligence (CTI), is the process of
identifying, </span><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">analyzing</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> cyber threats and data to better understand threats and
deploying solutions specific to the problem found.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Types
of threat intelligence - </span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">split
into three categories:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: red; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Strategic threat intelligence:</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: red; font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">This is typically a high-level analysis designed
for non-technical audiences – for example, the board of a company or
organisation.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: red; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Tactical threat intelligence:</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: red; font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">This is focused on the immediate future and is
designed for a more technically-proficient audience. It identifies simple
indicators or elements such as <b>bad IP addresses</b>, <b>known malicious
domain names</b>, <b>unusual traffic, log-in red flags, or an increase in
file/download requests</b>. Tactical intelligence is the most straightforward form
of intelligence to generate and is usually automated.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: red; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Operational threat intelligence:</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: red; font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Behind every cyber-attack is a 'who', 'why', and
'how'. Operational threat intelligence is designed to answer these questions by
studying past cyber-attacks drawing conclusions about intent, timing, and
sophistication.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Intelligence Failures – Why do we
have intelligence failures?</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Occurs for three reasons –</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Failure to process and analyze information</span></b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> correctly - the invasion of Iraq by the US
was premised on falsified intelligence. <b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt 0.5in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">This can be as a
result of:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 6pt 1in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Selective Information or bias <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 6pt 1in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Group think or not thinking outside the box. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 6pt 1in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">One Track Mind. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 6pt 1in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Over Complicating Matters.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 6pt 1in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Denial or Avoidance<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Failure to disseminate and share information</span></b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> - there are claims that the Israelis and
other agencies were privy to 9/11 attacks but they may not have shared the
Intel. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Failure to act on intelligence</span></b><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;"> - Intelligence is useless if not followed up with action.</span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Probable case studies of intelligence failures in Nigeria</span></b></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">I read how a former governor of Enugu state reportedly got Intel of an
impending attack on a community. He promptly shared it with Abuja (the police
hierarchy) but they dilly dallied in preventing the attack.</span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">Recent
attacks in Nigeria such as the following buttresses lax security and
intelligence failure:</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Note that b</span></b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">etween 2015 and 2022, there were <b><span style="color: red;">twenty
attacks on prison facilities in Nigeria</span></b>. 2021 had the highest number
of incidents in the 7-year period with a total of 7 attacks. <b><span style="color: red;">Nearly 9,000 inmates were released from the prison breaks and
nearly half of them still on the run</span></b>. This is a threat to national
security.</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Kuje prison break</span></b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> – </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Tukur
Mamu, the media aide to Kaduna-based Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, said he
<b><span style="color: red;">shared intelligence</span></b><span style="color: red;"> </span>with the authorities about the Kuje prison attack,
but the intel agencies failed to act (Channels TV News, </span><span style="background: white; color: #3f3f3f; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">July 7, 2022).</span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 4.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">According to Daily Trust
Newspaper (Tuesday 26 July, 2022), </span><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">the DSS forwarded
44 security reports to the security agencies warning of attacks</span></b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">on the Correctional Facility in Kuje, Abuja
and nothing was done.</span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">If the
security agencies didn't act on <b><span style="color: red;">44 intelligence
reports</span></b><span style="color: red;"> </span>availed to them by their
counterpart, the DSS, </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">there's no
assurance that an Intel from a private citizen would be put to good use.</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The Owo Catholic church attack</span></b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> – over 40 people killed. The attackers mounted
surveillance before attacks.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 1.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The Kaduna-Abuja train attack</span></b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> – Daily Trust Newspaper (March 311, 2022) reports
that intel agencies provided intelligence, but it was not acted on. </span><b><span lang="EN" style="color: red; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Some of the
released victims confessed that they were well fed</span></b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">. Means the terrorists
have access to food/meat, possibly from the local market…</span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 1.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Kaduna Airport Security breach</span></b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> – </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">2nd time in 2 years of security breaches around the Kaduna airport
despite being in the centre of Nigerian security forces.</span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 1.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Terrorists ambushed Guards Brigade in Abuja – </span></b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">This was sequel to<b> </b></span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">terrorists reporting writing a letter to
the Management of the Nigerian Law School. </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">An
army c</span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">aptain and 2 soldiers were reportedly
killed. </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">According to a November 2021 report by SBM
Intelligence, <b><span style="color: red;">''an estimated 337 Nigerian soldiers
have been killed from insurgents’ ambushes since 2019''</span></b></span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 2.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">President Buhari's advance convoy attacked
in Katsina</span></b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> – Tuesday, July 5: </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">An advance <b><span style="color: red;">convoy</span></b>
of President Buhari was ambushed and attacked in his home state Katsina,
specifically at Dutsinma, about 152 kilometres from Buhari’s hometown of Daura.
It is either the terrorists had advanced information about the convoy’s
movement, or it was a random attack.</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Sometime in July, 2022, terrorists, who
attacked the Abuja-Kaduna train on March 28, threatened to <b><span style="color: red;">kidnap President Buhari and the Kaduna state governor, Nasir
El-Rufai. </span></b>If they can ambush the presidential advance convoy, this
threat should not be waved aside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 1.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Nigerian Defence Academy Attack:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> On Tuesday, August 24, 2021, just a year
ago, bandits attacked Nigeria's elite military academy, The NDA, killing 2
officers and kidnapped another in a brazen assault on a symbol of the armed
forces.</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">March 23, 2020, about 50 soldiers reportedly lost
their lives after Boko Haram staged a deadly ambush on a convoy of troops
around Alagarno in Yobe State.</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">June 30, 2022, bandits invaded a mining site in
Shiroro LGA of Niger state</span></b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> and
reportedly killed ''43 people, including 37 Nigerian security personnel''. This
is equivalent to wiping out a <span style="color: red;">PLATOON</span>.</span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif;"><b>Plethora</b></span></span><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">of Government Intelligence
agencies in Nigeria</span></b></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">We cannot talk about the</span><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">
</span></b><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">‘’Role of people in Intelligence Gathering
And Sharing’’ </span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">without citing the ultimate aggregators,
beneficiaries, end-users of intelligence, that is, mainstream government
security/intelligence agencies.</span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">Nigeria
boasts of a mixed bag of government intelligence agencies. They include but not
limited to the following:</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 1in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The National intelligence agency (NIA)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The Defence intelligence agency (DIA)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Department of State services (DSS)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI) </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Nigerian Army Intelligence Corps - NAIC), </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Nigerian Navy (Naval Intelligence)</span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Nigerian Air force (Directorate of Air
Intelligence)</span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Nigeria Police Force Criminal Investigation
and Intelligence Department (FCIID)</span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (Directorate
of Intelligence and Investigation)</span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Nigeria Customs (Customs Intelligent Unit
or CIU)</span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="FR" style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: FR; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="FR" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: FR; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Nigeria Immigration
Service (HQ National Intelligence Unit)</span><span lang="FR" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: FR; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 1in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit
(NFIU), an arm of the global financial intelligence unit domiciled within the EFCC</span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 1in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">Despite
the motley security/intelligence agencies in Nigeria with annual budgets
running into billions of Naira, why is insecurity - arms proliferation,
kidnapping, banditry, terrorism unrelenting in Nigeria?</span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 1in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><b style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Challenges of
harvesting and disseminating Intelligence in Nigeria</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Lack of trust and no love lost between
government intelligence agencies and citizens:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> There seem to be lack of trust and no love
lost between private citizens and government security and intelligence agencies
in Nigeria. This is largely because Nigerian security and intelligence agencies
are often skewed towards ‘regime protection’ or doing the bidding of those in
power than fighting for the common man. Pervasive incidents of extrajudicial killings
which culminated in the <b>ENDSARS </b>civil unrest buttresses this assertion.</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Lack of Privacy & Confidentiality:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> If citizens must feel free to share intelligence with the
security agencies, then their privacy and confidentiality must be guaranteed.
And this is where social media is apt in sharing intelligence anonymously. </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 1.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Lack of synergy, Inter agency rivalry and superiority/inferiority
complex: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">This is
the bane of the security and intelligence agencies in Nigeria. It appears they
are working at cross-purposes.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 4.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Politics is superior to security, nay,
intelligence in Nigeria:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> There is a saying that politics is superior to economics. It may be
safe to also submit that politics is superior to security and intelligence in
Nigeria. We understand that politicians seldom dissect or treat nuggets of
intelligence reports made available to them. It can be a tough decision trying
to balance perception or likely panic and trying to be decisive. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">I</span></b><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">s there anyone here who watched
the BBC Africa Eye video:</span></b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> <b>The Bandit Warlords of Zamfara?</b> </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">The NBC imposed a fine of N5 million on
broadcast platforms that aired the documentary on the grounds that they ‘promoted
terror in the country’. The inference from the documentary is that masterminds
of banditry and terrorism in parts of the country are <b><span style="color: red;">not invincible</span></b><span style="color: red;"> </span>after
all. In some climes, government intelligence agencies will synergize with those
makers of the documentary to harvest actionable intelligence from them. It
appears the Nigerian establishment doesn’t appreciate the publicity and feel
embarrassed because they probably had all the intel but have failed to act.
Anyway, <b><span style="color: red;">the government hates competition… As we
speak, notorious bandit leader, Turji Bello</span></b><span style="color: red;"> </span>is
said to have been granted an ‘amnesty’ and ‘embraced peace’ in Zamfara state. Imagine
the faith of someone who gave out intelligence about him.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 1.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Lack of anonymity:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Scores of Nigerians don't feel free volunteering
information, nay, intelligence to government security, intelligence agencies.
You don't even know if the person you are giving the information is a
sympathizer. Recall that a </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b><span style="color: red;">Premium
Times January 8, 2012 report</span></b><span style="color: red;"> </span>quoted former
President Goodluck Jonathan as admitting that members of the extremist Boko
Haram sect succeeded in <b><span style="color: red;">infiltrating his government</span></b>,
planting its<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>members in<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>government agencies and security outfits.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 6.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Food for thought:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Why is that more often than not, when the Nigerian
government or the security denies anything, it turns out there’s some iota of
truth in what they are trying to deny?</span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><b style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">How to share
intelligence</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Intelligence sharing is the process of exchanging actionable
intelligence, information, data, or knowledge amongst relevant government
agencies or private-sector entities as appropriate.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">The Bible says <b><span style="color: red;">Can two walk together without
agreeing where to go? </span></b>You can only share intelligence or information
if you have a good relationship and mutual trust with the second party. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Intelligence
can be shared amongst the security cum intelligence agencies - inter agency
collaboration. Ideally, Private citizens should also be able to share
intelligence with the security / intelligence agencies. I said <b>ideally</b>
because we know this is not always the case in Nigeria and the reason is not
far-fetched. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 1.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; text-align: center;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Why
private sector, citizens need to be involved in intelligence gathering. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">With due
respect, the home truth is that Nigerian Security And intelligence agencies are
overwhelmed, stretched hence they tend to be more reactive than proactive.
Similar to this, they tend to devote more effort to regime protection, stifling
supposed opposition than fighting criminals. I commend the likes of SBM
intelligence, Bulwark Intelligence amongst others and I recommend that Nigerian
intelligence agencies find a way to partner with private companies in the
business of harvesting intelligence. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">While some
people may blame mainstream intelligence agencies for the security breaches in
Nigeria, I think we are all complicit. As we say, security is a collective
responsibility. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Gathering or
sharing intelligence is not the exclusive preserve of government
security/intelligence agencies. The <span style="color: red;">democratization of Intelligence
entails that </span>Corporate organizations, private security companies,
security professionals and private citizens are now deeply involved in the
business of intelligence gathering and sharing.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Just like Georges Clemenceau quote that<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“<i><span style="color: #00b050;">War is too important to be left to the
generals</span></i>”, I can paraphrase this to say that <b><span style="color: red;">intelligence is too important to be left in the hands of
government intelligence agencies</span></b>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 2.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Social media is the new normal in
intelligence gathering and sharing</span></b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">: <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Extremist groups such
as Boko Haram/ISWAP, Abuja-Kaduna train kidnap masterminds share videos etc.
online and those videos or images can be geolocated and </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">clues pinpointing
location deducted.</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">It is not encouraging that some government
intelligence agencies in Nigeria seem to be ‘social media shy’. I mean they
don’t have official social media accounts. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Granted
operatives of Nigeria’s intelligence agencies, the </span><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">DSS, NIA</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">, </span><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">ONSA</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> of this world have social media
accounts and they do follow individuals of interest (especially perceived
dissenters and opposition) on social media, the lack of official presence on
social media means they won’t be able to receive nuggets of intelligence from
citizens, </span><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">anonymously</span></b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 6.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">This contrast with the practice across the
world where the intelligence agencies are quite active online and can be
reached via social media. For instance, according to the report: <span style="color: red;">‘’</span></span><span lang="EN" style="color: red; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Spy Influencers: Social Media Secrets
of the CIA, MI5, Mossad & More’’</span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">, the ‘</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">The FBI reportedly runs more than 70 social media sites!</span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">(</span><a href="https://spyscape.com/article/spy-influencers-social-media-secrets-revealed-by-the-cia-mi5-mossad-more-fr"><span lang="EN" style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://spyscape.com/article/spy-influencers-social-media-secrets-revealed-by-the-cia-mi5-mossad-more-fr</span></a><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 6.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Britain’s domestic intelligence agency, the
Mi5, which is the equivalent of Nigeria’s DSS, officially joined Instagram a
while ago <span style="color: red;">@Mi5official.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 5.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Canada's</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> Communications
Security Establishment (CSE), the Canadian spy agency </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">has<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube accounts</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">.</span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Nigerian
intelligence agencies should take a cue from UK's Mi5, the American FBI etc. by
embracing social media. Social media</span><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: red; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> cuts red
tape and bureaucracy </span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">in sharing intelligence. Imagine
if I have an actionable intelligence that I want to share directly with the </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: red; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">National
Security Adviser</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">. It would be easier if I have his twitter
handle. I can also do that </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: red; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">anonymously</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">See Something, Say Something<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Local communities and citizens play an important role in preventing
criminality, terrorism and keeping our communities safe.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">The public should report suspicious activity such as the discovery of a
suspicious package or suspicious behavior, such as someone breaking into a
restricted area, attempting to gain access into a restricted area, or making
suspicious purchases of precursor chemicals (like fertilizer, )<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; text-align: center;"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Abduction of Umaru Dikko in London:</span></b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> It took the
observance of a private individual to foil the abduction and repatriation of <b>Umaru
Dikko in London </b>On Thursday, July 5, 1984, a team of Nigerian intelligence
and Israeli agents.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">According to the Money Laundering Act:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> Financial institutions and
designated non-financial institutions must report transactions in excess of 5
million Naira for individuals or 10 million Naira for legal persons to the EFCC
within seven days of such transaction taking place. How many financial
institutions actually do this? If they do, they will help in sniffing out
kidnappers and bandits. <span style="color: red;">Following the money is a global
anti-terror and crime-fighting tactic</span>. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; text-align: center;"><b><span lang="EN" style="color: red; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Ways to Use OSINT for
Corporate Security<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Thanks to the rapid growth of public data, OSINT
has now established itself as an indispensable tool for business risk
management and can be deployed in:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN" style="color: red; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Executive
Protection:</span></b><span lang="EN" style="color: red; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">In early-January 2020, the corporate security
team at Fiserv advised against executive travel to China after initial reports
of COVID-19 disease outbreak weeks before most U.S. companies even acknowledged
COVID-19.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 5.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Executive protection details can scan open
sources to spot travel risks, route assessment and emerging events. If they
spot a suspicious post, teams can exploit open source intelligence to gauge the
credibility of a threat. Such situational awareness enables protectors to avoid
dangerous areas, set up alternative travel plans, or respond quickly to
incidents.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 4.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN" style="color: red; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Protecting
against Operational, brand or reputational risks-</span></b><span lang="EN" style="color: red; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">OSINT can be used to
monitor Misinformation, fake news or false rumors spreading like wild-fire
online. Such negative publicity could damage a brand, VIP’s reputation, their
ability to conduct business, or the value of the organization they represent.
Keeping tabs on any rumors or false reports allow corporate security teams to
respond quickly.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 3.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN" style="color: red; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Identifying investment
opportunities</span></b><span lang="EN" style="color: red; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">- OSINT is becoming the new litmus test for
investors because it is used for <b><span style="color: red;">due diligence
investigation</span></b><span style="color: red;"> </span>due to benefits of
speed and size. Private equity firms use our OSINT-powered due diligence to
know who they’re dealing with, helping lower the risks. For instance, a single
tweet or a just published image can be an early signal of a major market event
that would completely change the winning strategy regarding particular stocks.</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">OSINT/SOCINT and civil unrest monitoring:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Examples are the Capital Hill
unrest in the United States, the ENDSARS civil unrest in Nigeria had massive
social media footprint in real-time. Similarly, </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">the <b><span style="color: red;">“Arab Spring”</span></b><span style="color: red;"> </span>and insurrections in Egypt demonstrates the
importance of <b>OSINT/SOCMINT</b> at a strategic level to intelligence tradecraft,
as well as the inefficacy of traditional intelligence sources and
methodologies.</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><b><span lang="EN" style="color: red; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Loss And
Fraud Prevention</span></b><span lang="EN" style="color: red; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">- Retail organizations
around the world are fully embracing open source intelligence (OSINT) to filter
through billions of online posts to discover valuable intelligence for their
security operations, protect assets, detect internal and external fraud and data
breaches. Criminal groups often exploit social media to coordinate robberies or
share tips and tactics with their fellow thieves.</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN" style="color: red; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></b><b><span lang="EN" style="color: red; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Supply Chain
Protection - </span></b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">The process that delivers a product to store shelves is a tightly
interconnected network. If one link in that chain fails — from sourcing and
manufacturing to transportation — the whole system breaks down. A supply chain
disruption can result in millions of dollars of lost sales for retaile</span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">rs, </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">result in financial losses</span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> and </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">impair the reputation of the
entire company.</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Event Security</span></b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">- Savvy event managers employ open source intelligence to protect
attendees. OSINT can be used to <b><span style="color: red;">Anticipate Risks and
</span></b>spot potential problems ahead of time. <b><span style="color: red;">Continuous
Intelligence</span></b>: Security teams often conduct a threat assessment ahead
of an event. <b><span style="color: red;">Locate an Incident:</span></b><span style="color: red;"> </span><b><span style="color: #00b0f0;">Geo-tagged</span></b><span style="color: #00b0f0;"> </span>social media posts allow teams to quickly
determine where an incident has taken place.</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">8.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><b><span lang="EN" style="color: red; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Monitoring Data Leaks and Social
Engineering:</span></b><span lang="EN" style="color: red; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> <b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>-</b> </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">The average cost of a
data breach for organizations now tops almost $3.9 million, according to a 2021
survey by IBM and increased to $8.2 million on average per incident for
companies based in the US.</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">9.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><b><span lang="EN" style="color: red; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Crisis
Response</span></b><span lang="EN" style="color: red; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">- Corporate security teams basically contend
with three types of hazards: <b><span style="color: red;">Natural hazards (</span></b>floods,
earthquakes, and blizzards); <b><span style="color: red;">Technological hazards (</span></b>power
loss, industrial accidents, and infrastructure failures), <b><span style="color: red;">man-made hazards </span><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">(October 2020</span><span style="color: red;"> </span></b>ENDSARS, </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">January 6, 2021 Capitol attack in the US, </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">cyber-attacks,
terrorist threats, or workplace violence.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Suspicious activity/intelligence worth sharing?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Suspicious activity may include an unusual interest in gaining sensitive
information about a facility security, operations, or maintenance.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">An unattended bag or backpack.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Suspicious purchases of items that could be
used to construct an explosive device, including hydrogen peroxide, acetone,
gasoline, propane, or ammonium nitrate fertilizers.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Theft of explosive materials.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Theft of security personnel uniforms or
credentials<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Attempted/unauthorized access to rooftops
or other potentially sensitive areas.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Individuals acting suspiciously around the
entrances to an event location.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Unusual or bulky clothing that is
inconsistent with the weather.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.25in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">What information should citizens report?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Who or what you saw (<span style="color: red;">specifics</span>)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">When you saw it (<span style="color: red;">time</span>).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Where it occurred (<span style="color: red;">exact
place, landmark</span>)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Why or what makes the incident suspicious. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Contact Emergency Numbers – <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 1in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Lagos State Government: </span></b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">767 and 112.</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 1in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b><i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: text1;">Nationwide: </span></i></b><i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: text1;">The
Nigeria Police Force recently secured<b> </b></span></i><b><i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">'933' Short Code </span></i></b><i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: text1;">For Free
Emergency calls and information sharing with the citizens.</span></i><b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; text-align: center;"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Concluding remark:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: text1;">Remember that security is everyone’s business,
If You See Something, Say Something. As we have seen from this presentation,
intelligence is not the exclusive preserve of national security. </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Numerous
security lapses, including recurrent jailbreaks, intensifies the exigency to retool
Nigeria’s intelligence gathering architecture and boost inter-agency
coordination. There is need for real-time information sharing and also need to
plug leakages of sensitive information.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Let's hope Nigeria’s newly created and much </span><span lang="EN-GB"><a href="https://ctc.gov.ng/about-ctc/"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">touted National Counter Terrorism Strategy
Document</span></a></span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> (NACTEST), National Crisis Management Doctrine (NCMD), and the National
Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) domiciled in the of the Office of the National
Security Adviser (ONSA) enhances inter-agency collaboration between the
intelligence agencies and the Nigerian Army, the Nigeria Police Force, the
Nigerian Army, and the Nigerian Airforce, amongst others, at strategic,
operational, and tactical levels.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.25in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">References:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">7 Ways to
Use OSINT for Corporate Security</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.liferaftinc.com/blog/7-ways-to-use-osint-for-corporate-security"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://www.liferaftinc.com/blog/7-ways-to-use-osint-for-corporate-security</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 7.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Open Source Intelligence For Retail Security<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Updated February 9,
2021<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.echosec.net/blog/open-source-intelligence-for-retail-security"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://www.echosec.net/blog/open-source-intelligence-for-retail-security</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 6.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">OSINT Tools and Techniques for Business Risk
Intelligence<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.echosec.net/blog/osint-tools-and-techniques-for-business-risk-intelligence"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://www.echosec.net/blog/osint-tools-and-techniques-for-business-risk-intelligence</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 6.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">OSINT Tools<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.osinttechniques.com/osint-tools.html"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://www.osinttechniques.com/osint-tools.html</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 4.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Managing OSINT Tools<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.zellmangroup.com/insights/managing-osint-tools#:~:text=The%20OSINT%20Basics&text=In%20the%20context%20of%20loss,person%20thefts%20before%20they%20happen"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://www.zellmangroup.com/insights/managing-osint-tools#:~:text=The%20OSINT%20Basics&text=In%20the%20context%20of%20loss,person%20thefts%20before%20they%20happen</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 6.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Introducing Open Source Security Management at
Enterprise Scale<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Gauthami Polasani<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center;"><a href="https://fossa.com/blog/introducing-open-source-security-management-at-enterprise-scale/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://fossa.com/blog/introducing-open-source-security-management-at-enterprise-scale/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 5.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Understanding OSINT<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.triangular-intelligence.com/the-power-of-osint"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://www.triangular-intelligence.com/the-power-of-osint</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 6.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">8.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">OSINT Business Data: Actionable Intelligence For
Company Growth<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">May 27, 2022<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center;"><a href="https://coresignal.com/blog/osint-business/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://coresignal.com/blog/osint-business/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 6.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">9.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">OSINT Due Diligence: The New Litmus Test For
Investors<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.neotas.com/osint-powered-due-diligence-the-new-litmus-test-for-investors/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://www.neotas.com/osint-powered-due-diligence-the-new-litmus-test-for-investors/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 4.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">10.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">6 Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) Applications
for Your Business<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.skopenow.com/news/6-open-source-intelligence-osint-applications-for-your-business"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://www.skopenow.com/news/6-open-source-intelligence-osint-applications-for-your-business</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 5.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">11.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Using WEBINT and OSINT to tackle extremist
groups<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.police1.com/investigations/articles/using-webint-and-osint-to-tackle-extremist-groups-Fvy2So5OzaAoNLTC/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://www.police1.com/investigations/articles/using-webint-and-osint-to-tackle-extremist-groups-Fvy2So5OzaAoNLTC/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 5.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">12.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Producing Actionable Intelligence With OSINT<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.companionlink.com/blog/2022/01/producing-actionable-intelligence-with-osint/"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://www.companionlink.com/blog/2022/01/producing-actionable-intelligence-with-osint/</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 4.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">13.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">How to Leverage OSINT Data During a Crisis<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center;"><a href="https://store.asisonline.org/how-to-leverage-osint-data-during-a-crisis.html"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://store.asisonline.org/how-to-leverage-osint-data-during-a-crisis.html</span></a><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 5.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">14.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">OSINT Geolocation Guide and Best OSINT
Geolocation Tools<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.osintguru.com/blog/geolocation"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://www.osintguru.com/blog/geolocation</span></a><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 3.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">15.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Six Tools To Help With Geolocation<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center;"><a href="https://nixintel.info/osint-tools/six-tools-to-help-with-geolocation/"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://nixintel.info/osint-tools/six-tools-to-help-with-geolocation/</span></a><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">16.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Private guard companies recruit over 4.2million
people in 6 years - NBS Monday, <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="https://www.legit.ng/1219749-private-guard-companies-recruit-42million-people-6-years-nbs.html%0d">https://www.legit.ng/1219749-private-guard-companies-recruit-42million-people-6-years-nbs.html<o:p></o:p></a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 2.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">17.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">The economics of Nigeria’s kidnap industry,
an update<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.sbmintel.com/2022/08/the-economics-of-nigerias-kidnap-industry-an-update/"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://www.sbmintel.com/2022/08/the-economics-of-nigerias-kidnap-industry-an-update/</span></a><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 3.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">18.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">DSS Presented 44 Security Reports Before
Kuje Attack <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center;"><a href="https://dailytrust.com/just-in-dss-presented-44-security-reports-before-kuje-attack-wase"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://dailytrust.com/just-in-dss-presented-44-security-reports-before-kuje-attack-wase</span></a><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 3.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">19.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Between 2015 and 2022, there were <span style="color: red;">twenty attacks on prison facilities in Nigeria</span>. </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.dataphyte.com/latest-reports/development/as-nigeria-experiences-its-20th-jailbreak-in-7-years-here-are-four-issues-of-concern/"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://www.dataphyte.com/latest-reports/development/as-nigeria-experiences-its-20th-jailbreak-in-7-years-here-are-four-issues-of-concern/</span></a><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 3.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">20.</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">The FBI reportedly
runs more than 70 social media sites!</span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">(</span><a href="https://spyscape.com/article/spy-influencers-social-media-secrets-revealed-by-the-cia-mi5-mossad-more-fr"><span lang="EN" style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://spyscape.com/article/spy-influencers-social-media-secrets-revealed-by-the-cia-mi5-mossad-more-fr</span></a><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 5.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">21.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Private guard companies recruit over
4.2million people in 6 years - NBS Monday, <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.legit.ng/1219749-private-guard-companies-recruit-42million-people-6-years-nbs.html"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://www.legit.ng/1219749-private-guard-companies-recruit-42million-people-6-years-nbs.html</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 4.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">22.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">OSINT Goes Mainstream: How Security Teams
Can Use Open-Source Intelligence To Help Companies Understand Risk</span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">23.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2022/06/07/osint-goes-mainstream-how-security-teams-can-use-open-source-intelligence-to-help-companies-understand-risk/?sh=2a4b34811c82"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2022/06/07/osint-goes-mainstream-how-security-teams-can-use-open-source-intelligence-to-help-companies-understand-risk/?sh=2a4b34811c82</span></a><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: red; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 3.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">24.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Are spy agencies ready for open-source
intelligence?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/restoring-america/courage-strength-optimism/are-spy-agencies-ready-for-open-source-intelligence"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/restoring-america/courage-strength-optimism/are-spy-agencies-ready-for-open-source-intelligence</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 6.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">25.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">MI5 warns of spies using LinkedIn to trick staff
into spilling secrets<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-56812746"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-56812746</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="color: red; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 3.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">26.</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Open-Source
Intelligence (OSINT) Use by Governments<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="https://hackernoon.com/open-source-intelligence-osint-use-by-governments-802t37gn%0d">https://hackernoon.com/open-source-intelligence-osint-use-by-governments-802t37gn<o:p></o:p></a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 5.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">27.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: text1;">Seven Ways to Use OSINT for Corporate Security<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.liferaftinc.com/blog/7-ways-to-use-osint-for-corporate-security"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://www.liferaftinc.com/blog/7-ways-to-use-osint-for-corporate-security</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="color: red; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 6.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">28.</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">The Advantages and Challenges of Utilizing SOCMINT for National Security
Affairs<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center;"><a href="https://cobwebs.com/the-advantages-and-challenges-of-utilizing-socmint-for-national-security-affairs/"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://cobwebs.com/the-advantages-and-challenges-of-utilizing-socmint-for-national-security-affairs/</span></a><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 5.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">29.</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Intelligence Studies: Types of Intelligence Collection<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center;"><a href="https://usnwc.libguides.com/c.php?g=494120&p=3381426"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://usnwc.libguides.com/c.php?g=494120&p=3381426</span></a><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">30.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="ES" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: ES; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Social Media Intelligence</span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center;"><a href="https://privacyinternational.org/explainer/55/social-media-intelligence"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://privacyinternational.org/explainer/55/social-media-intelligence</span></a><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">31.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Social media intelligence, the wayward
child of open source intelligence<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center;"><a href="https://responsibledata.io/2016/12/12/social-media-intelligence-the-wayward-child-of-open-source-intelligence/"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://responsibledata.io/2016/12/12/social-media-intelligence-the-wayward-child-of-open-source-intelligence/</span></a><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 5.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">32.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Buhari launches national crisis management
doctrine<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/548341-buhari-launches-national-crisis-management-doctrine.html"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/548341-buhari-launches-national-crisis-management-doctrine.html</span></a><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 4.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">33.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Boko Haram has infiltrated my government, says
Jonathan<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB"><a href="https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/3360-boko-haram-has-infiltrated-my-government-says-jonathan.html"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/3360-boko-haram-has-infiltrated-my-government-says-jonathan.html</span></a></span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">34.</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Budget: Despite extra N12 trillion in 7 years,
security remains elusive, as education, health suffer<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB"><a href="https://dailypost.ng/2021/10/15/budget-despite-extra-n12-trillion-in-7-years-security-remains-elusive-as-education-health-suffer/"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://dailypost.ng/2021/10/15/budget-despite-extra-n12-trillion-in-7-years-security-remains-elusive-as-education-health-suffer/</span></a></span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">35.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">NBC imposes N5 million fine on Trust Television
over documentary on banditry<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB"><a href="https://nairametrics.com/2022/08/03/nbc-imposes-n5-million-fine-on-trust-television-over-documentary-on-banditry/"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://nairametrics.com/2022/08/03/nbc-imposes-n5-million-fine-on-trust-television-over-documentary-on-banditry/</span></a></span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">36.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">INTELLIGENCE
SHARING: THE CHALLENGES AMONG THE NIGERIAN SECURITY AGENCIES AND GOVERNMENT<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/334044772_INTELLIGENCE_SHARING_THE_CHALLENGES_AMONG_THE_NIGERIAN_SECURITY_AGENCIES_AND_GOVERNMENT">(PDF)
INTELLIGENCE SHARING: THE CHALLENGES AMONG THE NIGERIAN SECURITY AGENCIES AND
GOVERNMENT (researchgate.net)</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">37.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">With NCMD, Police Have Five Minutes To Respond To
Kidnap Attacks – Presidency<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB"><a href="https://www.channelstv.com/2022/08/15/with-ncmd-police-have-five-minutes-to-respond-to-kidnap-attacks-presidency/"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://www.channelstv.com/2022/08/15/with-ncmd-police-have-five-minutes-to-respond-to-kidnap-attacks-presidency/</span></a></span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">38.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">National Counter-terrorism Strategy
(NACTEST)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span lang="EN-GB"><a href="https://ctc.gov.ng/about-ctc/"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">https://ctc.gov.ng/about-ctc/</span></a></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">39.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.kaspersky.com/resource-center/definitions/threat-intelligence"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">https://www.kaspersky.com/resource-center/definitions/threat-intelligence</span></a><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><b style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;"></span></b><p></p>Don Okerekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06678079913273123553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848222137267791504.post-74717068998932895032022-03-30T10:38:00.006+01:002022-03-30T10:38:48.435+01:00Thoughts on the Recent Terrorist Incident on The Abuja-Kaduna Rail Track And Pervasive Insecurity in Nigeria<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh35qmf5rfU7wSm-fEtMYhe1VMSKc3b4t2Ux85GzVcFvB79yJSmP95Dv2a-YpWcI8Ik8Sd4u5pbbBrcnoX-ycWZKwL-pOjx_G_KTY7xhljCYGKFJS_iJHr0PsL6sGrL_7iin6Bk6rbEObisHS25ouMi7BN0e50UusFlPp-ElxzdNUJ0b4qPSeON7T_t/s282/Kaduna%20Train%20Attack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="189" data-original-width="282" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh35qmf5rfU7wSm-fEtMYhe1VMSKc3b4t2Ux85GzVcFvB79yJSmP95Dv2a-YpWcI8Ik8Sd4u5pbbBrcnoX-ycWZKwL-pOjx_G_KTY7xhljCYGKFJS_iJHr0PsL6sGrL_7iin6Bk6rbEObisHS25ouMi7BN0e50UusFlPp-ElxzdNUJ0b4qPSeON7T_t/w400-h268/Kaduna%20Train%20Attack.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>As I always do in my line of work, I was scouring for reported
#security, kidnapping incidents across #Nigeria this morning and read that terrorist
again on Tuesday, March 29, 2022, attacked Gidan train Station along the
Abuja-Kaduna rail track. The suspects reportedly planted IEDs on the tracks
forcing the train heading to #Abuja from #Kaduna to a stop.<b> </b><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">This is the second attack within 24 hours along
the same axis. Apparently those bloodletting goons are undeterred and are still
very much ACTIVE. Recall that at least seven persons were killed, and scores kidnapped
when terrorists attacked a train at Dutse village on Monday, March 28, 2022.</span><b><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <span><a name='more'></a></span></span></b><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sometime in October 2021, Senator Shehu Sani, and others
reportedly escaped death after so-called bandits reportedly detonated IEDs on
the rail track between Dutse and Rijana stations thereby forcing an Abuja-bound
train to stop. In essence, the recent railway incident bombing is not a one-off
and may not be the last.</span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvWrdLn-k416RxjiovZOnirjLY21hGq8OrBlfdTDMp4H2vFX394WQFZyPrTVGSXVN_kh_DN3D6b35z4PPq7ncwMPX0YsRN7Wp9pGTkao3KvBGUPzphInWEvZ_w_xBYNmx5tO7fqt6l0hdxm3Pu-zK5BCHZkFmhFPaiPATS4yJonMclDIq7CQ2VMZOW/s858/Nigeria%20Security%20and%20Defence%20_%20Police%20Budgets_2022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="858" data-original-width="563" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvWrdLn-k416RxjiovZOnirjLY21hGq8OrBlfdTDMp4H2vFX394WQFZyPrTVGSXVN_kh_DN3D6b35z4PPq7ncwMPX0YsRN7Wp9pGTkao3KvBGUPzphInWEvZ_w_xBYNmx5tO7fqt6l0hdxm3Pu-zK5BCHZkFmhFPaiPATS4yJonMclDIq7CQ2VMZOW/w263-h400/Nigeria%20Security%20and%20Defence%20_%20Police%20Budgets_2022.jpg" width="263" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Again, this recurring incident at the same spot buttresses
the paucity of proactive and dynamic risk assessment by the railway management
and the security agencies. As always, our security agencies are rather reactive
than proactive. I dare say that many problems or challenges that we experience
in Nigeria are man-made and fortunately, there are cutting-edge solutions. Curiously,
there are so many national security establishments within Kaduna, yet
insecurity is pervasive in Kaduna and its environ.</span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcKwUKkPS1tHfEGm6xrzbfnhHgMXCGEVWu9iSClYv0F1yINSedO6vxDQ-hVwz8uodSrxY3qgkQOHgpNMeZcxRnC7pSZdCKvfPT_ibe4-rsIWfDueF66aAQdmExEoXGZajPcIAjJejJrVuxB3jTdWbo6FMXghAzHjVNZq8j9fQV-SYezeN_THV6eoCn/s823/Nigeria%20Security%20Army_Navy_Air%20force_Budgets_2015-2022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="803" data-original-width="823" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcKwUKkPS1tHfEGm6xrzbfnhHgMXCGEVWu9iSClYv0F1yINSedO6vxDQ-hVwz8uodSrxY3qgkQOHgpNMeZcxRnC7pSZdCKvfPT_ibe4-rsIWfDueF66aAQdmExEoXGZajPcIAjJejJrVuxB3jTdWbo6FMXghAzHjVNZq8j9fQV-SYezeN_THV6eoCn/w400-h390/Nigeria%20Security%20Army_Navy_Air%20force_Budgets_2015-2022.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">In this day and age, there are aerial surveillance technologies,
armed drones fitted with night vision capabilities that can monitor the rail
tracks and swathes of land, territories. Besides satellites or drones, human (HUMINT)
and open source (OSINT) intelligence can go a long way to forestall some of
these embarrassing security incidents in Nigeria.</span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">By the way, the last time I checked, Nigeria boasts of a
plethora of intelligence agencies. Some of them are: </span><span style="background: white; font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">the Nigerian Army (Directorate of
Military Intelligence (DMI) cum the Nigerian Army Intelligence Corps - NAIC),
Nigerian Navy (Naval Intelligence) and the Nigerian Air force (Directorate of
Air Intelligence), the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) which is tasked with
overseeing foreign intelligence and counterintelligence operations, the Defence
Intelligence Agency (DIA) which is responsible for overall military
intelligence, the Department of State Security (DSS) formerly called State
Security Service (SSS) is responsible for domestic intelligence, the Nigeria
Police Force Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (FCIID), the
Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (Directorate of Intelligence and
Investigation), Nigeria Customs (Customs Intelligent Unit or CIU), Nigeria
Immigration Service (HQ National Intelligence Unit), amongst others.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: center;"><span style="background: white; font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">My essay, ‘’</span><b><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/widespread-insecurity-nigeria-case-urgent-security-agencies-okereke/ ">Widespread Insecurity in Nigeria: Case ForURGENT Restructuring of Security, Intelligence Agencies</a>’’, published July 16,
2016, comes to mind.</span></b></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: center;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh0OzbM1N_V5ql8lZjf0sFxJpvKx_2iAerbDOuKA-ijhjJS-0Lhr1OnHlpXv1CskPTnOGeC4lpDPYytELuGWzGVFS4TgU4qWz7BK-St52hIwRZlPN58H4oCXVRmv6OVicP_d7V0hXz2uucD1kIFiGbDyQqxWk3podOaFWuqlrtJAWR6atur1TbgP5b/s1041/Nigeria%20Security%20Budgets_Votes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="744" data-original-width="1041" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh0OzbM1N_V5ql8lZjf0sFxJpvKx_2iAerbDOuKA-ijhjJS-0Lhr1OnHlpXv1CskPTnOGeC4lpDPYytELuGWzGVFS4TgU4qWz7BK-St52hIwRZlPN58H4oCXVRmv6OVicP_d7V0hXz2uucD1kIFiGbDyQqxWk3podOaFWuqlrtJAWR6atur1TbgP5b/w400-h286/Nigeria%20Security%20Budgets_Votes.jpg" width="400" /></a></b></div><b><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></b><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: center;"><span style="background: white; font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Now some concerns and questions begging
for answers are:</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">1.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Not less than N12trillion was budgeted and expended on
security in the last seven years (2016-2022) in Nigeria</span><span style="background: white; font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">. </span><span style="background: white; font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I have included some charts (see above) indicating the defence/security budgets,
including security votes across Nigeria. Do you think Nigerian security and
intelligence agencies are not well-funded, at least in the African context?</span><span style="background: white; font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">2.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Despite the potpourri
security</span><span style="border: var(--artdeco-reset-base-border-zero); box-sizing: inherit; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9); font-weight: var(--artdeco-reset-typography-font-weight-bold); margin: var(--artdeco-reset-base-margin-zero); outline: var(--artdeco-reset-base-outline-zero); padding: var(--artdeco-reset-base-padding-zero); vertical-align: var(--artdeco-reset-base-vertical-align-baseline);"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif;">/</span></span><span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9);">intelligence agencies, why do we have wanton insecurity and
recurrence of brazen terrorist and security breaches in Nigeria? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">3.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Do you think Nigerian
intelligence and security agencies are just paper-tigers?</span> Are they overwhelmed?
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">4.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">What is your take on the goings-on
in Nigeria? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background: white; font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif;">Written
By:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif;"><b>© Don
OKEREKE, </b><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif;">A
tech-savvy security thought leader, analyst, researcher, content creator, UX
writer, military veteran.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif;">March
30, 2022<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;"> </span> </p>Don Okerekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06678079913273123553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848222137267791504.post-19243363483610575182022-03-20T16:40:00.001+00:002022-03-21T06:49:00.982+00:00The Metaverse Arms Race: Enterprise Prospects, Cybersecurity And National Security Implications<p style="text-align: center;"><b style="text-align: justify;"><span face="Candara, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgyQFe13ud27qX5iv2kyPtlRKcXk7uYKqtcpfKyQBSvwnufpH5vMRZTY9SeOMKK1nU52XXiQbB2EC0f6fiLqGhAYAoAUKgFrv_yMGHOHR_-0Vyrku_PwZO10GyCiLC21ogPQo-2tiBECfUWmJjYuAfEtPWDleVhy1OFyO6QyPEypPAzhxAqoCONQKw/s1025/Metaverse%20Arms%20War_Microsoft_Meta_UX%20Writer_Nigeria.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="575" data-original-width="1025" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgyQFe13ud27qX5iv2kyPtlRKcXk7uYKqtcpfKyQBSvwnufpH5vMRZTY9SeOMKK1nU52XXiQbB2EC0f6fiLqGhAYAoAUKgFrv_yMGHOHR_-0Vyrku_PwZO10GyCiLC21ogPQo-2tiBECfUWmJjYuAfEtPWDleVhy1OFyO6QyPEypPAzhxAqoCONQKw/w400-h225/Metaverse%20Arms%20War_Microsoft_Meta_UX%20Writer_Nigeria.jpg" width="400" /></a></b></div><b style="text-align: justify;">Introduction:</b><span face="Candara, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;"> Metaverse is derived from the
phrase ‘meta’ and ‘universe’. </span><span face="Candara, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">The prefix meta originated from Greek and <a href="https://mashable.com/article/what-is-the-metaverse-explainer">means</a>
"beyond’’, "more comprehensive" or "transformative".
The second half of the word, ‘verse’, stems from the word "universe"
and describes either a specific sphere or area. Other <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/elt/blog/2021/11/15/metaverse-educational-potential/">names</a>
for the Metaverse includes ‘mirror world’, or the ‘spacial internet’, or even
the ‘AR cloud’. In a nutshell, metaverse
is basically a 3D version of the internet created with the help of innovations such <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/virtual%20reality">Virtual
Reality</a> (VR), <a href="https://www.investopedia.com/terms/a/augmented-reality.asp">Augmented
Reality</a> (VR), social media, and Internet of Things (IoT). Though trendy, metaverse is actually a new word for an old construct. In 1992, sci-fi writer Neal
Stephenson </span><a href="https://www.cnbctv18.com/technology/explained-the-history-of-metaverse-12015212.htm" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;">reportedly</span></a><span face="Candara, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;"> </span><a href="https://www.cnbctv18.com/technology/explained-the-history-of-metaverse-12015212.htm" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;">coined</span></a><span face="Candara, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;"> the term 'metaverse' in his popular
1994 novel Snow Crash to describe a persistent 3D virtual world navigated by
the aptly-named protagonist Hiro Protagonist. M</span><span face="Candara, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">etaverse prognosticates an
evolution that will transform the way people, communities, products, solutions,
creators, entertainment, workspaces, commerce, interact with each other on the internet
as previously only thought possible in science fiction. </span><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">With the metaverse, rather than just viewing
digital content like we currently do, users will be able to <i>immerse</i>
themselves via connected headsets or glasses, hence </span><span face="Candara, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">blurring the fine line
between the digital and the physical worlds</span><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">.
</span><span face="Candara, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">According to cybersecurity
expert Baggili, ‘’the <a href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/93bmyv/what-is-the-metaverse-internet-technology-vr">structure</a>
of the metaverse is currently akin to that of the Apple App Store. At this
point, you have multiple platforms that offer experiences in virtual reality,
augmented reality (AR) and extended reality (ER), which are like the different
apps you could download from the App Store. But there isn’t a single portal
that people can use to access it...”</span><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEfVWG_P8X9Z26MlzWDTITcY8eC9AYhE2ECeizvUfhRrO3qMRAakhvPSLSeRJHgAOzCVc0vqGDYIAxMC7kv5d5FEY6kWrj1fSByD34uKpLYMyjYgtKetRHZbqBGPWsfeoO5oIT34OqcJ6eE6Tf4q535I9zmCX3ROcQMvUUctXQJsfP_oc19HoYglPY/s804/Metaverse_Augmented%20Reality_Virtual%20Reality_Internet%20of%20things_IoT_Blockchain_Artificial%20Intelligence_3D_UX%20Writer_Nigeria_Content%20Creator.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="538" data-original-width="804" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEfVWG_P8X9Z26MlzWDTITcY8eC9AYhE2ECeizvUfhRrO3qMRAakhvPSLSeRJHgAOzCVc0vqGDYIAxMC7kv5d5FEY6kWrj1fSByD34uKpLYMyjYgtKetRHZbqBGPWsfeoO5oIT34OqcJ6eE6Tf4q535I9zmCX3ROcQMvUUctXQJsfP_oc19HoYglPY/w400-h268/Metaverse_Augmented%20Reality_Virtual%20Reality_Internet%20of%20things_IoT_Blockchain_Artificial%20Intelligence_3D_UX%20Writer_Nigeria_Content%20Creator.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Big Tech Companies Betting
on The Metaverse Gold rush</span></b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: red; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">It’s not a coincidence that
two global multinational investment banks and financial services companies, </span><a href="https://blockworks.co/morgan-stanley-sees-8-trillion-metaverse-market-eventually/"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Morgan Stanley</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> and </span><a href="https://news.bitcoin.com/goldman-sachs-metaverse-8-trillion-opportunity/"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Goldman Sachs</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">, agrees that the nascent metaverse
market could be worth $8 trillion in the future.</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">In its latest Technology
Vision 2022 report, titled <a href="https://www.accenture.com/us-en/insights/technology/technology-trends-2022?c=acn_glb_technologyvisiomediarelations_12867298&n=mrl_0322">Meet
me in the metaverse</a>, multinational information technology services </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">company, </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Accenture surveyed more than 4,600 business and
technology leaders across 23 industries in 35 countries. 71% of executives
believe the metaverse will have a positive impact on their organisation and 42%
believe it will be “breakthrough” or “transformational”.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;">Like an arms race, futuristic big tech companies </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Microsoft, Facebook (FB now
Meta), and Apple Inc, Google (now Alphabet) amongst others<span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">, are scrambling to sweep up the metaverse.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: red; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Meta (Facebook’s) Metaverse<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;">Facebook (now </span><a href="https://about.facebook.com/meta/"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Meta</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;">) describes the
metaverse as "a set of virtual spaces where you can create and explore
with other people who aren't in the same physical space as you". CEO Mark
Zuckerberg says </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;">Meta is </span><a href="https://www.reuters.com/technology/metaverse-event-metas-zuckerberg-unveils-work-improve-how-humans-chat-ai-2022-02-23/"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">working</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"> on egocentric data, which involves seeing worlds from a first-person
perspective. Mark </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;">believes augmented reality glasses will eventually be as
widespread as smartphones. This explains why </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Meta (Facebook) earmarked </span><a href="https://www.theverge.com/2021/10/25/22745381/facebook-reality-labs-10-billion-metaverse"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">spending at least $10 billion</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> in 2021 on Facebook Reality Labs, its metaverse
division tasked with creating AR and VR hardware, software, and content.<span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit5TSvuCiMOVHsB2RiRZNOWEsPPLIdYPb5eh24ghCR78MQjRD1RK4NKdtz18l6lLgAi4hrx03wgbKwivNeu5cB0zu9S-MWTyKXFG2v3PUdaJHvKoCWEkulngKgofViQlzEOaFPHdntv0IxqzwgfkkxRzPGxPqq0XVVbrCAUBEnJdv4EtfU6zXjHHUK/s647/Facebook%20Meta%20Metaverse_Blockchain.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="493" data-original-width="647" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit5TSvuCiMOVHsB2RiRZNOWEsPPLIdYPb5eh24ghCR78MQjRD1RK4NKdtz18l6lLgAi4hrx03wgbKwivNeu5cB0zu9S-MWTyKXFG2v3PUdaJHvKoCWEkulngKgofViQlzEOaFPHdntv0IxqzwgfkkxRzPGxPqq0XVVbrCAUBEnJdv4EtfU6zXjHHUK/s320/Facebook%20Meta%20Metaverse_Blockchain.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: red; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Microsoft’s Metaverse</span></b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: red; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun;">Microsoft CEO, Satya Nadella was </span><a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/01/19/microsoft-activision-what-satya-nadella-has-said-about-the-metaverse.html"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun;">quoted</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun;"> as saying that
gaming “will play a key role in the development of metaverse platforms.” </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">This explains why Microsoft bought game developer,
</span><a href="https://news.microsoft.com/2022/01/18/microsoft-to-acquire-activision-blizzard-to-bring-the-joy-and-community-of-gaming-to-everyone-across-every-device/"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Activision Blizzard</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> for $68.7 billion </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun;">saying the deal would provide “</span><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/18/technology/personaltech/metaverse-gaming-definition.html"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun;">building blocks
for the metaverse</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun;">’’. Similarly, </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">r</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #1d2228; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">egulators – The US Justice Department, The EU, and
UK’s Competition and Markets Authority, recently </span><a href="https://news.microsoft.com/2022/03/04/microsoft-completes-acquisition-of-nuance-ushering-in-new-era-of-outcomes-based-ai/"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="background: white; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">cleared</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #1d2228; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> Microsoft’s
acquisition of </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">speech recognition company,</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"> </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #1d2228; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Nuance Inc, ushering in new era of
Conversational Artificial Intelligence.</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicFuQdCq2oxvEVWx2sAYkeK8wI2qWp8zFofiGOj9B_NcHMLvJKwnNG4fyySOjsAW0SeFpbWC83mOhn5jIxAo4gTJhcdNmPNBztDbMhAioW5w376RcQnbfP4_JI6R1xpCyfdimoc9KqHPR9WSUvBrw2G9udf5QSIGAmU5simDWp_2w4kvnC4QzIG0Rw/s885/Microsoft%20Metaverse_Azure%20Digital%20Twins_AzureIoT_Microsoft%20Mesh_Teams_UX%20Writer_User%20Experience_HoloLens_Dynamics%20365%20Connected%20Spaces_Don%20Okereke.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="662" data-original-width="885" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicFuQdCq2oxvEVWx2sAYkeK8wI2qWp8zFofiGOj9B_NcHMLvJKwnNG4fyySOjsAW0SeFpbWC83mOhn5jIxAo4gTJhcdNmPNBztDbMhAioW5w376RcQnbfP4_JI6R1xpCyfdimoc9KqHPR9WSUvBrw2G9udf5QSIGAmU5simDWp_2w4kvnC4QzIG0Rw/w400-h299/Microsoft%20Metaverse_Azure%20Digital%20Twins_AzureIoT_Microsoft%20Mesh_Teams_UX%20Writer_User%20Experience_HoloLens_Dynamics%20365%20Connected%20Spaces_Don%20Okereke.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;">Enter </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">Microsoft's Azure Digital
Twins, a </span><a href="https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/digital-twins/overview"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">platform as a service</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;"> (PaaS) offering that
enables the creation of twin graphs based on digital models of entire
environments, which could be buildings, factories, farms, energy networks,
railways, stadiums, and more—even entire cities. Once modeled, it can be
brought to life and synchronized with the physical world using two-way internet-of-things
(IoT) connections. </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">For instance, </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">AB InBev used Azure Digital
Twins to create a comprehensive digital model of their breweries and supply
chain.</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;"> </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">A </span><a href="https://www.grandviewresearch.com/press-release/global-digital-twin-market#:~:text=The%20global%20digital%20twin%20market,in%20specific%20end%2Duse%20industries."><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">report</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;"> by Grand View Research
suggests that the digital twin market is anticipated to reach $86.09 billion by
2028.</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE5pSha5oP9-sluyl9Ak46F-9cCRlODE3sE3x7uU7ncgMUSBCmbD6KydI-VK-0V_0fEm_LjVv_eftNgK3xBVd2OmHOfp2PJI1Fnll3pANOCyZFyJFtyGKiMuZYFCeLX0ltZGiAEV7q3YtBaZ72IDuGfeMoOnpUPPNzfNhHloFWJ0MggaxrJEmJi21Y/s901/Microsoft%20Metaverse_Stack_Azure_AI_Artificial%20Intelligence_Digital%20Twins_IoT_Analytics.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="764" data-original-width="901" height="339" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE5pSha5oP9-sluyl9Ak46F-9cCRlODE3sE3x7uU7ncgMUSBCmbD6KydI-VK-0V_0fEm_LjVv_eftNgK3xBVd2OmHOfp2PJI1Fnll3pANOCyZFyJFtyGKiMuZYFCeLX0ltZGiAEV7q3YtBaZ72IDuGfeMoOnpUPPNzfNhHloFWJ0MggaxrJEmJi21Y/w400-h339/Microsoft%20Metaverse_Stack_Azure_AI_Artificial%20Intelligence_Digital%20Twins_IoT_Analytics.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">Microsoft is also said to be
developing a range of technologies and </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif"><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/unboxing-metaverse-microsofts-kartik-upendra-matmari?trk=articles_directory"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">metaverse apps</span></a></span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">, that will help converge
the physical and digital worlds. Such solutions include </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Azure Maps, Azure Digital Twins, Azure IoT,
AltspaceVR, HoloLens 3.0, Visual Studio, </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Microsoft Mesh</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">,
</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">MetaOS</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">,</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">amongst others.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWWGQh7ImD-jepgSnskMaUxP7AZ-75RoWVd_y0upZXHYAYL2792bgG-LDffU_8yajR7u9C5nwI3tMXYP8nO3MvkKRyX8b7bsMCG9JA4vbiZuYxAMxeFQxPPILk9TgpAmW1JHbdBROUjqIPFa2bDjI2Nx_zR44keuG2ktbPSER7eFjtZpaFO05V7Fxl/s820/Microsoft%20Metaverse%20ActiVision_Blockchain_Cryptocurrency_donokereke.blogspot.com.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="493" data-original-width="820" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWWGQh7ImD-jepgSnskMaUxP7AZ-75RoWVd_y0upZXHYAYL2792bgG-LDffU_8yajR7u9C5nwI3tMXYP8nO3MvkKRyX8b7bsMCG9JA4vbiZuYxAMxeFQxPPILk9TgpAmW1JHbdBROUjqIPFa2bDjI2Nx_zR44keuG2ktbPSER7eFjtZpaFO05V7Fxl/w400-h240/Microsoft%20Metaverse%20ActiVision_Blockchain_Cryptocurrency_donokereke.blogspot.com.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: red; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">Apple Inc’s
Metaverse<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">If the report on Apple leak
site - <a href="https://www.macrumors.com/roundup/apple-glasses/">MacRumors</a>
is anything to go by, Apple could replace the iPhone with virtual reality
contact lenses that let users immerse in the metaverse - make calls, browse the
web and even play games </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">without the need
for a handheld device</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">. The high-tech 'contact lenses' or ‘Apple Lens’ as it is christened, would
integrate virtual reality into someone's daily life likely using an
internally-developed Apple software called 'realityOS'. Perhaps this indicates
why Apple CEO Tim Cook opined that Apple is "exploring new and emerging
technologies" and that the metaverse is "very interesting to us"
when asked about the company's thoughts on the metaverse tech trend.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkuwQPARWcUYw4lGN0vNChwz6tX2uHawrUS2i_kmU_qgMClpW9YyGyr9LNqw_DxOay9cL1Hc0GBX4Y7iJD2m-0II936_aqcXgGqFqhp62sKXVYJLnqs4hCe-4p0_SK13AhUBqZGY9uM8Xobf3bQ8It3w9haiGWWBWZ9eVwsk1Jfw9ywBHITzh5g-wp/s816/Apple%20Lens_Apple%20Glass_AR%20VR%20headset.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="453" data-original-width="816" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkuwQPARWcUYw4lGN0vNChwz6tX2uHawrUS2i_kmU_qgMClpW9YyGyr9LNqw_DxOay9cL1Hc0GBX4Y7iJD2m-0II936_aqcXgGqFqhp62sKXVYJLnqs4hCe-4p0_SK13AhUBqZGY9uM8Xobf3bQ8It3w9haiGWWBWZ9eVwsk1Jfw9ywBHITzh5g-wp/w400-h223/Apple%20Lens_Apple%20Glass_AR%20VR%20headset.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">With Apple’s iPhones, iPads,
and wearables used by a huge installed base of users across the globe --
roughly 1.8 billion, means Apple can <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2022/02/21/better-metaverse-stock-apple-vs-microsoft/">introduce</a>
a metaverse device and cross-sell the same to its large existing ecosystem. Such
a pioneering innovation could herald the end of smartphones.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: red; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">The Booming Real Estate Market in the Metaverse <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Prices for pixelated plots
of land in the metaverse surged this year, some selling for millions of
dollars. </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">An</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;"> analytics company</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">,</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;"> Metametric Solutions,</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;"> </span><a href="https://www.marketwatch.com/press-release/metaverse-real-estate-sales-could-hit-1-billion-in-2022-2022-02-08"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">project</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">s</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;"> that real estate sales in the metaverse could double
this year, reaching nearly $1 billion in 2022</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">. For sure, there’s just one
metaverse but several platforms which can be likened to different land masses
on the same planet. Like countries, the size of these metaverse platforms is
finite. In essence, once someone buys a plot of land on a metaverse platform,
nobody else can use that space unless they are ready to rent or buy it off the
original owner. If lots of people are interested in that land, the price will
shoot up. </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Currently</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">, The Sandbox, <a href="https://decentraland.org/">Decentraland</a>, Cryptovoxels and <a href="https://somniumspace.com/">Somnium Space</a>, are some of the most common
platforms selling virtual real estate with a combined total of 268,645 parcels
of land. </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji8HaQvS9R-2pkcQItV-0uB6lYA8RvtEz8f5PW2OC1lOXqaYeb90OiaHjfnef8YGoEOxLN5P74_oOWhE8V76jg6TUOAUMKPd8T5FyNuYMBHQH_HD3J-XRZz6rDRfsSWWXcDO4FfpPH8e0dz38t8D243qpyNlsSoL-ZMNWpFa_H4b5h958lobALkNPA/s482/Metaverse%20Real%20Estate%20Booming_Decentraland_Sandbox_Ubuntuland_Nigeria.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="335" data-original-width="482" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji8HaQvS9R-2pkcQItV-0uB6lYA8RvtEz8f5PW2OC1lOXqaYeb90OiaHjfnef8YGoEOxLN5P74_oOWhE8V76jg6TUOAUMKPd8T5FyNuYMBHQH_HD3J-XRZz6rDRfsSWWXcDO4FfpPH8e0dz38t8D243qpyNlsSoL-ZMNWpFa_H4b5h958lobALkNPA/w400-h278/Metaverse%20Real%20Estate%20Booming_Decentraland_Sandbox_Ubuntuland_Nigeria.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">While some people are
cynical about booming real estate prices in the metaverse, others are already
investing. Republic Realm </span><a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/03/metaverse-real-estate-prices-boom/"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">reportedly</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> splashed out $4.3 million
on land in The Sandbox metaverse while <a href="https://www.tokens.com/">Tokens.com</a>,
a publicly traded company that invests in Web 3 assets linked to the Metaverse,</span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"> </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">purchased land worth $2.4
million in Decentraland. <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/news/sandbox-welcomes-pwc-hong-kong-130321987.html">PricewaterhouseCoopers</a>
(PwC) Hong Kong recently doled out US$10,000 on a virtual plot in The Sandbox. J.P
Morgan, a global leader in financial services </span><a href="https://businesschief.com/technology-and-ai/pwc-jp-morgan-samsung-buying-land-in-the-metaverse"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">became</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> the first bank to enter the
metaverse, opening a lounge in Decentraland. Barbados is said to be the first
sovereign state to develop a <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-12-14/barbados-tries-digital-diplomacy-with-planned-metaverse-embassy">diplomatic
embassy</a> within the metaverse on a plot of land in Decentraland.</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6LDdE9ebcX_K1GUACerE0u5_pwGmdYK417mWhhDe2F--r2G1nB78Kk2QiRyHuQ-5J3Iq_EhxAiLyfW5TUOw2W2-xCPZvF57qN_BLUwQeldlMaFZjzXbn53tt4HvaShb0HDorqpgIn8QrUdsCzGjqDtRCB6g03HFekNyMsq6CBpagT2ukrPaRuILtX/s742/Decentraland%20Metaverse_Real%20Estate.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="452" data-original-width="742" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6LDdE9ebcX_K1GUACerE0u5_pwGmdYK417mWhhDe2F--r2G1nB78Kk2QiRyHuQ-5J3Iq_EhxAiLyfW5TUOw2W2-xCPZvF57qN_BLUwQeldlMaFZjzXbn53tt4HvaShb0HDorqpgIn8QrUdsCzGjqDtRCB6g03HFekNyMsq6CBpagT2ukrPaRuILtX/w400-h244/Decentraland%20Metaverse_Real%20Estate.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Sandbox </span><a href="https://fortune.com/2021/12/09/snoop-dogg-rapper-metaverse-snoopverse/"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">reports</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> that American rapper, Snoop
Dogg built a digital recreation of his real-life Diamond Bar, California
mansion, where he will throw exclusive, members-only parties. There will also
be a music venue for concerts – and residents, who buy a plot in Snoopverse,
will be able to create their own games and experiences. Someone already paid
$450,000 for land next Snoop Dogg’s house, to be his neighbour. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw2YcHOrypHKipoCcHcfRArvDpQiN0pXCc8Tqa1MObXwFA84ePNmoEoZ5Jk9YGuY5wn5qpNDTeltmAzzSfeDiDhqUGcowKT7coUMxkzdjFICSQj9admJ7UPmLekJq4JuAIT39iWvhihF6kmAdANb1isiPDJjd7XFt-Ggx7hfK7NHNs8WzzGeb_h6PK/s833/Sandbox%20Metaverse_Nigeria_Real%20Estate_Don%20Okereke.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="477" data-original-width="833" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw2YcHOrypHKipoCcHcfRArvDpQiN0pXCc8Tqa1MObXwFA84ePNmoEoZ5Jk9YGuY5wn5qpNDTeltmAzzSfeDiDhqUGcowKT7coUMxkzdjFICSQj9admJ7UPmLekJq4JuAIT39iWvhihF6kmAdANb1isiPDJjd7XFt-Ggx7hfK7NHNs8WzzGeb_h6PK/w400-h229/Sandbox%20Metaverse_Nigeria_Real%20Estate_Don%20Okereke.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">Saudi Arabia's futuristic
$500-billion new city<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>- Neom - </span><a href="http://www.tradearabia.com/news/CONS_392530.html"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">announced</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;"> that its key subsidiary - Neom
Tech & Digital Company, launched a 3D cognitive digital twin metaverse
platform envisioned to enable a ground-breaking ‘mixed-reality’ urban living
model. The city's digital twin in the metaverse will allow citizens to
experience the city even before it is launched.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4WB9fkTIX9XbZ8Zf8S6pHQdyI4DtVCG6vrlP5eRPfdV_GdnVYGHKNPFzDmGCoO8WBpUXGKiZvFzewP3Fo5870Wp8AUqDgmDTUDoj_tEbb1lHl1ADtt9sPnKrP3sIBJTlGn3UpWfgR0OkaZOx_HxBkEL__3Q8jfeLQ_Me7-YiPCybVXeKKHePQy5Wp/s655/Saudi%20Arabia's%20futuristic%20$500-billion%20Neom%20City_Metaverse_Virtual%20Real%20Estate.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="417" data-original-width="655" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4WB9fkTIX9XbZ8Zf8S6pHQdyI4DtVCG6vrlP5eRPfdV_GdnVYGHKNPFzDmGCoO8WBpUXGKiZvFzewP3Fo5870Wp8AUqDgmDTUDoj_tEbb1lHl1ADtt9sPnKrP3sIBJTlGn3UpWfgR0OkaZOx_HxBkEL__3Q8jfeLQ_Me7-YiPCybVXeKKHePQy5Wp/w400-h255/Saudi%20Arabia's%20futuristic%20$500-billion%20Neom%20City_Metaverse_Virtual%20Real%20Estate.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Traditional banks are not known
to embrace innovation swiftly</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;"> </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">but not to be outdone</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">, global financial services provider, <a href="https://blockworks.co/hsbc-buys-virtual-real-estate-in-sandbox-metaverse/">HSBC</a>,
joined a growing list of notable brands that have acquire a piece of virtual
real estate in The Sandbox metaverse. According to HSBC, “When you think about
the economics of the metaverse — or metanomics — there are opportunities in
almost every market area.” </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr_d_4QElEnKQeovReF9pNvE0_s9WtrOL7oGpRBeD8OOuCO2wVj5usV5XYfjuouDhlZorvlsFEi22Qo4iM1gnn7Wcu8-y76MZB0BnbrhbJoJCdDAJKgOdZfO8nyBv-qlmf1UfpJJvQKEFUG_f74snjy1D7yGILx3odbjPz2aU84Au12NtJXBWwMHcK/s643/HSBC_The%20Sandbox_Metaverse_Virtual%20Real%20Estate.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="643" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr_d_4QElEnKQeovReF9pNvE0_s9WtrOL7oGpRBeD8OOuCO2wVj5usV5XYfjuouDhlZorvlsFEi22Qo4iM1gnn7Wcu8-y76MZB0BnbrhbJoJCdDAJKgOdZfO8nyBv-qlmf1UfpJJvQKEFUG_f74snjy1D7yGILx3odbjPz2aU84Au12NtJXBWwMHcK/w400-h269/HSBC_The%20Sandbox_Metaverse_Virtual%20Real%20Estate.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">In Africa, it
appears only telecoms firm, MTN came early to the party with the 144 plots of
virtual land it purchased in <a href="https://africarare.io/">Africarare</a> </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">metaverse -
Ubuntuland, for an undisclosed sum</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">. </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Where
are Nigeria’s technologically-driven new generation banks, the </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">GTBank</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> (GTCO)</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">, Access </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">bank,
</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Zenith Bank</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">, and </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Fidelity </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">b</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">ank</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">s</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">of this world?</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: red; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">The Metaverse Naysayers<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">While some companies and futurists, including
renowned financial institutions such as Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs et al.
are betting on the prospect of the metaverse, there are those who </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">reckon
</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">metaverse to be <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-59154520">dystopian, a bad idea</a>.
For instance, tech leaders SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Twitter founder,
Jack Dorsey are </span><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-jack-dorsey-crypto-dont-like-web3-nfts-metaverse-2022-2?r=US&IR=T"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">not fans</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> of metaverse,</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">or </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Web3. They are not alone. </span><i><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">A <a href="https://www.thestreet.com/investing/cryptocurrency/the-metaverse-promises-a-big-bang-what-if-it-was-just-a-publicity-stunt">critique</a>
argues that fans of the metaverse are </span></i><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">creating
artificial scarcity<i> and a fear of missing out (FOMO). </i></span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">In fact, a survey conducted
in February 2022 involving 1,000 people in the United States, found that a
whopping 49 percent of the participants were ignorant about the metaverse. Even
among the other half of respondents who had actually heard about metaverse,
most were skeptical about how it would proceed, with 78 percent calling it a </span><a href="https://interestingengineering.com/americans-think-metaverse-is-just-hype"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">hype</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">. </span><i><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBa6IdwV_B23iHfByrMw2zOL01UENcp1Hm0msYPO8DkkLyzfTcBGaFSdGj8xo3HbgO5T46UBb5baI2BUws_8hYtqqbWlR6pt-p1UOTxZhSRVk1MnDeN0ekPxkibfVV-7I6grZFvb9Ysd3DSzcv5ZZy5d-doVem-JT4jGreTqjRWi_3XKT18XHhGrGL/s760/Elon%20Musk_Jack%20Dorsey_Metaverse_Twitterverse_Web3.0.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="485" data-original-width="760" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBa6IdwV_B23iHfByrMw2zOL01UENcp1Hm0msYPO8DkkLyzfTcBGaFSdGj8xo3HbgO5T46UBb5baI2BUws_8hYtqqbWlR6pt-p1UOTxZhSRVk1MnDeN0ekPxkibfVV-7I6grZFvb9Ysd3DSzcv5ZZy5d-doVem-JT4jGreTqjRWi_3XKT18XHhGrGL/w400-h255/Elon%20Musk_Jack%20Dorsey_Metaverse_Twitterverse_Web3.0.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">It is not only in the United
States that people are oblivious of the metaverse. In a similar survey amongst
1,000 respondents in the United Kingdom a month earlier, 96 percent of respondents
aged between 25 and 54 said they would not shop in the metaverse. If this notion
obtains in the Western world, I can bet that tenably 80 percent of Africans,
nay, Nigerians are not aware of the metaverse.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: red; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Predicting technological
evolution is not a precise science<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-themecolor: text1;">I<i>n 1995, Robert Metcalfe, who invented Ethernet,
declared that ‘’the Internet was totally screwed’’. He reportedly </i></span><a href="https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2014/07/26/7-dumb-and-visionary-things-people-said-about-the-internet/"><i><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">predicted</span></i></a><i><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-themecolor: text1;"> that ‘’the Internet will soon go
spectacularly supernova and in 1996 catastrophically collapse'’. In 1946,
leading figures in the movie industry had their doubts about the prospect of
the television. They </span></i><a href="https://turbofuture.com/misc/Five-Predictions-About-Technology-That-Were-Totally-Off-The-Mark"><i><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-themecolor: text1;">argued</span></i></a><i><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-themecolor: text1;"> that ’Television won't be able to hold on to
any market it captures after the first six months. People will soon get tired
of staring at a plywood box every night’’. </span></i><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">In a now
infamous piece of editorial protesting the rise of electronic reading devices
published in February 1995’s issue of Newsweek, Clifford Stoll said, </span><i><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-themecolor: text1;">“no online database will replace your daily
newspaper, no CD-ROM can take the place of a competent teacher and no computer
network will change the way government works.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-themecolor: text1;">Time will tell if </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Elon Musk and Jack Dorsey’s prognosis of the
metaverse pans out.</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="yiv3952773035ydpcdae7d78msonormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: red; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Possible ways the metaverse will be a game
changer<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="yiv3952773035ydpcdae7d78msonormal" style="background: white; margin: 5pt 0in 10pt 0.5in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-themecolor: text1;">Education and
learning </span></b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-themecolor: text1;">– </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">According to the <a href="https://www.unicef.org/coronavirus/keeping-worlds-children-learning-through-covid-19">UNICEF</a>,
approximately 1.6 billion students from 192 countries, or 91 per cent of the
world’s student population, experienced educational disruptions sequel to the
Covid-19 pandemic and lockdowns. Kwang Hyung Lee, president of the Korea
Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) <a href="https://www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/educational-metaverse-coming">believes</a>
that going forward, ''universities best equipped with digital infrastructure
and savvy human resources will emerge as the new leaders </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Cambria Math"; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">−</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"> no matter
where they are''</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">. </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">In his <a href="https://phys.org/news/2021-11-facebook-metaverse-monetisation-higher.html">writeup</a>
on<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>phys.org, John Preston posits
that,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>''ultimately, the metaverse might
result in the end of some traditional forms of university education. Rather
than attending a single bricks-and-mortar institution, students might flock to
the cyber-physical realm instead. In the metaverse, they could learn from
virtual experiences provided by a range of global universities. Academics might
become edutainers, working with developers to create experiences for students.
The future for university lecturers might lie in self-employment, providing
tailor-made learning experiences for a range of customers''.</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-themecolor: text1;"> </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">In Nigeria, </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://eonreality.com/university-of-lagos-knowledge-metaverse-hub/">EON
Reality</a> is partnering with the University of Lagos to build a knowledge
metaverse hub. Dan Lejerskar, Founder of EON Reality affirmed that cutting-edge
technology like EON-XR will enable University of Lagos’ educators<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>to offer “hands-on” training to their
students without the usual logistical restrictions in many forms of engineering
and vocational studies.</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="yiv3952773035ydpcdae7d78msonormal" style="background: white; margin: 5pt 0in 10pt 0.5in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3nzt7UQAmrl4FVy0jsmLZGUT2u4DIjMqyu-gl1-ian5_1bAErbOdKvlzrvlUBE8lQBW3Mjr4zvS5SP0lS0daIe5LajfvSw8npskDSI30DqHbhOnlF_jdbTu9nDq_MXPjtdTGcfQNarX45_eQccNMaQe0yulM0xVul_8f2wS1wO1HT5uasK2XRdK9w/s908/Metaverse%20for%20education_Lifelogging_Augmented%20reality_Mirror%20world_Virtual%20reality.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="789" data-original-width="908" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3nzt7UQAmrl4FVy0jsmLZGUT2u4DIjMqyu-gl1-ian5_1bAErbOdKvlzrvlUBE8lQBW3Mjr4zvS5SP0lS0daIe5LajfvSw8npskDSI30DqHbhOnlF_jdbTu9nDq_MXPjtdTGcfQNarX45_eQccNMaQe0yulM0xVul_8f2wS1wO1HT5uasK2XRdK9w/w400-h348/Metaverse%20for%20education_Lifelogging_Augmented%20reality_Mirror%20world_Virtual%20reality.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="yiv3952773035ydpcdae7d78msonormal" style="background: white; margin: 5pt 0in 10pt 0.5in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Defence or Military:</span></b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"> According to a </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">commentary</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"> </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">by United States</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"> Defense and
National Security’s Jennifer McArdle and Caitlin Dohrman published </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">on War on the Rocks, titled, ''</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://warontherocks.com/2022/02/the-full-potential-of-a-military-metaverse/">the
Full Potential Of A Military Metaverse</a></span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">'', they</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"> foresee several applications</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"> of the metaverse to</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"> the armed
forces </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">to include:
Military t</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">raining</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"> simulations
to measure battlefield effectiveness, </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">education</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"> and virtual learning
opportunities through the use of augmented-reality. Others include </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">recruitment</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"> - use of video games alongside
traditional tools to attract talent into the armed forces, </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">experimentation</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"> - wargame data capture, storage,
and analysis tooling, </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">acquisitions</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">, </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">personnel placement,
and promotion</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"> - ensure
interoperability across disparate personnel records and </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">social</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"> interactions. For instance, the US
<a href="https://www.airforcemag.com/air-force-gaming-connects-airmen-guardians-regardless-of-age-rank/">Air
Force Gaming community</a> is connecting distributed airmen in a digital
environment through video games, providing opportunities for leadership
development, teamwork, morale building, and support for the mental health of
servicemembers, particularly those in the 18 to 30 age range who grew up as
avid gamers. A military metaverse could serve as an extension to this
community, bringing in other non-gaming activities and connectivity.</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="yiv3952773035ydpcdae7d78msonormal" style="background: white; margin: 5pt 0in 10pt 0.5in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-themecolor: text1;">The future of work
and workplace training </span></b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-themecolor: text1;">– According to a <a href="https://cmns.umd.edu/news-events/features/4155">research</a> by the
University of Maryland, users retain information more effectively when
presented in virtual reality (VR) rather than on a computer screen. </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Mark
Zuckerberg said in a March <a href="https://www.thepatent.news/2021/04/01/zuckerberg-by-2030-virtual-reality-will-enable-teleportation/#:~:text=Here%20are%20Zuckerberg's%20words%3A%20%E2%80%9CBy,entertainment%2C%20but%20also%20for%20work.">podcast</a>
that, ‘’by 2030, the new generations of Oculus will allow users to teleport
from one place to another without moving from their couch — not only for gaming
and entertainment but also for work</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">''</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">. </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Meta (Facebook) is </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">introducing <a href="https://about.fb.com/news/2021/08/introducing-horizon-workrooms-remote-collaboration-reimagined/">Horizon
Workrooms</a></span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"> for r</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">emote </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">working and </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">collaboration</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">. Workrooms will boast of
features such as</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"> mixed-reality desk and keyboard tracking, hand tracking, remote desktop
streaming, video conferencing integration, spatial audio, and the new Oculus
Avatars.</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-themecolor: text1;"> </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Hyundai <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/11/30/looking-for-a-job-you-might-get-hired-via-the-metaverse-experts-say.html#:~:text=Siemens%20and%20Hyundai%20have%20already,name%20to%20Meta%20last%20month.">reportedly</a>
deployed metaverse to train new employees, while Samsung held a virtual
recruitment career fair in September, 2021.</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-themecolor: text1;"> </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://news.lenovo.com/pressroom/press-releases/enterprise-metaverse-employees-ready-organizations-deliver/">Research</a>
commissioned by Lenovo reveals that close to half of employees (44%) are
willing to work in the metaverse and believe that it can deliver benefits like
productivity to the workplace</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-themecolor: text1;">. A PricewaterhouseCoopers <a href="https://www.pwc.com/us/en/tech-effect/emerging-tech/virtual-reality-study.html">report</a>
asserts that employees can be trained four times faster in soft skills using VR
than traditional in-person classroom or online training.</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-themecolor: text1;"> </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">The
metaverse can <a href="https://www.fastcompany.com/90718970/this-is-how-the-metaverse-can-supercharge-corporate-skills-training">supercharge</a>
corporate skills development and training</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-themecolor: text1;">. Instead of gathering employees and
training them on actual pieces of machinery, organizations could set up virtual
plants where trainees could learn to perform all essential operations from
startup to shutdown. They could also use the virtual environment to simulate
accidents/emergencies and train workers on safety response measures more
effectively. Currently, organizations have to rely on repetitious training
manuals or videos for such tasks.</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="yiv3952773035ydpcdae7d78msonormal" style="background: white; margin: 5pt 0in 10pt 0.5in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTe0VWhWaqoQwwnurwkPYMz3CNUwoFKKWpONbQj-tzKNJTLxpX4yD1XdGw0QoGXwc1o8AuWdPrtfhdGsRCyXM-7mw9Ceokj321eOwMAcGgtsnEARxRupF2XAsB_hz70QsiTWVMpiUaGG67SLlO-TEhdMrrdcr_ntF5iE3BxN4LopYuavrTXkbnSqOL/s1296/Meta_Facebook_Education%20in%20the%20metaverse_Augmented%20Reality_Virtual%20reality_Classroom_UX%20Writer_Content%20Creator_Don%20Okereke.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="722" data-original-width="1296" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTe0VWhWaqoQwwnurwkPYMz3CNUwoFKKWpONbQj-tzKNJTLxpX4yD1XdGw0QoGXwc1o8AuWdPrtfhdGsRCyXM-7mw9Ceokj321eOwMAcGgtsnEARxRupF2XAsB_hz70QsiTWVMpiUaGG67SLlO-TEhdMrrdcr_ntF5iE3BxN4LopYuavrTXkbnSqOL/w400-h223/Meta_Facebook_Education%20in%20the%20metaverse_Augmented%20Reality_Virtual%20reality_Classroom_UX%20Writer_Content%20Creator_Don%20Okereke.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="yiv3952773035ydpcdae7d78msonormal" style="background: white; margin: 5pt 0in 10pt 0.5in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 16pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-themecolor: text1;">Remote conferences, and
meetings </span></b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-themecolor: text1;">- </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">The pandemic
entails remote working is the new normal and full teleworking or flexible work
option will continue to be the trend.</span><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"> </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/mesh">Microsoft Mesh</a></span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"> </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;">is</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"> the future of
Microsoft Teams meetings</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;">. </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;">Microsoft is
building in features like ‘Together Mode’, </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;">‘</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;">Holoportation’ 3D avatars, </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;">which will make </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;">meetings more
interactive</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;">, immersive, and
photorealistic.</span></p><p class="yiv3952773035ydpcdae7d78msonormal" style="background: white; margin: 5pt 0in 10pt 0.5in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGHmuqB5-rpiFRCj8CGSS0YFlWFSl7egEaLkRQQYQbU2VcI7rtonuQwxdA9wCludg8jmpI5NoQVvWpI8A2m5eGwDJPlaEMGqPG54cMPUDIYDB2oqEUEtUyzjyF0f3C296ZqdVzAyT9RNPfj5O4WkofOOL8wdPA2gOsBAaFVToeJU3OVZORXkufJR8s/s816/Microsoft%20Teams%20Mesh%20Avatar_Metaverse_Virtual%20RealityTeleworking_Remote%20Working.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="459" data-original-width="816" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGHmuqB5-rpiFRCj8CGSS0YFlWFSl7egEaLkRQQYQbU2VcI7rtonuQwxdA9wCludg8jmpI5NoQVvWpI8A2m5eGwDJPlaEMGqPG54cMPUDIYDB2oqEUEtUyzjyF0f3C296ZqdVzAyT9RNPfj5O4WkofOOL8wdPA2gOsBAaFVToeJU3OVZORXkufJR8s/w400-h225/Microsoft%20Teams%20Mesh%20Avatar_Metaverse_Virtual%20RealityTeleworking_Remote%20Working.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="yiv3952773035ydpcdae7d78msonormal" style="background: white; margin: 5pt 0in 10pt 0.5in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-themecolor: text1;">Engineering and
architecting </span></b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-themecolor: text1;">- Metaverse digital twins would help with
engineering and development efforts. For instance, Airbus partnered with
Microsoft to use <a href="https://customers.microsoft.com/en-au/story/732143-airbus-manufacturing-azure-hololens2">Azure
Mixed Reality</a> and Hololens to reduce design validation time by 80% and
accelerate complex aircraft assembly tasks by 30%.</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="yiv3952773035ydpcdae7d78msonormal" style="background: white; margin: 5pt 0in 10pt 0.5in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-themecolor: text1;">Job opportunities
in the metaverse</span></b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-themecolor: text1;"> – Metaverse content creators, user
experience (UX) writers and designers, research scientists, </span><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://www.analyticsinsight.net/top-10-metaverse-jobs-that-the-world-should-get-prepared-for/" target="_blank"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-themecolor: text1;">data scientists</span></a></span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-themecolor: text1;"> can expect booming career
opportunities in the metaverse enterprise. In the words of </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/falonfatemi/2022/03/07/the-metaverse-will-radically-change-content-creation-forever/?sh=68998beb4a7f">Falon
Fatemi</a>,</span><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"> </span><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">‘’</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">the metaverse will not only
enable content creators to develop more interactive and immersive content, but
it will also enable them to develop more intelligent content, thanks to new
developments in Artificial intelligence’’.</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-themecolor: text1;"> </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Meta’s head
of content design, Elisabeth Carr <a href="https://design.facebook.com/stories/writing-the-metaverse/">asserted</a> that
content designers are embedded in every product team across Meta—we work on
Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, WhatsApp, Meta Quest, Portal and within teams
working on integrity, social impact, privacy, business products, advertiser
tools, as well as within Reality Labs, which is pioneering a lot of our work in
the metaverse.</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-themecolor: text1;"> </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-themecolor: text1;">As a matter of
fact, </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-themecolor: text1;">in October 2021,
Facebook <a href="https://about.fb.com/news/2021/10/creating-jobs-europe-metaverse/">announced</a>
plans to create </span><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/oct/18/facebook-jobs-eu-metaverse-social-network" target="_blank"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-themecolor: text1;">10,000 new high-skilled
jobs</span></a></span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-themecolor: text1;"> in the
European Union (EU) to help shape the metaverse.</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="yiv3952773035ydpcdae7d78msonormal" style="background: white; margin: 5pt 0in 10pt 0.5in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL3_Avw6zpTYlYv1mADcOEMyJTsu-MndknLIvy2TmZOtd17G8EqVxX_hgUvqNl_3fD67Aw7YJoKDnE4j_aNGyYmD3ujBJTOxd88FXwMcTx20ChdhkJZ40uyNIrUk_yxJ2dZVMtGJuFHvDnOTPymCuXXetPmN3nHFN3CLcfYsiccKX5TdZ9LNQa9wIs/s956/Metaverse%20Jobs_Content%20Creators_UX%20Writer_Don%20Okereke_Influencers_Story%20tellers_Blockchain.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="575" data-original-width="956" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL3_Avw6zpTYlYv1mADcOEMyJTsu-MndknLIvy2TmZOtd17G8EqVxX_hgUvqNl_3fD67Aw7YJoKDnE4j_aNGyYmD3ujBJTOxd88FXwMcTx20ChdhkJZ40uyNIrUk_yxJ2dZVMtGJuFHvDnOTPymCuXXetPmN3nHFN3CLcfYsiccKX5TdZ9LNQa9wIs/w400-h240/Metaverse%20Jobs_Content%20Creators_UX%20Writer_Don%20Okereke_Influencers_Story%20tellers_Blockchain.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="yiv3952773035ydpcdae7d78msonormal" style="background: white; margin: 5pt 0in 10pt 0.5in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-themecolor: text1;">Healthcare</span></b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-themecolor: text1;">: A United
Kingdom’s National Health Service study <a href="https://venturebeat.com/2020/06/17/nhs-finds-vr-training-boosts-coronavirus-frontline-worker-performance/">established</a>
that 92% of Virtual Reality participants trained in infection control measures
were found to have an adequate understanding, compared to only 16 percent of
the control group. Post-training performance increased by more than 230 percent
for the VR group, compared to 16.75 percent for the control group.</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="yiv3952773035ydpcdae7d78msonormal" style="background: white; margin: 5pt 0in 10pt 0.5in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">8.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-themecolor: text1;">Customer support and experience</span></b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-themecolor: text1;"> – In a </span><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://hgs.cx/blog/make-way-for-the-metaverse-plan-now-for-the-new-cx-universe/" target="_blank"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-themecolor: text1;">blog post</span></a></span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-themecolor: text1;"> Nancy Pekala, Vice President
for content marketing and strategy at HGS Digital, says, ‘’organizations that
rely on telephone calls and digital-first channels (automated chats) for
customer service will be able to leverage the metaverse to pivot to an absolute
virtual-first experience’’.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="yiv3952773035ydpcdae7d78msonormal" style="background: white; margin: 5pt 0in 10pt 0.5in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDfqB5Cec91q4G_xUHNvh9DVgGjBCp5eAI9KbD35FGDtagqtlutVb4w5vVP61aQItcG21Qdb5-OYftVPDVKT0n1-lwgHgFFea3bLjLZLRix2Bg5gExWq3daEpNp9CCMmNz-RAG1J75KPH89jsBLFX0MHIVIJUEmGn4vU8TVNknnrTjKWw2QNkEw_Ci/s705/Metaverse%20Customer%20Service_User%20Experience_Metaverse%20As%20%20A%20Service.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="366" data-original-width="705" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDfqB5Cec91q4G_xUHNvh9DVgGjBCp5eAI9KbD35FGDtagqtlutVb4w5vVP61aQItcG21Qdb5-OYftVPDVKT0n1-lwgHgFFea3bLjLZLRix2Bg5gExWq3daEpNp9CCMmNz-RAG1J75KPH89jsBLFX0MHIVIJUEmGn4vU8TVNknnrTjKWw2QNkEw_Ci/w400-h208/Metaverse%20Customer%20Service_User%20Experience_Metaverse%20As%20%20A%20Service.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="yiv3952773035ydpcdae7d78msonormal" style="background: white; margin: 5pt 0in 10pt 0.5in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">9.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-themecolor: text1;">Sales and
marketing</span></b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-themecolor: text1;"> – </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Forbes <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinessdevelopmentcouncil/2021/12/21/why-the-metaverse-is-marketings-next-big-thing/">reports</a>
that the metaverse is marketing’s next big thing because it offers new ways to
engage your audience and provide a richer, fuller and more immersive content
experience</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-themecolor: text1;">. </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="yiv3952773035ydpcdae7d78msonormal" style="background: white; margin: 5pt 0in 10pt 0.5in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBO7PnC8ZP6jGqMr4AmmJ2vbwEje6jRt4VwSiGxw6_QksMWSbhk5pc8hdLTIBv20oce0A4ONCxUmpZH8dHvIOsSp5lTVcMXDiN2wil_4VABe8bjL85uG-f_JOhkAdjJ1kMfjcQTOo_1fYpxA5SVawzQ69Npd7-Xoh3r1ddj2v5MUxl-SVB5uLrAjTl/s616/Metaverse%20Marketing.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="313" data-original-width="616" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBO7PnC8ZP6jGqMr4AmmJ2vbwEje6jRt4VwSiGxw6_QksMWSbhk5pc8hdLTIBv20oce0A4ONCxUmpZH8dHvIOsSp5lTVcMXDiN2wil_4VABe8bjL85uG-f_JOhkAdjJ1kMfjcQTOo_1fYpxA5SVawzQ69Npd7-Xoh3r1ddj2v5MUxl-SVB5uLrAjTl/w400-h204/Metaverse%20Marketing.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="yiv3952773035ydpcdae7d78msonormal" style="background: white; margin: 5pt 0in 10pt 0.5in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">10.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-themecolor: text1;">Advertising </span></b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-themecolor: text1;">- Organizations,
especially those in the retail industry, will also be able to leverage the
metaverse for product placement and advertising. Fashion giants Balenciaga,
Burberry, Gucci, amongst others, set up their <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-12-09/luxury-fashion-brands-are-already-making-millions-in-the-metaverse">metaverse
division</a> to make the most of this opportunity.</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Metaverse Cybersafety, Cybersecurity And National Security Risks <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">The metaverse will not be immune from cybersafety, cybersecurity, national security,
and privacy challenges. NBC News <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/security/bitcoin-crypto-exchange-hacks-little-anyone-can-do-rcna7870">reports</a>
that crypto exchanges keep getting hacked, and there's little anyone can do. Lately,
two individuals were <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/two-arrested-alleged-conspiracy-launder-45-billion-stolen-cryptocurrency">arrested</a>
in Manhattan, United States of America for allegedly conspiring to launder
cryptocurrency that was stolen during the 2016 hack of Bitfinex, a virtual
currency exchange, presently valued at approximately $4.5 billion. A similar <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-59990477">report</a> claims that hackers
stole almost $400m worth of digital assets in at least seven attacks on
cryptocurrency platforms in 2021. Below are some of the security concerns that the
metaverse will contend with:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSNFeKRgmHr3K6iPPVidBGnpYoVwZ592GAqWEPjumRn_5_BtNBrb-pVXT5WUgC5AHFwtOg-C3FgNkbjc1J4yU5vMs4jeEpiryzhpwhdQjlVvxHmyxB7dNH3N9WSBHz7rMfbGqILKQaYbqXODodymkZm6e3-AP038us2fqranDYHjqUHHubYThhTsUq/s933/Cybersecurity_Metaverse_Security_National_Hacking_Cryptocurrency.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="381" data-original-width="933" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSNFeKRgmHr3K6iPPVidBGnpYoVwZ592GAqWEPjumRn_5_BtNBrb-pVXT5WUgC5AHFwtOg-C3FgNkbjc1J4yU5vMs4jeEpiryzhpwhdQjlVvxHmyxB7dNH3N9WSBHz7rMfbGqILKQaYbqXODodymkZm6e3-AP038us2fqranDYHjqUHHubYThhTsUq/w400-h164/Cybersecurity_Metaverse_Security_National_Hacking_Cryptocurrency.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Virtual reality sexual assault and harassment</span></b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> -</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">According to a <a href="https://www.technologyreview.com/2021/12/16/1042516/the-metaverse-has-a-groping-problem/">report</a>
by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s, MIT Technology Review, a woman
was sexually harassed on Meta’s virtual-reality social media platform, Horizon
Worlds. She’s not the first—and won’t be the last. <span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">In a recent <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-60415317">BBC news investigation</a>,
a reporter posing as a 13-year-old girl on </span>VRChat,</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;">a virtual reality (VR) app was
exposed to sexual content, racist insults, and a rape threat. </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Professor Carla Gannis of
the New York University Tandon School of Engineering <a href="https://engineering.nyu.edu/news/metaverse-coming-big-techs-latest-obsession-needs-safeguards">advocates</a>
that people will need to be held accountable for their behavior in the
metaverse.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBccrKpkx_AuxVbUVUX6xmT_-ra3JY13woGp_BXIut-APrhWM5Tt1F2W7XK7VCj-BnBuGcwkeCrIxOXThYOsgUUt4tuOAbxerkIdCVxC0O51NBILWVDwk9aKRkCoZs1Ue9H2vfe1Mowgei81l-XyaM4uJECQwFaqGl3mKVzxr2aJWu0CupQRAeXuzT/s863/Metaverse_Sexual%20Harassment_Avatar_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="456" data-original-width="863" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBccrKpkx_AuxVbUVUX6xmT_-ra3JY13woGp_BXIut-APrhWM5Tt1F2W7XK7VCj-BnBuGcwkeCrIxOXThYOsgUUt4tuOAbxerkIdCVxC0O51NBILWVDwk9aKRkCoZs1Ue9H2vfe1Mowgei81l-XyaM4uJECQwFaqGl3mKVzxr2aJWu0CupQRAeXuzT/w400-h211/Metaverse_Sexual%20Harassment_Avatar_.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;">Mental health issues – </span></b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;">There are<b> </b></span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">potential mental health issues from long-term immersion in virtual worlds.<b><span style="color: red;"> </span></b>Pearlman, who was formerly the head of security
at Linden Lab,</span><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/news/252513072/Metaverse-rollout-brings-new-security-risks-challenges"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> said</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> she experienced a feeling
called "phantom timeline syndrome" where the lines between the
virtual world and physical world became blurred, while working at VR platform
Sansar.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;">Human errors:</span></b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"> </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">According
to IBM’s Cybersecurity Intelligence Index </span><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2022/02/15/metaverse-as-the-new-attack-vector-and-other-security-headlines-to-come-in-2022/?sh=5aba08373d00"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Report</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">, human error plays the
largest role in 95% of security breaches. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Social engineering attacks</span></b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> - Hackers can trick people
into revealing their personal information by using social engineering
techniques or identity theft tricks.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Identity Theft<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>- </span></b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">VR technologies powering the
metaverse could serve as a vulnerable target for identity theft. Imagine
unwittingly having a spy from a competitor in the room or having an imposter
replacing the boss during a business meeting<b>.</b></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfttdFPNT0xYk-cjIqAW_3By-w5THm8MZsDKQ0RyuQUiPrC3ntGl8Uei9VLZtd4WDWJXhtKNyPxlDYxbpGcstqLbJOQ7ht0t7piWGlOVc6n1LBYI6tPk9TepkbLOCl6PWqbz97EAZHZ-YwjmjpMPg6MOkljY3mcY52jR0Lf0j1N-i0F5-4PIbI8xwQ/s742/Metaverse%20Identity%20Theft_Privacy_Cybersecurity.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="412" data-original-width="742" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfttdFPNT0xYk-cjIqAW_3By-w5THm8MZsDKQ0RyuQUiPrC3ntGl8Uei9VLZtd4WDWJXhtKNyPxlDYxbpGcstqLbJOQ7ht0t7piWGlOVc6n1LBYI6tPk9TepkbLOCl6PWqbz97EAZHZ-YwjmjpMPg6MOkljY3mcY52jR0Lf0j1N-i0F5-4PIbI8xwQ/w400-h223/Metaverse%20Identity%20Theft_Privacy_Cybersecurity.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Credential theft</span></b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> – Hackers or cybercriminals
can compromise the network credentials of users through wearable gadgets. Theft
of network credentials can also compromise the financial and personal
information of users stored in their user profiles on the metaverse.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Denial of service (DDoS)</span></b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> <b>attacks</b> –</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> occurs when legitimate users are unable to
access information systems, devices, or other network resources <a href="https://www.cisa.gov/uscert/ncas/tips/ST04-015">due</a> to the actions of
a malicious cyber threat actor.</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXbLrhK9VpsO53-Xe9x0Gt-QKUZuC8Uri2YQRoricvY4GRqKMlyQFOInvAxyxrXF8oJNIXJw75h6byUMi4ZvjQvFFuswk2a05Pa2IAO6jxoiOPySTH8B5mf2BbAnFC_7OkU8E9hl4fpoD6Q5LQr9_cnW4CWxuWYN1ddTsjujqkgnzW9k7mEYXV69TJ/s798/DDos%20Attack_Metaverse.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="449" data-original-width="798" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXbLrhK9VpsO53-Xe9x0Gt-QKUZuC8Uri2YQRoricvY4GRqKMlyQFOInvAxyxrXF8oJNIXJw75h6byUMi4ZvjQvFFuswk2a05Pa2IAO6jxoiOPySTH8B5mf2BbAnFC_7OkU8E9hl4fpoD6Q5LQr9_cnW4CWxuWYN1ddTsjujqkgnzW9k7mEYXV69TJ/w400-h225/DDos%20Attack_Metaverse.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">8.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Ransomware attacks – </span></b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Ransomware is a type of malware that can either encrypt all of your
data or lock you out of your computer. Once ransomware infects a computer, it
will ask for a ransom — usually in cryptocurrency — in exchange for decrypting
your data or unlocking your computer. Ransomware <a href="https://www.cloudwards.net/ransomware-statistics/">cost</a> the world $20
billion in 2021. That number is expected to rise to $265 billion by 2031.</span><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKV-XkfiDumnQghwTpDfP0loW6dM5sbxsMDHuvcaGPqNPHgy_yTapIoPn_HiLGv2QYiGTrkeV_Ut5mEpvoOzm7QtcEgOdrtF0PxzRyHSSxJZB9NEBQc2D9dg5JEezxhYxBC1Hi0hOWMDzwQd6CYxB2A0pbZOtB1JpCU30Yh35yR1hJclGMC9j2nBbu/s878/Ransomware_Metaverse_Hacking.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="665" data-original-width="878" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKV-XkfiDumnQghwTpDfP0loW6dM5sbxsMDHuvcaGPqNPHgy_yTapIoPn_HiLGv2QYiGTrkeV_Ut5mEpvoOzm7QtcEgOdrtF0PxzRyHSSxJZB9NEBQc2D9dg5JEezxhYxBC1Hi0hOWMDzwQd6CYxB2A0pbZOtB1JpCU30Yh35yR1hJclGMC9j2nBbu/w400-h303/Ransomware_Metaverse_Hacking.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">9.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;">Lack of</span></b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"> </span><a href="https://101blockchains.com/metaverse-security-issues/"><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">metaverse regulatory</span></b></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: red; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> </span><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;">and legal framework:</span></b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"> </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">There are currently no laws
or legislations regulating the virtual landscape. Who resolves AI-intellectual property,
piracy, and patent disputes in the metaverse?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">10.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;">National security risks - </span></b><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">radicalization or extremism<span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">:</span></span></b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"> A Chinese state-run think tank, Institute of Contemporary International
Relation which is affiliated with China’s Ministry of State Security warns of </span><a href="https://www.immersivelearning.news/2021/11/10/chinese-state-owned-think-tank-flags-national-security-risks-of-metaverse-citing-potential-political-and-social-problems/"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;">national security risks</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"> involved with the
metaverse. Other </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">potential risks involved with the metaverse include “technological
hegemony,” where developing countries increasingly rely on developed countries’
technologies as the gap in the metaverse’s development expands. Similarly, </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">terrorism researchers at the University of
Nebraska Omaha, say metaverse could become a new domain for <a href="https://www.homelandsecuritynewswire.com/dr20220110-the-metaverse-offers-a-future-full-of-potential-for-terrorists-and-extremists-too">terrorist
activity</a> vis a vis online recruitment, engagement coordination, identification
of new targets and execution of terrorist acts. </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Imagine having the avatar of
a</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> resurrected bin Laden meeting would-be followers
in a virtual lecture hall. The emerging metaverse affords extremist leaders a
new ability to forge and maintain virtual ideological and social communities
and powerful, difficult-to-disrupt ways of expanding their ranks and spheres of
influence.</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Conclusion:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-themecolor: text1;">A <a href="https://smefutures.com/metaverse-to-push-data-usage-by-20x-in-10-years-credit-suisse/">report</a>
published by Credit Suisse, </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">a leading financial services company</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-themecolor: text1;"> </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-themecolor: text1;">reveals that metaverse
revolution will hike the average internet data usage to 20 times around the
globe by 2032. While 5G network will support metaverse, 6G will have broader
metaverse application.</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"> </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-themecolor: text1;">Currently, many African countries are yet to embrace 5G,
let alone 6G. It behooves on them to up their game if they are to teleport to the
metaverse seamlessly. </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">M</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">etaverse will be revolutionary,
but it won’t be immune from cybersecurity and national security threats such as
ransomware, hacking, social engineering, denial of service (DDoS) attacks, mental
health issues, online radicalization, amongst others.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: #7030a0; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Written By: <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: #7030a0; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: #7030a0; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">© Don OKEREKE, </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; text-align: center;"><span face="Candara, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt;">A</span><span face="Candara, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: #7030a0; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">tech-savvy security thought leader, analyst, researcher,
content creator, UX writer, military veteran.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">March 20, 2022</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Follow me on Twitter: @DonOkereke</span></p></div>Don Okerekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06678079913273123553noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848222137267791504.post-305076475826224032022-03-10T13:55:00.003+00:002022-03-10T13:55:31.520+00:00Lagos State Commences Publication of Details of Sex Offenders<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh8B7B9WPZRUZQMKRmsYKKgnASOvEi-PVI1-_bwLezs4qmZvqj-gklqjk8C1yREeqClHMi2CSOR_SmO4vrvmj27KT5XvDUHnvKM4ZHMjrXo0RTsju-APY9J7JP7XVWpGhrDIPWXR_xmAg1tH43DyHj9OorfEadiDn4cHRQ0Cef8ckSszt6kD5Oue-UY=s348" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="218" data-original-width="348" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh8B7B9WPZRUZQMKRmsYKKgnASOvEi-PVI1-_bwLezs4qmZvqj-gklqjk8C1yREeqClHMi2CSOR_SmO4vrvmj27KT5XvDUHnvKM4ZHMjrXo0RTsju-APY9J7JP7XVWpGhrDIPWXR_xmAg1tH43DyHj9OorfEadiDn4cHRQ0Cef8ckSszt6kD5Oue-UY=w400-h250" width="400" /></a></div>In furtherance of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s zero tolerance to all forms of domestic and sexual violence, the State government has begun the publication of details of sex offenders in the state. <span><a name='more'></a></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">This was disclosed to newsmen by the Executive Secretary of the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA), Mrs Titilola Vivour Adeniyi during a press conference at the agency’s office.</p><p style="text-align: center;">The details according to the Executive Secretary includes; name and picture of the sex offender, the nature of the offence as well as the duration of the sentence handed down by the court. </p><p style="text-align: center;">Mrs Vivour Adeniyi noted that this was in line with the provisions of the Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency Law, particularly section 42 which provides that the Agency is to periodically publish details of Sex convicts in the state. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhPtBosayuKzpIgSpAJs7ke3aXaU3BWxAH9sNh072MEO46K5QRE4mVifmkdLBrtCN-YPGUs69j39C-3k60TwZglV65c57nrHXL9yMPeUCmYrKbd600O4fpI6iO2a04z5Je_cSfKKJg1Xa0SX8_JzAJ5leBKbRZ4DB82Eoz0bYCO_Q241VAFrunPszSE=s539" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="254" data-original-width="539" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhPtBosayuKzpIgSpAJs7ke3aXaU3BWxAH9sNh072MEO46K5QRE4mVifmkdLBrtCN-YPGUs69j39C-3k60TwZglV65c57nrHXL9yMPeUCmYrKbd600O4fpI6iO2a04z5Je_cSfKKJg1Xa0SX8_JzAJ5leBKbRZ4DB82Eoz0bYCO_Q241VAFrunPszSE=w400-h189" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p style="text-align: center;">She also said letters of advisory have been issued to local governments and traditional rulers of the communities where the convicts previously resided. </p><p style="text-align: center;">This measure is one amongst many deployed by the state government to end the culture of impunity and also serve as a deterrence to other sex offenders.</p><p style="text-align: center;">As further provided in the law, the details of sex convicts are to be published periodically on the State Government’s website, (www.lagosstate.gov.ng), the website of the Ministry of Justice ( https://lagosstatemoj.org) and the Agency’s website; ( www.dsvrtlagos.org) </p><p style="text-align: center;">The Executive Security reiterated that the stance of the State government is resolute in preventing incidents of sexual and domestic abuse, whilst ensuring justice for all survivors. </p><p style="text-align: center;">She added that to report any case of domestic and sexual violence, Lagosians are to call the toll-free number, 08000333333.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhV9DfdSrn90W02OLbdM4QCwg4UqI2NBFIeLXdDA0rLi4mjWOBFcFQF-0hS_qW7XsEuaZLUWfEpUaik9Pkq7-81zkoAGpnUXArUNCiQOepUaQluHHp2ik6cZBzKF3J_q7qc-QwQTmMhbQpXrItM8WAVkZkFXeo02TRmRIM0N1Zib3y6KXYhRcoLthLl=s666" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="646" data-original-width="666" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhV9DfdSrn90W02OLbdM4QCwg4UqI2NBFIeLXdDA0rLi4mjWOBFcFQF-0hS_qW7XsEuaZLUWfEpUaik9Pkq7-81zkoAGpnUXArUNCiQOepUaQluHHp2ik6cZBzKF3J_q7qc-QwQTmMhbQpXrItM8WAVkZkFXeo02TRmRIM0N1Zib3y6KXYhRcoLthLl=w400-h388" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">Culled from <a href="https://dsvrtlagos.org/2022/03/10/lagos-state-commences-publication-of-details-of-sex-offenders/">DSVRT Website</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>Don Okerekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06678079913273123553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848222137267791504.post-51867204265173276072022-03-07T07:27:00.002+00:002022-03-07T07:27:36.301+00:00 Nigeria Ranks 6th in 2022 Global Terrorism Index<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiA9J2Up82p0Pn5xLpZIcoc-wW7gN3MJaTbyvZYR_pypE35lBoaJ6Q11rT7fT9D-VeT436QIIHZGZupHPG14gk_FNU1PGhcXK2Fh1x1v-0kdjVRPbLRanx5-lEXpkpQmDA9E7k7L3SuERIYIaTvJUI1gbE2CH8g2pqJYyzF_Jm5eLFFmMG8CDJNOc0A=s510" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="510" data-original-width="452" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiA9J2Up82p0Pn5xLpZIcoc-wW7gN3MJaTbyvZYR_pypE35lBoaJ6Q11rT7fT9D-VeT436QIIHZGZupHPG14gk_FNU1PGhcXK2Fh1x1v-0kdjVRPbLRanx5-lEXpkpQmDA9E7k7L3SuERIYIaTvJUI1gbE2CH8g2pqJYyzF_Jm5eLFFmMG8CDJNOc0A=s320" width="284" /></a></div>Nigeria has been ranked sixth in the 2022 global terrorism index (GTI), an improvement from the fourth position it was since 2017.<span><a name='more'></a></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">In the GTI, published by the Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP), an independent and non-profit think tank, Nigeria, Syria and Somalia were the only countries among the 10 most impacted by terrorism to record an improvement in score from 2020 to 2021.</p><p style="text-align: center;">“Total deaths from terrorism in Nigeria fell to 448 in 2021, the lowest level since 2011,” the report said.</p><p style="text-align: center;">The report stated that “terror-related casualties dropped by almost half compared with the previous year.</p><p style="text-align: center;">“However, the number of terrorist attacks increased by 49 per cent between 2020 and 2021. 36 percent of attacks were claimed by ISWAP, Boko Haram being responsible for eight per cent and 44 percent not attributed to any group.”</p><p style="text-align: center;">The report attributed terror attacks in Nigeria from 2020 to ISWAP.</p><p style="text-align: center;">“The decline of Boko Haram continued into 2021, with Boko Haram responsible for only 69 deaths, a decrease of 77 percent from the previous year. This is the lowest number of deaths by the group for a decade,” the report said.</p><p style="text-align: center;">“Boko Haram’s decline has resulted in a substantial improvement in terrorism in Borno State, which experienced a decrease of 71 percent in terrorism deaths when compared with the prior year.</p><p style="text-align: center;">It explained that “attacks in the (Borno) state also decreased from 121 to 86 respectively, a decrease of 30 per cent.”</p><p style="text-align: center;">However, the report said Borno State remains the hardest-hit region in Nigeria for terrorism, accounting for half of all terror-related deaths in 2021.</p><p style="text-align: center;">It noted that Boko Haram’s decline coincides with a number of factors, most significantly the death of the group’s leader, Abubakar Shekau. Shekau, who committed suicide by detonating an explosives vest during a confrontation with ISWAP in May 2021.</p><p style="text-align: center;">“Given the demise of their leader, Shekau’s followers were faced with the decision to either continue Shekau’s ideology or join ISWAP. It has been reported that as many as former Boko Haram commanders have joined ISWAp after Shekau’s death,” the report said.</p><p style="text-align: center;">“Attacks by ISWA as well as counter-terrorism efforts by the Nigerian government and foreign military forces have significantly weakened Boko Haram’s impact in Nigeria.”</p><p style="text-align: center;">The terrorism index also showed that law enforcement, including police and prison officers, overtook both military and civilians as the most targeted group of 2021.</p><p style="text-align: center;">These attacks, the report said, were largely driven by a surge in clashes between law enforcement and separatist groups, such as the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).</p><p style="text-align: center;">Steve Killelea, Founder & Executive Chairman, IEP said, terrorism is becoming more centered in conflict zones, underpinned by weak governments and political instability, while in Europe and the US politically-motivated terrorism has overtaken religiously motivated attacks.</p><p style="text-align: center;">“As conflict in the Ukraine dominates global attention it is crucial that the global fight against terrorism is not sidelined. Terrorist activity in the Sahel is increasing substantially, and is driven by Islamic militias,” Killelea said.</p><p style="text-align: center;">“The decline of terrorism in the West coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic. Restrictions on freedom of movement, travel and the immediate threat to personal health may explain some of the fall. Once the emergency measures are removed there is the possibility of an uptick in terrorism activity.”</p><p style="text-align: center;">Culled from: <a href="https://guardian.ng/news/nigeria-improve-by-two-places-on-global-terrorism-index/">Guardian Newspaper</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>Don Okerekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06678079913273123553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848222137267791504.post-82344256027737653292022-03-03T07:50:00.000+00:002022-03-03T07:50:16.382+00:00Lagos State Sensitizes Stakeholders on New Resident Smart ID Card<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjjtCObwWN73aT2gRUKyiuvw6RhzSaLfQRpu7ntg2QyHfTviyzsnMVhAhuy8eNsmMLhuTaSoJBHKGIxBzLmwtrqYhYPkMfIYda8jynbc1uQaqzrW7Z78O-TuMA72OzHw0BmtQXHVW-AGgz0Lj1_yOlN1WAYYrSafyOnV_nRf0NSYMVtT3YkTWeDBU8n=s520" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="305" data-original-width="520" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjjtCObwWN73aT2gRUKyiuvw6RhzSaLfQRpu7ntg2QyHfTviyzsnMVhAhuy8eNsmMLhuTaSoJBHKGIxBzLmwtrqYhYPkMfIYda8jynbc1uQaqzrW7Z78O-TuMA72OzHw0BmtQXHVW-AGgz0Lj1_yOlN1WAYYrSafyOnV_nRf0NSYMVtT3YkTWeDBU8n=w400-h235" width="400" /></a></div>The Lagos State
Government, through the Lagos State Residents Registration Agency (LASRRA), has
commenced the awareness campaign on the new Lagos Resident ID card in different
divisions of the state.<span><a name='more'></a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Speaking at the
first two divisions visited-Epe and Ikorodu-in her welcome address, the General
Manager, Ibilola Kasunmu, said the sensitization programme was aimed at
educating and sensitizing residents of these divisions, what the Lagos ID is
about, why it is important and how they could key into the initiative and be a
part of the plan.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk91869680;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Furthermore, she
described it as a smart card with multiple security features and applications,
as she appealed to residents in these divisions to kick off their registration
by visiting the LASRRA website: </span></span><a href="file:///C:/Users/L1005919/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/YSDRTRNW/www.lagosresidents.gov.ng"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk91869680;"><span lang="EN" style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">www.lagosresidents.gov.ng</span></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk91869680;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> and proceed to
any LASRRA Registration Center nearest to them for biometrics capturing to
complete the process for the new LAG ID card, stressing that registration is
absolutely free.</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk91869680;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Kasunmu, who spoke
in Yoruba language, said: “The ID card comes with a lot of benefits for
residents. It will serve as a means of personal security and identity
verification at points of accessing various government services and make access
to healthcare services a lot easier for residents. Among other benefits, having
the card will also grant you access to loan applications, enable seamless
payment for transportation on all Lagos State transport services like BRT and
LagFerry, and can also be used for cash withdrawals from the ATM points.”</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk91869680;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">She was quick to
mention that those who registered before 2018 would need to update their
information to get the new ID card.</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk91869680;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">How To register
for the Lagos state resident smart card:</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk91869680;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Filling out the Online form is the first step in
the process of registration.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk91869680;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">You will still need to complete your
registration at an enrolment station Select your local government area where
LASSRA officials will capture your biometric information.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk91869680;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Before Starting: (Review)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk91869680;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">How to fill the registration form<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk91869680;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">List of documents you will need<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Visit the Lagos State Residents Online
Registration portal on this <a href="https://registration.lagosresidents.gov.ng/">link</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk91869680;"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk91869680;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEggt6gLhJdepDsKN0GAwFtyoUyUwSIBLef_ppdDt5jvzkSTDLyFszTZFZ79pAJCCfhQK4h48EENPIPR7brB8xIwOEUVrUoLkX7l4jIC80QDyCPiyhy9vxwouptlVNWu5cGUPcZPRMrreo-9dWygkvx2kAzUT854LLN5JVEH_3sgQVcYXoBKP7LDS0ZM=s865" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="865" data-original-width="631" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEggt6gLhJdepDsKN0GAwFtyoUyUwSIBLef_ppdDt5jvzkSTDLyFszTZFZ79pAJCCfhQK4h48EENPIPR7brB8xIwOEUVrUoLkX7l4jIC80QDyCPiyhy9vxwouptlVNWu5cGUPcZPRMrreo-9dWygkvx2kAzUT854LLN5JVEH_3sgQVcYXoBKP7LDS0ZM=w466-h640" width="466" /></a></div><b><br /></b><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk91869680;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>LASSRA Contact Information</b><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk91869680;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Head Office: 4 Registration Close<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk91869680;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Off Lateef Jakande Road, Agidingbi Ikeja.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk91869680;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Customer Helpdesk: 01-4483440 and 01-4483450<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk91869680;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Email address: infolasrra@lagosstate.gov.ng<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk91869680;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Twitter: </span></span><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">@LASRRA_LASG</span></span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Culled from:
<a href="https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2022/03/03/lagos-sensitises-stakeholders-on-new-resident-id-card/">ThisDay Newspaper</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk91869680;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk91869680;"></span><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk91869680;"><b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; letter-spacing: -.25pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk91869680;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk91869680;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk91869680;"><b><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk91869680;"><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
<span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk91869680;"></span>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Don Okerekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06678079913273123553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848222137267791504.post-19651553374239870492022-02-19T19:52:00.008+00:002022-03-09T16:34:00.359+00:00 Curbing The Proliferation of Counterfeits in Nigeria Through Actionable Intelligence, Supply Chain Security And Technology (Part 1)<p style="text-align: center;"><span face="Candara, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgMQyT7zTAedYsrDAUNz6eukm0YClrLHpn3AbDRQVkQtYPnXUJjPTXmW3HPEgNrIuBp3EX1-ujgqkGFpAZRVx57HA5p8Godx3_GzWZEDPm6ghO4O9tlPpoO6FBy7LPGL9R8lRyKca_r-bdQuWkj_PuKTwPjNkZxl85AzY4Gr1pq8Eu7cDcem4wvfUdq=s1167" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="558" data-original-width="1167" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgMQyT7zTAedYsrDAUNz6eukm0YClrLHpn3AbDRQVkQtYPnXUJjPTXmW3HPEgNrIuBp3EX1-ujgqkGFpAZRVx57HA5p8Godx3_GzWZEDPm6ghO4O9tlPpoO6FBy7LPGL9R8lRyKca_r-bdQuWkj_PuKTwPjNkZxl85AzY4Gr1pq8Eu7cDcem4wvfUdq=w400-h191" width="400" /></a></div>Peopled with plausibly 200 million people, Nigeria is the
most populous country in Africa. With a
total GDP of $432.3 billion, Nigeria is the <a href="https://www.statista.com/chart/26371/african-countries-with-the-highest-gdp-over-time/#:~:text=With%20a%20total%20GDP%20of,fluctuations%20as%20our%20chart%20shows."><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">biggest economy</span></a><span face="Candara, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> and market in Africa. Nigeria </span><a href="https://guardian.ng/technology/telecoms/nigeria-accounts-for-82-of-africas-ict-market/"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">accounts</span></a><span face="Candara, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> for
82% of Africa’s ICT market and 29% of Africa’s Internet </span><a href="https://punchng.com/nigeria-accounts-for-29-of-africas-internet-usage-ncc/"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">usage</span></a><span face="Candara, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">. Looks
like good news. However, the snag is that there’s patent proliferation of
counterfeit products in Nigeria and there’s no guarantee that the product (especially
luxury goods) you purchased is genuine. Counterfeiting is not only a Nigerian
problem, but also a global malaise. To put things in perspective, in Fiscal
Year 2020, the Department of Homeland Security reportedly </span><a href="https://www.iacc.org/resources/about/what-is-counterfeiting"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">seized</span></a><span face="Candara, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> over
26,000 shipments of counterfeit goods valued at over $1.3 billion at United
States borders. As a matter of fact, the American multinational e-commerce and
one of the world's most valuable brand, Amazon’s anti-counterfeiting efforts </span><a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/amazon-blocked-10-billion-listings-counterfeit-crackdown-rcna875"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">reportedly</span></a><span face="Candara, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> led to
the blocking of more than 10 billion suspected phony listings in 2020. Similarly,
in addition to </span><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasbrewster/2019/04/05/facebook-erases-74-cybercrime-groups-with-385000-members-selling-passwords-credit-cards-and-hacking-services/"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">erasing</span></a><span face="Candara, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">74 cybercrime groups with 385,000 members selling
passwords, credit cards and hacking services, </span><span face="Candara, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Facebook (now Meta) said it proactively </span><a href="https://transparency.fb.com/data/intellectual-property/notice-and-takedown/facebook"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">removed</span></a><span face="Candara, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> 283
million pieces of Facebook content violating counterfeit or copyright
infringement rules and about 3 million on Instagram. According to European
Union's law enforcement agency, Europol, 86% of all counterfeits worldwide </span><a href="https://daxueconsulting.com/counterfeit-products-in-china/"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">originated</span></a><span face="Candara, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> from
Mainland China and Hong Kong in 2015.<span><a name='more'></a></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">This writeup explores the pervasive trend in counterfeiting,
brand protection, intellectual property theft, and supply chain security and
their consequences especially in this age of e-commerce, disinformation, internet
of things, IoT. An attempt is also made to proffer solutions and recommend best
practices, to aforesaid infractions. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Factors Driving Counterfeiting in Nigeria<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">According to Nigeria’s National Bureau of Statistics
(NBS) 2019 </span><a href="https://www.worldbank.org/en/programs/lsms/brief/nigeria-releases-new-report-on-poverty-and-inequality-in-country"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">report</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">, 40
percent of the country’s total population, or almost 83 million people, live
below the country’s poverty line of <s style="text-line-through: double;">N</s>137,430
naira ($381.75) per year. It follows, and this is not extenuating or justifying
a culture of counterfeiting, that many folks who desire quality stuff cannot
afford them hence will likely resort to buying counterfeit products. It is not
just poverty that drives counterfeiting. It can also be caused by corruption
and greed. For instance, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) is currently
enmeshed in finger-pointing, and buck-passing over the importation of about 50,000
metric tons (50 million litres) of ‘adulterated’ petrol into Nigeria. It beggars
belief, as reported by the UK Guardian Newspaper, that Petrol sold to Nigeria
from Europe is '</span><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2020/jul/01/petrol-sold-to-nigeria-from-europe-dirtier-than-black-market-bush-fuel"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">dirtier</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">' than
black market 'bush' fuel refined in the Niger Delta.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Most of the counterfeit goods in Nigeria are smuggled
through the plethora of porous land borders and these costs the country
millions of dollars in revenue. It is commonplace to </span><a href="https://www.mondaq.com/nigeria/trademark/988968/counterfeiting-of-fake-drugs-in-africa-current-situation-causes-and-countermeasures"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">find</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">
genuine brand of any product side by side with their imitations in Idumota, Oluwole,
Balogun, Ladipo, Jankara, <span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">Computer
village Ikeja</span>, Alaba International Market, Westminster in Apapa, Aba New
Market, <span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">Ariaria Market</span>,
Nnewi Market, Onitsha Main Market, Sabon Gari in Kano, to mention just a few. For
instance, about 20 per cent of the cigarette market in Nigeria is said to be </span><a href="https://punchng.com/nigeria-losing-billions-dollars-illicit-tobacco-trade-batn-md/"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">controlled</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> by
counterfeiters and illicit cigarette dealers. In the West African region,
Guinea Conakry serves as a key transit route and point of entry into Mali,
which provides access for illicit cigarettes (and unfortunately small arms and
light weapons, SALW) to Libya and the rest of North Africa or northern Nigeria
through Niger Republic. Similarly, Benin, Togo (Lomé, Cotonou, and Tema
container ports) are also key points of entry, providing access to Cote
D’Ivoire, Nigeria, Niger, Burkina Faso, and Ghana. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;"><span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhj7kQdcHWY6_XiGIY48qISw1p_JApdtp-QDdQoXIfq61fxKMmNwsGIIF-cHUVUIYt40d5GkzHLzBNoslJGMcmNAlJQhYLVTxJZvV7bwHltht7f2--ZCdCzxf4voRpiV0ltQpqCnb3tQwH1x_kBrcuUSMh8OX4ENQTuRk_qteRu_-d4H82a4jmXiC13=s616" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="415" data-original-width="616" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhj7kQdcHWY6_XiGIY48qISw1p_JApdtp-QDdQoXIfq61fxKMmNwsGIIF-cHUVUIYt40d5GkzHLzBNoslJGMcmNAlJQhYLVTxJZvV7bwHltht7f2--ZCdCzxf4voRpiV0ltQpqCnb3tQwH1x_kBrcuUSMh8OX4ENQTuRk_qteRu_-d4H82a4jmXiC13=w640-h432" width="640" /></a> </div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Background on counterfeiting
and intellectual property<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">While the English word “counterfeiting” only </span><a href="https://www.oecd.org/sti/ind/2090589.pdf"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">refers</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> to specific cases of
trademark infringement, in practice, the term encompasses any making of a
product which so closely imitates the appearance of the product of another as
to disinform a customer that it is the product of another. Counterfeiting also
pertains to the unauthorized production and distribution of a product that is
protected by other intellectual property rights, such as copyright and
neighbouring rights (Clark, 1997).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">According to the World Intellectual Property Organization
(WIPO), Intellectual property (IP) </span><a href="https://www.wipo.int/about-ip/en/#:~:text=Intellectual%20property%20(IP)%20refers%20to,and%20images%20used%20in%20commerce."><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">refers</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> to
creations of the mind, such as inventions; literary and artistic works;
designs; and symbols, names and images used in commerce. It follows that </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Intellectual
property rights are rights conferred by statutes on an individual or a
corporate organization with respect to the product of his or her intellect,
guaranteeing the exclusive control of the misuse of his work for a limited
period. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">How Counterfeiters Exploit The Penetration of Social Media,
e-commerce websites<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Thanks to the permeation of social media platforms such
as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and the rise of third-party sellers and B2B
e-commerce websites like Amazon, eBay, Jumia, Konga, Jiji, amongst others,
counterfeit, and replica versions of everything, from printer ink to drugs are
just a click away. The EUROPOL </span><a href="https://www.europol.europa.eu/operations-services-and-innovation/public-awareness-and-prevention-guides/be-aware-of-fake-social-media-accounts-and-fake-mobile-apps"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">warned</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> that
counterfeiters exploit fake social media accounts, register fake profiles,
pages containing original brand names to sell and advertise their products. According
to a research, led by social media analytics firm Ghost Data, social media behemoth,
Facebook, Instagram, both owned by Meta, are </span><a href="https://www.reuters.com/technology/facebook-instagram-are-hot-spots-fake-louis-vuitton-gucci-chanel-2022-02-09/"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">hotspots</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> for
fake Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Chanel and other luxury brands. It used to be eBay
10 years ago, and Amazon five years ago. Apparently Facebook owner Meta
Platforms is struggling to stop counterfeiters from pushing fake luxury goods
across its social media apps as the company barrels into ecommerce. Between
June and October 2021, there were more than 26,000 active counterfeiters'
accounts operating on Facebook and more than 20,000 active counterfeiters'
accounts on Instagram, up from its count the previous year. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Trying to catch up, Facebook said it </span><a href="https://transparency.fb.com/data/intellectual-property/notice-and-takedown/facebook"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">removed</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> 283
million pieces of Facebook content violating counterfeit or copyright
infringement rules and about 3 million on Instagram, either before they were
reported by brands or before they went live. I reckon the trend will quadruple
as Meta rolls out various social commerce features that will allow businesses
showcase their products and let customers make purchases directly from WhatsApp
chat.</span><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Most Counterfeited Luxury, Pharmaceutical Products</span></b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Luxury brands tend to be the most counterfeited products
because they are not only more valuable, but they are also sophisticated. This
explains why products like Brioni, Hermès Handbags, Louis Vuitton, Louboutin,
Balenciaga, Prada, Fendi, Salvatore Ferragamo, Givenchy, Alexander McQueen,
Giorgio Armani, Beats by Dre Headphones, Apple brand power adapters, Rolex
watches, are often counterfeited or have replicas. For instance, while<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a genuine Gucci designer bag sells for
$1,390, its hard to spot counterfeit which is probably made in Aba, Nigeria, will
go for as low as $100. Footwear - Nike and Adidas are said to be one of the
world's </span><a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/news/24-counterfeit-goods-avoid-amazon-234957120.html"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">most</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">
counterfeited footwear while Samsung is probably the most counterfeited
high-end smartphone brand in the world<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Sale of counterfeit pharmaceutical drugs is a pandemic,
big business in Nigeria, nay Africa. The World Health Organization (WHO) </span><a href="https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/326708/9789241513425-eng.pdf?ua=1"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">asserts</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> that 42%
of all fake medicines reported to them between 2013 and 2017 were from Africa. 70%
of medicines and 99% of medical devices and equipment in Nigeria are reportedly
imported, mostly from China and India. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjq5Q_gPTjbmKLtx_HVwgTq7QhTzJgpvwBuTS9qEtUO1ayhKaKip2-niXmNQ-iB23jdmIrS64D0Q07HAjOLYN80y-cyWKAuHPqb6FkRFo0Z_OfJ24-_DoaSvcH-MIpOGIJhAsrTS92Gp18I3s2oUgrPnPObvo0rp36sV5WMqBesi9JXySr2znKv4O39=s831" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="521" data-original-width="831" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjq5Q_gPTjbmKLtx_HVwgTq7QhTzJgpvwBuTS9qEtUO1ayhKaKip2-niXmNQ-iB23jdmIrS64D0Q07HAjOLYN80y-cyWKAuHPqb6FkRFo0Z_OfJ24-_DoaSvcH-MIpOGIJhAsrTS92Gp18I3s2oUgrPnPObvo0rp36sV5WMqBesi9JXySr2znKv4O39=w640-h402" width="640" /></a></div><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">NAFDAC's director of investigation and enforcement
directorate, Mr. Kingsley Ejiofor </span><a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/nigerian-startups-help-fight-scourge-fake-medicines-2022-01-13/"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">reportedly</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">
averred that the agency had in the past three years seized 2 trillion naira
($4.8 billion) worth of counterfeit drugs. Nigeria is said to </span><a href="https://tribuneonlineng.com/nigeria-loses-n200bn-annually-to-counterfeit-medicines-%E2%80%95experts/"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">lose</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> about
N200bn annually to counterfeit medicines. It is believed that imported fake and
substandard drugs in Nigeria</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1122639/#:~:text=Mohammed%20Yaro%20Budah%2C%20a%20pharmacist,Pakistan%2C%20Egypt%2C%20and%20Indonesia."><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> come</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> mainly
from India, China, Pakistan, Egypt, and Indonesia.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">In 2015, a study published in the American Society of
Tropical Medicine and Hygiene </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4455082/"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">estimated</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> that more
than 122,000 children under the age of five died each year because of
sub-standard anti-malarial drugs in sub-Saharan Africa. As a rule of thumb, antibiotics,
painkillers, weight loss, cancer, corticosteroids, drugs for erectile
dysfunction, Alzheimer, psychiatric, and antiretrovirals for HIV/AIDS, are amongst
the </span><a href="https://www.fiercepharma.com/special-report/top-counterfeit-drugs-report#:~:text=Counterfeiters%20will%20manufacture%20a%20product,also%20among%20those%20most%20counterfeited."><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">most counterfeited drugs</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiimwVxxtFkbQ4YLm03lO6n1OHsWZEMK0rX5XKEQYgVqLV6H2_fkgmRjoUvNMYjCIw-460Bdt-4ozng3d4igHzSR80hoQG5bXkcS_Nc8AYkkZJmpExsIicrQJEklUgZaaykqHAwZnaUGl9LjNiwXoPWeevcbzsuEb3_7zcVHOf7svtjNWjbHMPmZFSX=s760" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="536" data-original-width="760" height="453" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiimwVxxtFkbQ4YLm03lO6n1OHsWZEMK0rX5XKEQYgVqLV6H2_fkgmRjoUvNMYjCIw-460Bdt-4ozng3d4igHzSR80hoQG5bXkcS_Nc8AYkkZJmpExsIicrQJEklUgZaaykqHAwZnaUGl9LjNiwXoPWeevcbzsuEb3_7zcVHOf7svtjNWjbHMPmZFSX=w640-h453" width="640" /></a></div><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Apart from Pharmaceuticals, luxury goods, Intellectual
property, fast moving consumer goods, FMCG, even the Nigerian currency, the
Naira is not left out. The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN recently revealed that
it </span><a href="https://nairametrics.com/2021/11/05/cbn-discovers-n56-83-million-worth-of-counterfeit-notes-in-2020/"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">discovered</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">
counterfeit notes with a nominal value of N56.83 million in 2020. <o:p></o:p></span><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="text-align: justify;">The US currency, the dollar is not exempted.
There are counterfeit US dollars in Nigeria, nay other parts of the world. On
February 18, 2022, Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency
(NDLEA)</span><a href="https://www.channelstv.com/2022/02/20/ndlea-intercepts-fake-4-7m-cash-in-abuja/" style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
reportedly</a><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="text-align: justify;"> intercepted fake $4.7 million cash in Abuja, Nigeria's federal
capital. </span><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="text-align: justify;">According to the United States Department of
Treasury, an estimated </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Counterfeit_United_States_currency#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20United%20States,counterfeit%20per%204%2C000%20genuine%20notes." style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; text-align: justify;">$70
million in counterfeit bills are in circulation</a><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="text-align: justify;">, or approximately 1 note in
counterfeits for every 10,000 in genuine currency, with an upper bound of $200
million counterfeit, or 1 counterfeit per 4,000 genuine notes.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgkG7CcHWro3wJNXSh7K9xYs-VpXt-EHXeW1yOx2mAqSgEjxS2SblPnWCBX_eHqY3hUNsU3l-wrFj6lePbd6a9YsXGVNfGJnpYSm096NlPHtZMGOcPCC52zKAs56rjdyI9bOT_j9J_a9dU-Zv3Tx-mEpBqybPVIckoZzMPXFXZIUTvnxS_N5UlZo44X=s622" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="553" data-original-width="622" height="570" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgkG7CcHWro3wJNXSh7K9xYs-VpXt-EHXeW1yOx2mAqSgEjxS2SblPnWCBX_eHqY3hUNsU3l-wrFj6lePbd6a9YsXGVNfGJnpYSm096NlPHtZMGOcPCC52zKAs56rjdyI9bOT_j9J_a9dU-Zv3Tx-mEpBqybPVIckoZzMPXFXZIUTvnxS_N5UlZo44X=w640-h570" width="640" /></a></div><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Counterfeit ICT, Software, Fast Moving Consumer Goods
(FMCG) in Nigeria</span></b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Fake tech reportedly accounts for 7 percent of global ICT
trade. For instance, an astonishing </span><a href="https://www.statista.com/chart/9311/counterfeit-ict-trade/"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">report</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> on
counterfeit ICT goods published by the OECD asserts nearly one in five mobile
phones shipped internationally is said to be fake. In Nigeria, Hewlett Packard (HP)
Printer inks and cartridges are one of the most counterfeited print supplies in
Nigeria.<b> </b>According to HP, approximately </span><a href="https://businessday.ng/business-economy/article/nigeria-others-lose-3bn-to-counterfeit-products-yearly/"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">12 million counterfeits</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> and components </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">were</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> seized by local authorities</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> in
partnership with HP's </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Anti-Counterfeiting
and Fraud (ACF) Program</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">, </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">across
Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">over five years.</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj8cF6sZpyWHcJ1HP5e3h45sJelB3DF5lsWHZn9F3HjukhjzTdMt-3NiiDI_FRq_mV575wQ86Yyy_teLl2lSeejr7fL5qZPQiz6NGbenMyRG0-QnW4RV-BcccyIlQaVFmyy65h7QhDglLeqcZZ-4K8AmeY6p22z06RI8gePDno2BORH1GrIfUuwC6EW=s759" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="558" data-original-width="759" height="470" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj8cF6sZpyWHcJ1HP5e3h45sJelB3DF5lsWHZn9F3HjukhjzTdMt-3NiiDI_FRq_mV575wQ86Yyy_teLl2lSeejr7fL5qZPQiz6NGbenMyRG0-QnW4RV-BcccyIlQaVFmyy65h7QhDglLeqcZZ-4K8AmeY6p22z06RI8gePDno2BORH1GrIfUuwC6EW=w640-h470" width="640" /></a></div><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">A 2014 study by the Business Software Alliance, BSA,
leading advocate for the global software industry </span><a href="https://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/07/2013-81-software-nigerians-computers-fake/"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">disclosed</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> that
81% of software in Nigeria are fake or pirated. The BSA estimates that the
commercial value of unlicensed software in Nigeria exceeded $287 million in
2013. </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Buying
counterfeit products may seem cheap at first but pricey in the long run because
counterfeit software are often vulnerable to computer viruses, malware and
hackers.</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Sometime in June, 2019, Nigerian police officers arrested
suspects who </span><a href="https://www.premiumtimesng.com/regional/ssouth-west/337959-police-arrest-fake-hennessy-moet-chandon-producers.html"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">specialized</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> in the production of fake versions of such drinks as Hennessy Vsop,
Hennessy Xo, Moet Chandon, Jack Daniel, Remy Martins, Red label amongst others.
An unofficial report </span><a href="https://www.publichealth.com.ng/how-to-identify-fake-coca-cola-products/"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">suggested</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> the
circulation of the fake Coca-Cola products in parts of Nigeria at a point in
time.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi5Wsfu_azhlOJ5_QjVQNlic49U50qINyj4CMLT-aLQcLeOKusw4vhc1f12UzcAhJZtBOepzCFKtbSCc7WD4JNZ2WYxyw3x15jMa6CFWsM5v42kKp3H9TLfMWbRuddOMfOqNZ3EClZzUHAEqZZFh1T46l4Ht6vGTo_xVgfgXGwUEKl6VP8uJGvCai0r=s652" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="527" data-original-width="652" height="518" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi5Wsfu_azhlOJ5_QjVQNlic49U50qINyj4CMLT-aLQcLeOKusw4vhc1f12UzcAhJZtBOepzCFKtbSCc7WD4JNZ2WYxyw3x15jMa6CFWsM5v42kKp3H9TLfMWbRuddOMfOqNZ3EClZzUHAEqZZFh1T46l4Ht6vGTo_xVgfgXGwUEKl6VP8uJGvCai0r=w640-h518" width="640" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">The Harmful Impact of Counterfeits on The Economy And
Brands. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">There is no gainsaying the fact that the proliferation of
counterfeits, pirated products, and Intellectual property (IP) theft, terribly drains
the global economy, deprives governments of revenues, enables an “underground
economy”, and negatively affects brands.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">A 2019 </span><a href="https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/sites/74c81154-en/index.html?itemId=/content/publication/74c81154-en"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">quantitative analysis</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> of the value, scope, and magnitude of world trade in
counterfeit and pirated products estimates that the volume of international
trade in counterfeit and pirated products translates to about USD 464 billion
in that year, or 2.5% of world trade. Similarly, a previous (2016) OECD-EUIPO
studies, estimated that counterfeit and pirated products amounted to 3.3% of
world trade, or USD 509 billion. Aforesaid data stems from customs seizure observations
and doesn’t consider domestically produced and consumed counterfeit and pirated
products; nor do they include pirated digital content on the Internet.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Punishment for
Intellectual Property Theft in Nigeria<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">In Nigeria,
Intellectual Property Rights is </span><a href="https://www.wipo.int/edocs/mdocs/ip-conf-bg/en/wipo_ectk_sof_01/wipo_ectk_sof_01_2_7.doc"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">governed</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> by
the Trademarks Act Cap. 436 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, the Patents
and Designs Act Cap. 344 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990 and the
Copyright Law Cap. 68 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Similarly, the
Nigeria’s Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Act 2015 imposes criminal action for unauthorized usage
of trademark online. Specifically, Section 25 of the Act states that: "A
person who, intentionally takes or makes use of a name, business name,
trademark, domain name or other word or phrase registered, owned or in use by
any individual, body corporate or belonging to either the Federal, State or
Local Government in Nigeria, on the internet or any other computer network,
without authority or right, and for the purpose of interfering with their use
by the owner, registrant or legitimate prior user, commits an offence under
this Act and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term of not more
than 2 years or a fine of not more than N5,000,000.00 or both".<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><b><span face="Candara, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Supply Chain: The Cybersecurity Connection<span style="color: red;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Supply chain security is an element of supply chain
management that </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searcherp/definition/supply-chain-security#:~:text=Importance%20of%20supply%20chain%20security,a%20loss%20of%20intellectual%20property."><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">focuses</span></a></span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> on the risk management of external suppliers, vendors,
logistics and transportation. Its goal is to identify, analyze and mitigate the
risks inherent in working with other organizations as part of a supply chain.
Supply chain security involves both physical security relating to products and
cybersecurity for software and services. Supply chain attacks are the hacker's
new </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="https://www.zdnet.com/article/supply-chain-attacks-are-the-hackers-new-favourite-weapon-and-the-threat-is-getting-bigger/"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">favourite</span></a></span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> weapon. A recent </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="https://www.itpro.co.uk/business-operations/supply-chain-management-scm/361208/supply-chain-cyber-security-breach-impacted"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">survey</span></a></span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> by BlueVoyand, of 1,200 Information Technology leaders
in organizations indicates that supply chain breaches impacted 97% of firms in
2020. The European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA), projected supply
chain attacks to </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="https://cyberriskleaders.com/supply-chain-cyber-attacks-expected-to-quadruple-by-end-2021/?utm_campaign=meetedgar&utm_medium=social&utm_source=meetedgar.com"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">quadruple</span></a></span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> by the end of 2021 as compared to the previous year. According
to Sonatype's 2020 State of the Software Supply Chain </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="https://www.csoonline.com/article/3191947/supply-chain-attacks-show-why-you-should-be-wary-of-third-party-providers.html"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">Report</span></a></span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">, supply chain attacks targeting open-source software
projects are a major issue for enterprises, since 90% of all applications
contain open-source code and 11% of those have known vulnerabilities. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj7Mo1yF54gmEDBjZ8l8ivt2zRcrRmGlgcyuVL2-200FqOPo4bGn_RIxW-ymcC9mFTEFu_mn4Zzhmszo5zVnJPdSnlL7SWuW3iVLbbFRJkwypjiVZqyzQuHIQ_-UbLh2ich-t-A6vNpUkS0_b9cl4P1TlUMy5reu4btsBtbWx2e016b-TInvRn4z3TR=s646" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="353" data-original-width="646" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj7Mo1yF54gmEDBjZ8l8ivt2zRcrRmGlgcyuVL2-200FqOPo4bGn_RIxW-ymcC9mFTEFu_mn4Zzhmszo5zVnJPdSnlL7SWuW3iVLbbFRJkwypjiVZqyzQuHIQ_-UbLh2ich-t-A6vNpUkS0_b9cl4P1TlUMy5reu4btsBtbWx2e016b-TInvRn4z3TR=w640-h350" width="640" /></a></div><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Writing on ''The Power of Anonymity in Supply Chain
Security'', Adrien Gendre </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/opinions/power-anonymity-supply-chain/"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">submits</span></a></span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> that ''your supply chain is not a secret''. According to
him, from a company’s website to its social media accounts, the inner workings
of the company are in the public arena—open to exploitation from
cyber-criminals. In other words, cybercriminals don't have to attack a company
directly or physically. In our hyperconnected world where teleworking is the
new normal, hackers can penetrate a company through a vendor or third party
supplier. Classic examples are: </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">The <a href="https://threatpost.com/solarwinds-hack-seismic-shift/165758/">SolarWinds
hack</a>, a “supply-chain” attack on approximately 18,000 purchasers of the
company’s Orion software. Similar to the SolarWinds incident, is t</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">he 2021 Microsoft Exchange Server data breach where
attackers exploited zero-day vulnerabilities that could be used to break into
any Exchange servers that were internet-accessible – and steal all the emails
and files stored on them. Aforesaid cyberattacks affected tens of thousands of
other organizations with far-reaching consequences. Also recall that </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">in </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">January 2022</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">, a</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> Chinese hacking group </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="https://www.csis.org/programs/strategic-technologies-program/significant-cyber-incidents"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">reportedly</span></a></span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> breached several German pharma and tech firms. According
to the German government, the hack into the networks of service providers and
companies was primarily an attempt to steal intellectual property.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">In this light, the US President, Joe Biden recently signed
an ambitious </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/05/12/executive-order-on-improving-the-nations-cybersecurity/"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">Executive Order</span></a></span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> calling for a complete reformation of supply chain
cybersecurity standards throughout US government entities, and the private
sector. Experts believe that if not checked, supply chain cyber-attacks could
cripple critical infrastructures in the United States. </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">This explains why </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">US tech giants, Microsoft and Google </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/google-microsoft-to-invest-%2430-bln-to-advance-cybersecurity-2021-08-26"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">pledged</span></a></span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> to invest $30 billion over the next five years,</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">
</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">develop a new framework to improve the security and
integrity of the technology supply chain.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhyDhXPNnZrHSYh32ImJrAIKchYGGptLOefgdWPfV15Icjnpojg3vGkuZI4qexlN65mhiIXgny9WM6EcGbUTZQxXZ3MX6PtNRgMIRu9-ILAj_ahgflkz7nNTo3qM3RpmluLGqN_oU8j7XBcRuT_ZKrvrXxRIqrKzqMo5FYdK6OhvNVBgdgVXdp-Yudf=s721" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="217" data-original-width="721" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhyDhXPNnZrHSYh32ImJrAIKchYGGptLOefgdWPfV15Icjnpojg3vGkuZI4qexlN65mhiIXgny9WM6EcGbUTZQxXZ3MX6PtNRgMIRu9-ILAj_ahgflkz7nNTo3qM3RpmluLGqN_oU8j7XBcRuT_ZKrvrXxRIqrKzqMo5FYdK6OhvNVBgdgVXdp-Yudf=w640-h192" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><b>To be continued....</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Candara, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">Written by:</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Candara, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">©Don Okereke, </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Candara, sans-serif"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 18.6667px; line-height: 115%;"></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Candara, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">A tech-savvy security thought leader, analyst, researcher, writer, content creator, military veteran.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Candara, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;"><b>February 19, 2022</b></span></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Don Okerekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06678079913273123553noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848222137267791504.post-78248850657975085022021-11-30T10:39:00.003+00:002022-01-26T07:21:22.452+00:00 Worsening Insecurity, Recurring Jailbreaks in Nigeria: Symptoms of A Fragile/Failed State?<p style="text-align: center;"><b style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUnC5Pg7eBHB5mQbQM9oGKAnoqHNo7nRCviKYgb4Y25OkFo5UFaErB4rOt6w6CMCRTyL7irqEyaorzOlQ052QGnKIJhf9Xlna9eCv_6yUBs70zp3rgigUhjqrEPz4dzU7bA6WB95FD0AQ/s506/Nigeria_Failed+State_Fragile+State_Nigeria+Security+Agencies_Jailbreaks+in+Nigeria_Prisons_Correctional+Facilities.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="462" data-original-width="506" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUnC5Pg7eBHB5mQbQM9oGKAnoqHNo7nRCviKYgb4Y25OkFo5UFaErB4rOt6w6CMCRTyL7irqEyaorzOlQ052QGnKIJhf9Xlna9eCv_6yUBs70zp3rgigUhjqrEPz4dzU7bA6WB95FD0AQ/s320/Nigeria_Failed+State_Fragile+State_Nigeria+Security+Agencies_Jailbreaks+in+Nigeria_Prisons_Correctional+Facilities.jpg" width="320" /></a></b></div><b style="text-align: justify;">A Recap of The Security Dynamics
in Nigeria: </b><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">The 2021 Fragile States
Index (FSI) </span><a href="https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2021/08/20/fragility-of-the-nigerian-state/" style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">ranks</a><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">
Nigeria as the 12th 'most fragile state in the world' out of the 179 countries
appraised. Recall that Nigeria occupied the 14</span><sup style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif;">th</sup><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"> position in 2020. Put
this statistically, in </span><a href="https://knoema.com/atlas/Nigeria/topics/World-Rankings/World-Rankings/Fragile-states-index#:~:text=In%202020%2C%20fragile%20states%20index,average%20annual%20rate%20of%200.23%25." style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">2020</a><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">,
the fragile states index (FSI) for Nigeria was 97.27. It increased from 94.4
index in 2006 to 97.27 index in 2020, growing at an average annual rate of
0.23%. According to the </span><a href="https://fragilestatesindex.org/frequently-asked-questions/what-does-state-fragility-mean/" style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Fragile
States Index</a><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"> powered by the United states-based Fund For peace, State
fragility manifests itself in various ways such as: ‘’The loss of physical
control of its territory or a monopoly on the legitimate use of force; The
erosion of legitimate authority to make collective decisions; An inability to
provide reasonable public services; The inability to interact with other states
as a full member of the international community’’. The Borno State governor,
Professor Babagana Zulum reportedly </span><a href="https://leadership.ng/nigeria-ranked-146-on-volatile-nations-index/" style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">asserted</a><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">
recently that Nigeria is ranked 146 out of 166 crisis-stricken nations’ ranking
on kidnapping, banditry, and forms of criminalities. <span><a name='more'></a></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">On the flip side, a '<a href="https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-a-failed-state-definition-and-examples-5072546">failed
state'</a> is a country whose government has become incapable of providing the
basic functions and responsibilities of a sovereign nation, such as military
defense, law enforcement, justice, education, or economic stability. Common
characteristics of failed states include ongoing civil violence, corruption,
crime, poverty, illiteracy, and crumbling infrastructure. Even if a state is
functioning properly, it can fail if it loses credibility and the trust of the
people. If we agree with the trite saying that the primary responsibility of
any government is to guarantee the security and lives of its citizens and to
protect </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">them from the</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> worst vicissitudes of life,
do we need further evidence that Nigeria does not have monopoly on the use of
force or bereft of physical control of its territory? A mid-year report by Washington DC-based human
rights organization, Global Rights which tracks daily incidents of violent
crimes, <a href="https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2021/07/25/nigeria-records-3868-killings-3016-abductions-in-six-months/">revealed</a>
that no fewer than 3,868 persons were killed in Nigeria between January and
June 2021. The Global Rights group also inferred that 3,016 persons were
abducted within the timeframe, a 79.6 percent increase compared to 615
incidents recorded within the same period in 2020. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">On The Permeating Security
Challenges in Nigeria<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">In August 2021, armed men </span><a href="https://www.voanews.com/a/africa_nigeria-two-officers-shot-dead-one-kidnapped-attack-defense-academy/6209930.html"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">reportedly</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> attacked the Nigerian
Defense Academy (NDA) in Kaduna State, killing two officers and abducting a
third. The Nigerian Defence Academy is the citadel of learning where military officers,
including those from neighbouring African countries are trained. Premium Times
Newspaper <a href="https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/495259-two-generals-70-others-killed-in-nigeria-last-week-as-insecurity-worsens.html">headline</a>
of November 14, 2021 reads, ''two generals, 70 others killed in Nigeria last
week as insecurity worsens''. According to the online newspaper, </span><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">‘’as the security challenges in
Nigeria persist, at least 72 persons were killed last week (November 7-13) by
non-state actors across the country. The figure consists of at least 12
security personnel including a serving brigadier general </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Dzarma Zirkusu, and three soldiers who were killed in a
fierce encounter with ISWAP terrorists at Askira Uba LGA of Borno State’’.</span><span face="Candara, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Similarly, a</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> retired Airforce officer, Air Vice Marshal Muhammed
Maisaka, was reportedly <a href="https://www.channelstv.com/2021/11/09/just-in-gunmen-kill-retired-airforce-officer-maisaka-grand-son-in-kaduna/">murdered</a>
in Kaduna.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Boko Haram's faction <a href="https://www.cfr.org/blog/boko-haram-faction-reportedly-collecting-taxes-northeast-nigeria">reportedly</a>
collected taxes, mounted roadblocks, carried out search operations and provided
certain incentives and financial and material support in Northeast Nigeria. Similarly,
bandits <a href="https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/11/declaration-as-terrorists-unrelenting-bandits-burn-down-niger-farms-threaten-food-supply/">imposed</a>
taxes on farmers in Niger, Katsina, Zamfara states and other parts of the
country. The former United States Ambassador to Nigeria, John Campbell, and a
former Director with Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, Prof.
Robert Rotberg, are of the <a href="https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/africa/2021-05-31/giant-africa-failing">opinion</a>
that it is high time the United States to acknowledged Nigeria as a failed
state in light of the many security threats plaguing the country. Despite
evidence to the contrary, spin doctors and apologists, mostly in the corridors
of power, claim otherwise. Nigeria's Minister of Information and Culture, Lai
Mohammed <a href="https://www.channelstv.com/2021/08/19/nigeria-is-not-and-cannot-be-a-failed-state-lai-mohammed/">says</a>
Nigeria cannot be described as a failed state, insisting that the country is
only witnessing insecurity in some parts. Nigeria's Inspector General of Police,
Usman Alkali, is another idealist. He recently opined that not only was the
security situation in Nigeria getting better, but that the existing cases of
insecurity were “isolated cases of crime and threats to public safety, peace
and security in some parts of the country.” His statement came the same week
that at least 40 people including three police officers were killed by armed
non-state actors.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Litany, timeline of Prisons
breaks in Nigeria<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Out of the 50,992 inmates in
Nigeria, representing 74 per cent of the total population of inmates in Nigeria’s
custodial centres, are awaiting-trial inmates while only 17,755 inmates, which
is mere 26 per cent, are actual convicts. The Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf
Aregbesola, said that 4,369 inmates <a href="https://www.sunnewsonline.com/prison-breaks-3906-inmates-still-at-large-aregbesola-2/">escaped</a>
from custodial centres since 2020. He said while 984 were recaptured, 3,906
inmates were still missing. Nigeria has witnessed no fewer than 14 successful or
attempted jailbreaks in the past ten years. Noteworthy incidents include:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 105%; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 105%;">§<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span face="Candara, sans-serif" lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 105%;">28 November 2021, </span></b><span face="Candara, sans-serif" lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 105%;">Jos prison attack. Bandits at about 17H20, <a href="https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/11/breaking-gunmen-attack-jos-correctional-centre/">invaded</a>
the Jos Correctional Centre, a prison yard </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 105%;">situated in the heart of Jos
City, not far from the police headquarters, Plateau State. This is the latest attack
on a prison facility but will not be the last. Just like how kidnapping metamorphosed
in Nigeria, the seed of jailbreaks has been sowed and criminals are taking
notes.</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 105%;">
</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 105%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">The Nigerian Correctional
Service (NCoS) <a href="https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/497983-10-killed-252-inmates-escape-in-jos-prison-attack-official.html">confirmed</a>
that 10 persons were killed, and 252 inmates escaped during the attack by
gunmen on Sunday on the Jos Medium Security Custodial Centre. Prior to the
attack, the Jos Medium Security Custodial Centre had 1,060 inmates constituting
560 pre-trial detainees and 500 convicts.</span><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;">§<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">22 October 2021,</span></b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> <b>Oyo prison break. G</b>unmen
<a href="https://punchng.com/oyo-jailbreak-underscores-nigerias-scary-insecurity/">invaded</a>
the Abolongo Correctional Centre in Oyo Town at about </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">21H</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">30</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">
</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">after using dynamite to
blast the wall. </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Curiously, the
invaders did not attack convicted inmates in the prison, 64 in total. This
gives a huge clue: the attackers had a target to set free some of their
confederates, who had been arrested for crimes and kept in the Abolongo
custodial centre.</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> Aftermath of this jailbreak.</span><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;">§<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">September 12, 2021, Kogi prison break. </span></b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">At least 240 inmates <a href="http://saharareporters.com/2021/09/21/exclusive-how-boko-haram-terrorists-attacked-kogi-prison-gave-chief-imam-jail-assault">escaped</a>
the Medium Security Custodial Centre (MSCC) in Kabba/Bunu LGA of Kogi State,
following an attack by yet to be identified gunmen. The gunmen used explosives
to destroy three sides of the perimeter fence, killed a soldier and a policeman
during the attack and thereafter set the prisoners free. This is the second
attack on the Kogi prison facility.</span><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;">§<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">April 5 April 2021, Owerri prisons break. </span></b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Gunmen attacked Owerri
Prisons in Owerri, Imo State. They reportedly
hit the facility with rocket-propelled grenades and improvised
explosive devices. No fewer than 1,844 inmates <a href="https://thenationonlineng.net/history-of-prisons-breaks-in-nigeria/">escaped</a>.
267 of the escapees were kidnappers awaiting trial.</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;">§<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">October 22, 2020, attempted jailbreak at Ikoyi prison.</span></b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> No fewer than 10 lives were
<a href="https://punchng.com/ncs-begins-probe-of-lagos-jailbreak-keeps-mum-about-casualties/">reportedly</a>
lost, while more than 30 sustained gunshot injuries when inmates at the Ikoyi
Custodial Centre in Lagos attempted to take advantage of the #EndSARS protests
and the curfew in Lagos to escape. However, military men, who were mobilized to
the scene, foiled the attempt.</span><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;">§<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">October 19, 2020, Edo prisons break.</span></b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> A group of people under the
guise of ENDSARs protesters, attacked the prisons in Benin City and Oko in Edo
State freeing about 1,993 inmates.</span><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;">§<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">June 24, 2016, Kuje prisons break.</span></b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> There was a jailbreak at
the Kuje Medium Security Prisons in the
Federal Capital Territory. Two high profile inmates – Solomon Amodu and Maxwell
Ajukwu reportedly escaped through the
fence. On 29 August 2016, there was another
attempted jailbreak at the same facility.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 1pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;">§<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">December 6, 2014, Minna prisons break. T</span></b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">he Minna Medium Prisons was attacked by
three gunmen suspected to be armed
robbers. About 270 prisoners escaped. One security officer was injured.</span><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 7pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;">§<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">November 2014, Kogi prisons
break. T</span></b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">here was a breach at the Federal
Medium Security Prisons in Koto-Karffi,
Kogi State. The attackers were believed to be Boko Haram members. About 144 inmates escaped while one was killed. </span><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;">§<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">November 30, 2014, Ekiti
prisons break. T</span></b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">here was an attack on the Federal
Prisons at Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State. The incident led to the escape of 341
inmates and death of one prison
official. </span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;">§<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">October 10, 2014, Lagos
prisons break. T</span></b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">here was an unsuccessful break at the Kirikiri Medium Prisons in
Lagos State. The incident left 20
inmates dead; 80 others injured while twelve escaped.</span><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;">§<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">June 30, 2013, Ondo prisons
break. </span></b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">The Olokuta Medium Security Prisons in Akure, Ondo State was attacked by 50 gunmen. No fewer than 175
inmates escaped. Two were killed and one
was injured.</span><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 8pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;">§<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">January 4, 2013,</span></b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> <b>Ogun prisons break. </b>The
Sagamu Minimum Prisons, Ogun State was attacked. Twenty inmates reportedly escaped, and many prisons officials were injured.</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;">§<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">September 7, 2010, Bauchi
prison break.</span></b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> More than 50 gunmen suspected to be members of Boko Haram. attacked the
Bauchi Prisons. About 721 inmates reportedly
escaped while five were killed and six injured.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Solutions To prison breaks in Nigeria:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;">1.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Nigerian
security and intelligence agencies must be proactive and not reactive. Prison
breaks don't happen overnight. Prior to the attack, masterminds strategize,
communicate, amass logistics/weapons, engage in physical surveillance, reconnaissance
before they launch the attack. Actionable intelligence, inter-agency synergy and
information sharing can thwart such attacks. Whither the Directorate of
Military Intelligence (DMI), Nigerian Army Intelligence Corps - NAIC, Naval
Intelligence, Directorate of Air Intelligence, Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA),
the Department of State Security (DSS), Nigeria Police Force Criminal
Investigation and Intelligence Department (FCIID), the NSCDC Directorate of
Intelligence and Investigation), Customs Intelligent Unit or CIU), the National
Intelligence Agency, NIAs of this world? This should be there forte, not
hounding antagonists of the ruling government.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;">2.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></b><!--[endif]--><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">There’s </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">need for<b> </b>a biometric<b> </b>database of
convicted criminals searchable in real-time. It is cheering news that the
Nigerian Correctional Services is pursuing this line of action.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;">3.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></b><!--[endif]--><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Urgent need for random vulnerability
and risk assessment of all correctional facilities in nigeria.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;">4.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></b><!--[endif]--><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Installation of state-of-the-art security gadgets
such as solar powered (in the absence of regular electricity) CCTV cameras at prison
facilities.</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;">5.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></b><!--[endif]--><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Overhauling the Nigerian judicial
system that will lead to the speedy trials and delivery of judgments in all
cases. It is unfortunate that majority of prison inmates in Nigeria are
awaiting trial.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;">6.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></b><!--[endif]--><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Reformation, rehabilitation,
and reintegration of prisoners before they are freed will reduce the tendency
for recidivism. Going to prison is not a death sentence. Nigeria should take a cue from the Norwegian
Prison System which is structured to ensure rehabilitation and reformation of
offenders. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Conclusion:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">If the frequency and trend
in prison breaks in nigeria is not a threat to national security in Nigeria,
one wonders what is. The idea that nearly 4,000 prisoners, some of them convicted
murderers, are silhouetted amongst Nigerians, is effing mindboggling and scary.
Though there’s paucity of reliable data on criminal recidivism in Nigeria, Soyombo
(2009) <a href="https://www.iproject.com.ng/index.php/sociology/declining-prison-facilities-as-impediment-to-the-rehabilitation-of-offenders/index.html">reported</a>
that the rate of occurrence of criminal recidivism in Nigeria in 2005 was
37.3%. </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Similarly</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">, Abrifor et al. (2010) estimated the prevalence
of recidivism in Nigerian prisons at 52.4% in 2010. A report on trend and
pattern of recidivism shows that 81% of male criminal inmate offenders and 45%
of female criminal inmate offenders were re-arrested within 36 months of
discharge/release from the prison custody (Wilson, 2009 and Abrifor et al., 2010).
Given the high rate of criminal recidivism in Nigeria, the lack of ‘safety net’
and high rate of unemployment, Nigeria’s stick-in-the-mud justice system,
prison congestion and jailbreaks will not peter out anytime soon in Nigeria. While
we don’t wish it to happen, if the security trend in Nigeria is anything to go
by, it is only a matter of time before another prison break or an embarrassing assault
on Nigeria’s national security infrastructure is re-enacted. </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">As is always the case prior to elections, the political
entropy and the security situation in Nigeria will likely nosedive as the 2023
general elections approaches. </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Whether you agree or disagree with the notion that Nigeria
is oscillating between a fragile, failing or a failed state, the home truth and
takeaway is that inter-alia, the Nigerian security, and intelligence agencies
are overwhelmed and the current security situation in Nigeria is unprecedented,
unpredictable, and may not improve anytime soon. </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">This was re-echoed by the </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Taraba state governor, Darius Ishaku,</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">who <a href="https://www.channelstv.com/2021/11/18/taraba-ambazonia-attack-all-governors-in-nigeria-are-helpless-in-tackling-insecurity-ishaku/">admitted</a>
while appearing as a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">,</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> <span lang="EN">that the 36 governors in Nigeria are <b>helpless</b> when it
comes to tackling insecurity. If the Chief Security Officers of the 36 states
in Nigeria are lost, imagine the fate of the common man. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Let's continue to be vigilant
and situationally aware!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Written by:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><b><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">©Don
Okereke, <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><b><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">A </span></b><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">security analyst/consultant, researcher, writer, military veteran.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">November 30,
2021</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Don Okerekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06678079913273123553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848222137267791504.post-7197373841160633982021-11-24T09:28:00.001+00:002021-11-24T09:28:18.970+00:00Important Security And Safety Tips When Lodging in A Hotel<p style="text-align: center;"><b style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiS6PR-n7maVwCnhRVME8ubz94qrPkKMiTJJBXVic91Ngb35qjQ8z2qf6zPqJBww_M2uWouwLKEJ4XjRC7Gj4um-l-KrA9UyoeNJ_mHtLssSn48D-A3wOHFz71A01vQqCa-rK2B0jrL7A/s560/Important+Security_Safety+Tips+When+Lodging+in+A+Hotel_Nigerian+Hotels_Lodging_Airbnb+Nigeria.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="560" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiS6PR-n7maVwCnhRVME8ubz94qrPkKMiTJJBXVic91Ngb35qjQ8z2qf6zPqJBww_M2uWouwLKEJ4XjRC7Gj4um-l-KrA9UyoeNJ_mHtLssSn48D-A3wOHFz71A01vQqCa-rK2B0jrL7A/s320/Important+Security_Safety+Tips+When+Lodging+in+A+Hotel_Nigerian+Hotels_Lodging_Airbnb+Nigeria.jpg" width="320" /></a></b></div><b style="text-align: justify;">Preamble:</b><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; text-align: justify;"> Some of
us may have come across the reported ritual killing of a postgraduate student,
one Timothy Adegoke Oladare at Hilton And Resort Hotel in Ife. He was based in
Abuja but reportedly traveled to Ile Ife in Osun state to write his master’s
degree exam but was allegedly murdered in his hotel room where he lodged. Similarly,
it was <a href="https://punchng.com/police-summon-ogun-hotelier-over-cctv-cameras-uncovered-in-rooms/">reported</a>
that </span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; text-align: justify;">closed
circuit television (CCTV) cameras allegedly hidden in Air Conditioners were
discovered in rooms at the Pavillion Hotel, Ayepe, in the Odogbolu area of Ogun
state.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Hotel Security Tips</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"></p><ol><li style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Before choosing a hotel, do
some research and due diligence, probably online. Find out what kind of crime
is common in that area? Is there a terrorist or kidnapping
threat? You may wish to use the street view functionality of Google
Maps — if available — to get a visual sense of the hotel location.</span></li><li style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Choosing hotel room/Floor.
For a high rise building, choose a room between the second and fourth floors
(never the top floor), furthest away from the side of the lobby. The ground
floor is too easy to access. Most fire truck ladders can reach up to the
second, third and even fourth floors.</span></li><li style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Don't be gender-specific
when reserving a room. Provide only your first initial and last name.</span></li><li style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Ascertain if there's
deployment of armed security operatives or other government security agents in
the hotel especially at night.</span></li><li style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Do well to study the
hotel's layout, find exits or escape routes, count doors to stairways, identify
the nearest emergency exit and staircase upon arrival at a hotel.</span></li><li style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">When you arrive at the
hotel, call to inform a family member or friends or colleagues about the hotel
you are lodging in. Give them the name and address of the hotel.</span></li><li style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">It is
advisable to pay for hotel reservation with bank/online transfer and not cash.
This serves as an evidence that you lodged or paid for the hotel accommodation.
Avoid any hotel that insists on cash payments and would not accept direct
bank-facilities transaction. Scan the payment receipt and send to a family
member, friend, or colleague.</span></li><li style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Always carry a personal
flashlight or touch light (your phone's light can be useful too) should you
lose power in an unfamiliar.</span></li><li style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Desist from discussing your
business or travel plans and movements during your stay in a hotel, especially
in public areas where people may eavesdrop your conversation. Also, do not
discuss your room number while standing in the lobby (or anywhere).</span></li><li style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">If someone knocks on your
door claiming to be hotel staff and you haven’t requested room service, contact
(call) the front desk before opening the door to verify the person is indeed a
hotel employee.</span></li><li style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Always make your hotel room
appear to be occupied by leaving the television or radio on. You may also wish
to put the “Do Not Disturb” sign on the door.</span></li><li style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">While in the room, do a
physical inspection, scan the room, the wardrobe, windows, mattress to be sure
that nothing, including a secret CCTV camera is hidden inside a fake smoke
detector, alarm clock, or picture frame, AC power adapter, Alarm sensor,
Telephone Desk, standing lamp, Power outlet, Wall clock, Mirror, Alarm clock,
Soap dish, Toothbrush holder, Tissue boxes, DVD player or other set-top boxes.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Detecting a Hidden Camera
Lens. All cameras have a lens, and all lenses reflect light to some degree. One
of the easiest checks for a hidden camera is to close the curtains, turn the
lights off, and use your phone’s flashlight to look for telltale reflections
where they shouldn’t be.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Since
light needs to hit the lens at the right angle to be reflected back to you,
you’ll need to scan the room slowly, and shine the light from different spots.
Note that this approach won’t work for a camera that’s hidden inside a mirror,
or anything else with a highly-reflective surface.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Detecting Infrared Light
from Hidden Cameras. It is possible to use your phone to detect a hidden camera
via the infrared light it emits. Turn off the lights, put your phone into
selfie mode. Now, point a normal TV remote at the front camera, and push any of
the remote’s buttons. If a small, bright light appears on your phone screen
when the button is pushed, you’re good to go. There are various smartphone apps
that can help you detect hidden cameras such as Hidden Spy Camera
Detector, Radarbot, Detectify, Glint Finder, Hidden Device Detector, Ghost Camera
Finder, to scan for frequencies used by recording equipment.</span></li><li style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Keep the door locked as
soon as you enter your hotel room. A no-brainer, but it can be easy to forget.
Always use the deadbolt and security chain regardless of how excessive it may
seem.</span></li><li style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Don't open the door to
strangers. It may be less obvious, however, if the stranger claims to be a
hotel employee. If you're not expecting anyone, call the front desk to verify.
When you do open the door, keep the security chain engaged until you're
absolutely certain.</span></li><li style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">During your stay in the
hotel especially if you would be using the hotel’s Wi-Fi, use a VPN (VIRTUAL
PRIVACY NETWORK). Otherwise just about anyone can access all the information on
your device. Activating a VPN provides more security for your devices and the
information stored there. Most computer security companies like Norton have VPN
options.</span></li><li style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">When leaving the hotel,
inform a family member, a friend, or a colleague that you are about to check
out. Walk with confidence and not like someone who doesn’t know his/her way
around.</span></li><li style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Remain vigilant and
situationally aware!</span></li></ol><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
</p>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 20px; margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: candara, "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">©Don Okereke </span></b><span style="font-family: candara, "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">is<b> </b>a security analyst, thought leader, writer, active citizen and ex-serviceman. He’s a passionate advocate for cyber/security awareness.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 23px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 23px; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">November 24, 2021</span></div>Don Okerekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06678079913273123553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848222137267791504.post-88108913443033157102021-06-14T08:01:00.001+01:002021-06-14T08:38:14.726+01:00936 Students Abducted From Nigerian Schools In Six Months<p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidh1kiblF2BAmzXQxBec8Xg5KMp8RR-YKjLA9jMbjHsngg2hBZPiY6PngovGDWQ0n5nVfic1bR85CkeK25fJuOAYMGocNQO-MWHRYFUWu7fB1fdb6S176raBQjMUjQd_7s0zKQb5VA6d0/s303/Safe+Schools+Initiative+Nigeria_Boko+Haram+_Northeast_Nigeria_Abducted+Chibok+School+Girls+_+Gordon+Brown_Kidnap+for+ransom_Education_KRE_www.donokereke.blogspot.com.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="303" data-original-width="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidh1kiblF2BAmzXQxBec8Xg5KMp8RR-YKjLA9jMbjHsngg2hBZPiY6PngovGDWQ0n5nVfic1bR85CkeK25fJuOAYMGocNQO-MWHRYFUWu7fB1fdb6S176raBQjMUjQd_7s0zKQb5VA6d0/s0/Safe+Schools+Initiative+Nigeria_Boko+Haram+_Northeast_Nigeria_Abducted+Chibok+School+Girls+_+Gordon+Brown_Kidnap+for+ransom_Education_KRE_www.donokereke.blogspot.com.png" /></a></div>At least 936 students of secondary and tertiary institutions were abducted by suspected bandits and Boko Haram members across the country between December 2020 and June 5, 2021.</div><span><a name='more'></a></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">Findings by our correspondents showed that abductions were carried out across the country.</p><p style="text-align: center;">During the period under review, abductions were recorded in Ohordua, Edo State; Effurun, Delta State; Kankara, Kaduna State; and Mahuta village, Katsina State.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Other places where cases of abduction were recorded are Kagara, Niger State; Jangebe, Zamfara State; and Afaka, Kaduna State, among others.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Some parents who spoke to our correspondents said they would not allow their children return to school.</p><p style="text-align: center;">One of them, Alhaji Ibrahim Bageba, whose children were among the kidnapped Jangebe schoolgirls, said, “I have decided to withdraw my children from school because of the security situation in the whole country.</p><p style="text-align: center;">“Our children are no longer at ease due to rampant cases of student abduction across the country and as such, I feel that it is better to withdraw my children so that I will have peace of mind.”</p><p style="text-align: center;">A mother of two of the students who were abducted by bandits during the Jangebe School abduction, Hafsat Sani, said, “Many parents are skeptical about the government’s readiness to fight banditry. As such, I don’t think my children will return to school.</p><p style="text-align: center;">“Two of my children were kidnapped; I will not allow them go back unless something tangible is done.”</p><p style="text-align: center;">The Director of Press, Ministry of Education, Bem Goong, told The PUNCH that the Federal Government was working hard to ensure that schools were safe.</p><p style="text-align: center;">He urged state governments to also do the same.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Goong said, “If you go to our unity schools, you will notice the presence of security operatives. During the 2021 Common Entrance Examination monitoring exercise, the permanent secretary also added that unity schools are the safest and it is because we have deployed security operatives there.”</p><p style="text-align: center;">The Zamfara State Government said it would close down boarding schools till security situation improved in the state.</p><p style="text-align: center;">The state Commissioner for Education, Aliyu Tukur, said, “A committee has been constituted to look into the possibility of reopening the boarding schools that are not prone to attacks by bandits. We have deployed security operatives in schools that are open and we have organised workshops for school principals.”</p><p style="text-align: center;">A security expert, Nnamdi Chife, called on the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), to resuscitate the Safe School Initiative.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Chife said, “The government of President Jonathan designed a security strategy called Safe School Initiative, which was meant to provide comprehensive security for the schools that were under attack by the Boko Haram.</p><p style="text-align: center;">“It is high time for this administration to resuscitate that security programme to provide safe corridor for students. Otherwise, we may lose a generation.”</p><p style="text-align: center;">Another expert, Olalekan Ojo, said, “School abduction is becoming worrisome and some of us have been calling for a national security summit on this issue. A national security summit will involve school owners, security experts and other stakeholders.”</p><p style="text-align: center;">Ojo said if nothing urgent was done, the number of out-of-school children in the country could increase to about 30 per cent of the student population.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Culled from: <a href="https://punchng.com/936-students-abducted-from-nigerian-schools-in-six-months/">Punch Newspaper</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>Don Okerekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06678079913273123553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848222137267791504.post-3391824683380696652021-04-12T07:58:00.002+01:002021-04-12T08:00:32.940+01:00Gunmen Abduct Catholic Priest in Imo State<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnM1_12zSgpkQ5pS9kt7p6avSEH0JNJPynuLofCFx3hUHADaioG-sOXgjlQIzg7oobH4vav6TlcuSBekryEAv_gB1TUNnDSFsg3MAibhl3cRiZthwLw5CSiZC-tjuU7K5anNe7oZwcUB0/s225/Kidnapping_Nigeria_Insecurity_Ransom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="90" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnM1_12zSgpkQ5pS9kt7p6avSEH0JNJPynuLofCFx3hUHADaioG-sOXgjlQIzg7oobH4vav6TlcuSBekryEAv_gB1TUNnDSFsg3MAibhl3cRiZthwLw5CSiZC-tjuU7K5anNe7oZwcUB0/s0/Kidnapping_Nigeria_Insecurity_Ransom.jpg" /></a></div>Gunmen reportedly abducted a Catholic Priest, Rev. Prof. Izu Marcell Onyeocha at Ihube Community in Okigwe Local Government Area of Imo State.<span><a name='more'></a></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">The gunmen invaded the community early hours of Sunday, shot sporadically, before whisking the priest to an unknown destination.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Rev. Prof. Izu Marcell is also a lecturer at Imo State University in Owerri.</p><p style="text-align: center;">He is a native of Avuru Community in Ikeduru Local Government Area of the state.</p><p style="text-align: center;">When contacted, the state’s Police Public Relations Officer, SP Orlando Godson Ikeokwu told DAILY POST correspondent that some members of the community were in the station to report the incident.</p><p style="text-align: center;">According to him, “it’s just now that some members of the community came to the station in that regard.</p><p style="text-align: center;">“I will get back to you after hearing them out”, Orlando said.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Recall that the state had in recent times, witnessed unrest as the security crisis continues to deteriorate.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Culled from: <a href="https://dailypost.ng/2021/04/11/unknown-gunmen-abduct-catholic-priest-in-imo/">Daily Post Newspaper</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Don Okerekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06678079913273123553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848222137267791504.post-7589691461609840542021-04-11T14:36:00.003+01:002021-04-11T14:36:51.466+01:00 Boko Haram Attacks Borno Community, Kill Four, Burn United Nations Facilities<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPv3K7y_ucuYhJ1yHjdsd8bqD-ZOw39KsgQukzgNJPsJEL9pWjwYdteW68Z5JP4QJWSFG2Kw69HVHW9GN5Of4TCX8VUnYAzcsv1mhoiosje80sw7_E56uVELJHLQ-dSmdL9xDpKB_zBDk/s624/Boko-Haram-Shekau.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="351" data-original-width="624" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPv3K7y_ucuYhJ1yHjdsd8bqD-ZOw39KsgQukzgNJPsJEL9pWjwYdteW68Z5JP4QJWSFG2Kw69HVHW9GN5Of4TCX8VUnYAzcsv1mhoiosje80sw7_E56uVELJHLQ-dSmdL9xDpKB_zBDk/s320/Boko-Haram-Shekau.png" width="320" /></a></div>No fewer than four people, including soldiers were reportedly killed on Saturday evening as suspected members of ISWAP, a faction of the Boko Haram, attacked Damasak, a border community in Borno State, security sources and witnesses said.<span></span><p></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">Information trickled in late Saturday night that the border community was under attack. No clearer details were received until the early hours of Sunday.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Security sources told PREMIUM TIMES that the attack was mostly targeted at the UN and NGO facilities in Damasak. A police station and a hospital were also attacked.</p><p style="text-align: center;">“It was a bad situation we had on Saturday when the Boko Haram gunmen stormed Damasak later Saturday afternoon,” said a source, a local security personnel who pleaded not to be named.</p><p style="text-align: center;">“The attackers came in large numbers riding on motorcycles and many gun trucks. They attacked an area around the UN hub, setting it on fire.</p><p style="text-align: center;">“They also slaughtered two persons and we later discovered that two special forces soldiers also died.”</p><p style="text-align: center;">Another source informed our reporter that while most of the UN and other NGO workers were able to move into the bunker at the UN hub, the insurgents set fire on virtually all the NGO offices and warehouses.</p><p style="text-align: center;">“Yes, they set fire on the UN hub, the GISCOR office as well as INTERSOS, NRC offices before carting away their vehicles.</p><p style="text-align: center;">“The insurgents went to the General Hospital in Damasak and looted drugs and related medical facilities, but one of their commanders prevented them from setting fire on the hospital because there were patients in the wards.” </p><p style="text-align: center;">PREMIUM TIMES also learnt that the Damasak police station was burnt down as the “police took to their heels upon sighting the insurgents advancing toward the station.”</p><p style="text-align: center;">“The fire that affected part of the UN humanitarian hub was as a result of the escalation of the fire set on the warehouse of an NGO called ACTED,” one of our sources in Damasak said.</p><p style="text-align: center;">The source said the attackers left Damasak with a hospital ambulance and some other vehicles belonging to some of the NGOs.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Residential compound bombed</b></p><p style="text-align: center;">Some residents also said that a military jet that came to salvage the situation dropped a bomb that landed in a compound where civilians were holding a naming ceremony. The bomb exploded and killed many women and children, they said. Premium Times has not been able to independently confirm the bombing story.</p><p style="text-align: center;">The attack on the UN hub is the second of its kind in five weeks.</p><p style="text-align: center;">On March 1, the insurgents attacked a UN hub in Dikwa town of Borno State, where they burnt several vehicles after dislodging a military base.</p><p style="text-align: center;">The UN Office for the coordination of humanitarian affairs has not made any official comment on the Damasak attack.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Sandy Maroun, the Head of Public Information at UNOCHA, who said it was premature to speak with the media at the moment. She said she would issue a statement later when her office gets “enough information” on the matter.</p><p style="text-align: center;">The Nigerian military has also not spoken on the attack.</p><p style="text-align: center;">More details of the incident will be provided in subsequent reports.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Culled from: <a href="https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/454452-four-killed-un-facilities-burnt-vehicles-stolen-as-boko-haram-attacks-borno-community.html">Premium Times</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Don Okerekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06678079913273123553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848222137267791504.post-24403647382268834532021-04-05T14:04:00.008+01:002023-07-06T07:15:02.236+01:00UPDATED: Security Trend Analysis: Is Insurgency 2.0 Fermenting In Nigeria?<p style="text-align: center;"><b style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWrEt28ZkZnrRxxh-tO1YpHHlKuPwFkvZEzKFkAKV4RR83zqoegmBnVXqvYUTU8RaNDLUpPT3l0AXjhaA2YvSTEroRt9aFyLMSpMW_0oQZyF310sSSHjoF7Fgqua9ST0z993RYviuUdsI/s336/Nigeria+Insurgency+Biafra+Oduduwa+Republic+.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="259" data-original-width="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWrEt28ZkZnrRxxh-tO1YpHHlKuPwFkvZEzKFkAKV4RR83zqoegmBnVXqvYUTU8RaNDLUpPT3l0AXjhaA2YvSTEroRt9aFyLMSpMW_0oQZyF310sSSHjoF7Fgqua9ST0z993RYviuUdsI/s320/Nigeria+Insurgency+Biafra+Oduduwa+Republic+.jpg" width="320" /></a></b></div><b style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Preamble: </b><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;">At the risk of painting a gloomy picture, I dare submit that the tempo of
</span><span face="Candara, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;">social tension, political entropy,
armed conflict, wanton </span><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;">bloodletting, </span><span face="Candara, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;">ungoverned spaces, and the centrifugal forces at
play in Nigeria is to say the least, ramping up every day and very disturbing. Not
to be outdone, Nigeria is increasingly ticking</span><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;"> all the right boxes of a fragile state</span><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;"> <span lang="EN">and upping <span></span></span></span><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;">the misery index. To be sure, Nigeria </span><a href="https://knoema.com/atlas/Nigeria/topics/World-Rankings/World-Rankings/Fragile-states-index" style="text-align: left;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">increased</span></a><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;"> from 94.4 index in 2006 to 97.27
index in 2020. </span><span face="Candara, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;">Aforesaid upshots in Nigeria are fueled by widening
gap in social cohesion, entrenched marginalization, corruption, multidimensional poverty, inequality, injustice, uncurbed proliferation of small arms and light weapons
(SALW) and attendant quest for the Balkanization of the country by sundry
self-determination groups.</span></div></b><span face="Candara, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt;"><span><a name='more'></a></span></span><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">In the southwest, the herdsmen-farmers miasma has been heightened
by a blustering quest for Oduduwa Republic championed by Chief Sunday Adeyemo
(aka Sunday Igboho), his enfant terrible spokesman, </span><span face="Candara, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt;">Mr. Olayomi Koiki et al</span><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">.</span><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"> As part of efforts to
actualize Oduduwa Republic, agitators recently </span><a href="https://dailypost.ng/2021/03/31/oduduwa-security-outfit-launched-in-ogun-as-youths-storm-alakes-palace-video/"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">launched</span></a><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"> a security outfit - Oduduwa Nation
Security Force, code-named “Operation Paramole’’ in Abeokuta, the Ogun State
capital.</span><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"> Some stakeholders and analysts say the ongoing violence
in Nigeria is a preamble to the 2023 general election. Thrown into the mix is a
disturbing trend in non-state actors brazenly attacking police officers,
government security agents and carting away their weapons. No part of the
country is off-limits to criminal activities. </span><span face="Candara, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt;">Abuja, the capital of Nigeria is been encircled
by bandits, and tenably Boko Haram elements. Premium Times</span><a href="https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/451875-special-report-abuja-community-turns-kidnappers-haven-despite-housing-two-security-agencies.html"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> reports</span></a><span face="Candara, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt;"> that Pegi community in Kuje area council of the
Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, is fast becoming a kidnapper’s den despite
housing two government security facilities - the Navy and the police. Community
leaders say at least 30 persons had been kidnapped in the area in the last two
years and about N50 million paid as ransom.</span><span face="Candara, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">Writing in his column – Pendulum - on THISDAY Newspaper, Dele Momodu’s </span><a href="https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2021/01/23/who-shall-tell-the-president-nigeria-is-dying/"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">essay</span></a><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"> titled, ‘Who
Shall Tell the President Nigeria is Dying?’ captures events playing out in
Nigeria. In the words of Momodu, ‘’</span><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">The symptoms of
a failed nation are just too palpable to be missed or ignored by a reasonable
people. If nobody has yet told the President, then he must hear this somehow.
Our security situation is more than dire and grim. It is now catastrophic.
Nigerians are now being killed, kidnapped and raped in places that used to know
only peace’’. Ironically, while the United Kingdom expresses grave concern over what
it described as the ‘</span><a href="https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2021/04/01/britain-expresses-concern-over-nigerias-worsening-insecurity-offers-to-help/"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">deteriorating security situation in Nigeria</span></a><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">’, President Buhari
is vested, promises </span><a href="https://thenewsguru.com/nigeria-news/buhari-vows-to-help-niger-republic-others-fight-terrorism/"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-font-kerning: 12.0pt;">helping</span></a><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"> Niger Republic, and other neighbouring countries to
rein in terrorism, insecurity.</span></div></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">Multiple Threats To National Security And Nigeria’s Economy<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Nigeria is contending with hybrid, multiple
threats to national security. Sometime in February 2021, former Head of State,
General Abdulsalami Abubakar (Rtd), reportedly </span><a href="https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/02/insecurity-nigeria-heading-to-point-of-no-return-unless-gen-abdulsalami-abubakar/"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">warned</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> that the country stood the risk of disintegration, if
the violence currently spreading in the system was allowed to fester. </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">Radical elements in southern Nigeria, hitherto the southeast and now,
the southwest are simultaneously angling for secession. While the latter is so
far a talkfest</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">, the former seem to be
upping the ante with a</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;"> </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">festering insurrection. </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">It is not a coincidence that Major General Dagvin Anderson, the Commander
of the US Special Operations Command </span><a href="https://tribuneonlineng.com/isis-al-qaeda-planning-to-penetrate-southern-nigeria-us-warns/"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">warns</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> the Nigerian government that terrorist groups, Al-Qaeda
and ISIS, are planning to penetrate Southern Nigeria and other parts of West
Africa. </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;"> </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-font-kerning: 12.0pt;">Deplorable insecurity, instability
in Nigeria is also taking a toll on the economy. According to a </span><a href="https://guardian.ng/news/nigerians-pay-more-for-insecurity-as-economic-impact-hits-n50tr/"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-font-kerning: 12.0pt;">report</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-font-kerning: 12.0pt;"> by Guardian Newspaper, ‘’Nigerians are paying more
for insecurity as economic impact hits N50 trillion’’. Nigeria’s Central Bank
Governor (CBN), Godwin Emefiele corroborates the burden of insecurity on the
economy. According to Emefiele, rising inflation in the country was </span><a href="https://www.icirnigeria.org/rising-inflation-in-nigeria-fuelled-by-insecurity-naira-devaluation-emefiele/"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-font-kerning: 12.0pt;">caused</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-font-kerning: 12.0pt;"> by security crisis and devaluation of the naira. In a
related development, leading humanitarian information source on global crises
and disasters, ReliefWeb reckons that, ''as much as 5.1 million Nigerians are
at high risk of being critically food insecure between June-August 2021''.
Notwithstanding the fact that the country has spent at least </span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-font-kerning: 12.0pt;">₦</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-font-kerning: 12.0pt;">6 trillion on
security in the last decade. Fitch Ratings also noted that investment inflow
continues to be clouded by insecurity and governance challenges.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-font-kerning: 12.0pt;">Having mentioned the omnipresent security
challenges bedeviling Nigeria, let’s zero in, and attempt to interrogate the subject
matter of this essay – probability of insurgency 2.0 fermenting in Nigeria,
especially in the southeast and south-south.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-themecolor: text1;">The </span></b><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;">Eastern
Security Network</span></b><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-themecolor: text1;">, A Child of
Necessity?</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Hitherto regarded as one of the most peaceful
and plausibly safest part of the country, southeast Nigeria seem to be
witnessing a dangerous </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">collapse
of state machinery for protection of lives and property</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">. </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Unarguably the most militarized part of Nigeria, the southeast is
witnessing reinforcement of roadblocks, police deployment, and </span><a href="https://saharareporters.com/2021/03/23/exclusive-military-storms-onitsha-creates-many-roadblocks-search-esn-rampaging-gunmen"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">heavy military presence</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">. John Campbell, a former </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">United States Ambassador to Nigeria</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">argues in his </span><a href="https://www.cfr.org/blog/security-deteriorating-nigerias-former-biafra"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">blog post</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> titled, ‘<span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">’</span></span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-themecolor: text1;">Security Deteriorating in Nigeria’s Former “Biafra”, that,</span><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: red; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;"> </span></b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">‘’</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">fighting between government forces and an Igbo separatist group risks
adding yet another challenge for the Buhari administration’’. Continuing,
Campbell submits that, ‘’The emergence of an Igbo paramilitary force highlights
the growing breakdown of any federal government monopoly on the use of force in
the face of multiple security challenges’’.</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Granted the geographics, remote and immediate causes
may be different, but we can theorize that goings-on in southeast Nigeria bears
the tell-tale signs of the nascent phase of Boko Haram uprising. </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">The security dynamics in southeast Nigeria is morphing aftermath of
the crises in Orlu in Imo state o</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">n January 22, 2021, when Nigerian soldiers reportedly invaded the town
to flush out members of the Eastern Security Network (ESN). </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Nnamdi Kanu, the IPOB leader apparently exploited
the leadership vacuum provided by pliant, kowtowing southeast governors who
capitulated in establishing a regional security outfit like Amotekun in the
southwest, to establish the ESN. </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">The
Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) posits that the Eastern Security Network, a paramilitary
force is a </span><a href="https://vantagenews.ng/2021/03/16/esn-is-a-child-of-necessity-sponsored-by-members-in-160-countries-ipob/"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">child of necessity</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">established to
protect the people of Southeast from attacks by AK47-bearing Fulani herdsmen. From
all indications, the ESN is popular and enjoys extensive backing amongst the
proletariat across the southeast as victims of herdsmen attacks consider the
ESN to be defending them from a common enemy. </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">An Igbo proverb suffices that you cannot beat a
child and expect him not to cry. </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">For
instance, eight people were </span><a href="http://saharareporters.com/2021/03/30/eight-killed-esn-operatives-fulani-herdsmen-clash-enugu-community"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">reportedly</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;"> killed sequel to a recent clash
between Fulani Herdsmen and ESN operatives in Igga community, Adani area,
Uzo-Uwani LGA of Enugu State. The ESN operatives reportedly came to support
Igga community who were allegedly attacked by rampaging Fulani herdsmen on
their farms and in their houses. Similarly, bloodletting herdsmen reportedly </span><a href="https://thenationonlineng.net/herdsmen-attack-death-toll-rises-to-25-in-ebonyi/"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">attacked</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;"> Egedegede, Obegu and Amuzu
communities in Ishielu LGA of Ebonyi State. The death toll from that attack is
said to have risen to 25. Do you expect those communities to fold their hands?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Statistics of policemen recently killed in southeast
and south-south Nigeria</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Quoting data obtained from
the Nigeria Security Tracker, NST, a project of the Council on Foreign
Relations’ Africa programme, Vanguard Newspaper </span><a href="https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/03/timeline-how-1525-nigerians-were-killed-in-six-weeks/"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">reports</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> that, ''no fewer than 1,525
persons have died across Nigeria in the first six weeks of 2021''. The actual
figure maybe higher given that security incidents in Nigeria are grossly
under-reported. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;">According to </span><a href="https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/452004-497-nigerian-policemen-killed-in-six-years-report.html"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">data</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"> from SBM Intelligence on reported police
killings from 2015 to Q12021,</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">
‘’no fewer than 497 police officers were killed in 554 incidents across Nigeria
in the last six years’’. Out of the six geopolitical zones in the country, the
South-south region tops the chart with 163 incidents that sent 174 policemen to
their early graves during the years under review. 51 policemen were killed in
Delta State alone within the period, making the state the highest among the six
states in the region. The South-eastern part of Nigeria accounted for 16 of
those deaths while the South-south accounted for 20. They both accounted for
more than 60 per cent of the total figure. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;">While the southeast does not have the
highest number of policemen killed (the South-south leads with 20 in the 1st
quarter of 2021), the nature of attacks in the southeast is upping, systematic,
and more often than not, </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">weapons of the
slain security operatives were acquired. Inter-alia, the inference portends an attempt
to amass sophisticated weapons. The multiplier effect and dangerous implication
is that these weapons carted away will be used for future criminal activities.
Who knows who will be next? </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">If armed government security agents are not safe and
randomly gunned down, then no one is safe.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiws_PZXL6HeT-VDoJYCmkrwunOsnYZWSuy7oWz8GXgKNKuCKUdVnI_AI99_lEp0mrGtpNSU4BKT6dF1Shnp1KcjU3ZWK6vYdMWdcUIEsE9FOKUVRrbOsWeAk-4PJItMF7AWZBRCnwEZ0U/s1080/Statistics+of+Policemen+killed+in+Nigeria.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="789" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiws_PZXL6HeT-VDoJYCmkrwunOsnYZWSuy7oWz8GXgKNKuCKUdVnI_AI99_lEp0mrGtpNSU4BKT6dF1Shnp1KcjU3ZWK6vYdMWdcUIEsE9FOKUVRrbOsWeAk-4PJItMF7AWZBRCnwEZ0U/w469-h640/Statistics+of+Policemen+killed+in+Nigeria.jpg" width="469" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Timeline of Attacks on Security Agents And Facilities of Government Security Forces in Nigeria (Southeast And SouthSouth)</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 16px;">Gunmen have continued to attack police formations in the southeastern Nigeria. As a result of the ongoing attacks, Policemen in parts of the southeast now reportedly wear mufti except when they are in the stations.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">May 12, 2021:</span></b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><b> </b>Hoodlums at about 15H00 on Tuesday, launched an
attack on the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) office at Amaekpu in
Ohafia LGA, Abia State. A section of the office complex was set ablaze.</span><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">May 9, 2021:</span></b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> There were separate attacks on two police
facilities in Akwa Ibom state on Sunday leading to the death of a police
officer identified as Obadia Eli, who was attached to MOPOL 57 Ukana, in Essien
Udim. While one of the attacks occurred at a police outpost in Ikot Odon, Abak,
the second attack happened at Mkpanak in Essien Udim LGA. Recall that Essien
Udim, which shares a boundary with the neighbouring Abia State, is notorious
for cult-related violence and killings in the past.</span><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">May 9, 2021:</span></b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> One police personnel was reportedly wounded in
the leg on Sunday when unknown gunmen attacked Mike Okiro police station near
Ubani Ibeku Main Market Umuahia at about 09H45.</span><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">May 8, 2021:</span></b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> Gunmen on Saturday morning reportedly attacked
Odoro Ikpe Police Station in the Ini LGA of Akwa Ibom State, killing the six
officers on duty. Apart from the six killed during the encounter, other police
officers were injured and were rushed to a hospital. Only last week, two police
officers were killed when gunmen attacked the Divisional Police Headquarters of
Ibiaku Ntok Opo in the Ikono LGA of Akwa-Ibom State.</span><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><b>May 7, 2021:</b> The Rivers State Police Command confirmed the death of
seven police officers during attacks by gunmen in Rivers state on Friday night.
The gunmen reportedly attacked the special checkpoint at Choba bridge, in
Ikwere LGA where two Policemen on duty were killed. A similar attack was
launched at Rumuji Police Station in Emuohua LGA and the third attack at
Elimgbu Police Station in Obio/Akpor Council.</span><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"><b>May 6, 2021:</b> At least eight gunmen
were reportedly killed on Thursday evening during an attempted attack on a
police station in Orlu area of Imo. The gunmen were said to be on their way to
attack the police station when they were ambushed in a joint counter-attack by
the military and police operatives.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"><b>May 5, 2021:</b> Gunmen on Wednesday
night attacked Obosi police station in Idemili North Local Government Area of
Anambra State, killings two police Inspectors and freeing all detainees in the
cell.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: -0.25pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><b>May 5, 2021:</b> Gunmen launched a fresh attack on a police formation in
Ebonyi State, leaving a police officer dead. The attack happened at the
Obiozara Police Station in Ohaozara LGA. The gunmen invaded the station in
their numbers at about 03H00 and started shooting sporadically.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"><b>May 2, 2021:</b> Miscreants invaded
and set ablaze the Area Office of the Independent National Electoral
Commission, INEC, and facilities of the DSS office located close to the INEC
office was destroyed in Essien Udim LGA of Akwa Ibom state.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"><b>Saturday, May 1st, 2021:</b> Gunmen
killed two police officers in fresh attack in Ikono LGA of Akwa Ibom. A female
police officer was also injured, while five vehicles parked at the station’s
premises were set ablaze.</span><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"><b>Saturday, May 1st, 2021:</b> Gunmen at
about 20H00, attacked Abaomege police station in Onicha LGA of Ebonyi state.
The police officer on duty was reportedly injured and another officer declared
missing.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"><b>April 27, 2021:</b> Gunmen in the
early hours of Tuesday, attacked the Federal High Court, Abakaliki, burning
some sections of the building, including the library and security post.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;">
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"><b>April 26, 2021: </b>Gunmen on
Monday evening, attacked the Oriagu police in Ehime Mbano LGA of Imo state.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><b>April 21:</b> Gunmen in the
early hours of Wednesday, reportedly attacked the Divisional Police
Headquarters, Adani in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State. Two
police officers on duty were reportedly killed and several others injured,
while the police station was burnt.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><b>April 19:</b> Gunmen killed two
policemen in Anambra State and set a station ablaze in Abia State as the wave
of attacks on police formations worsened. The gunmen attacked the Zone 13
Police Headquarters in Ukpo, Dunukfia Local Government Area in Anambra and a
police station in Uzoakoli, Bende Local Government in Abia State. The police
said the attack on Abia Uzoakoli Police station was carried out with dynamites,
rocket launchers.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><b>April 14:</b> Three policemen
attached to the Safer Highway Patrol team in Ebonyi were killed in an attack at
Ogoja/ Abakaliki Express road by Nwaezenyi junction. The attackers, who
disguised as a burial party, opened fire when stopped for a check.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><b>April 8:</b> Gunmen attacked the
Mbieri Divisional Police Headquarters in Mbaitoli LGA in Imo, freeing suspects.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><b>April 6:</b> Gunmen razed the
Divisional Police Headquarters in Ehime Mbano LGA in Imo; at least four
vehicles were burnt.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><b>April 05, 2021</b>, gunmen in
the early hours of Monday, April 5, reportedly attacked the correctional
facility in Owerri, the Imo State capital, and <a href="https://punchng.com/breaking-gunmen-attack-imo-prison-free-over-1500-inmates/">freed
over 1500 inmates</a>. The attackers also reportedly razed the Imo State Police
Command headquarters situated in Owerri and burnt vehicles parked at the
command headquarters. Both the correctional facility and the police
headquarters are located in the same vicinity, only a few blocks away from the
Imo State Government House. That the gunmen operated unhindered near the Imo
state Government House tells how security has degenerated in that clime. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">In a related development,
gunmen dressed in military uniform <a href="https://dailytrust.com/tension-as-7-northern-traders-are-shot-dead-in-imo">reportedly</a>
killed seven northern traders in separate shooting incidents in Orlu town and
Umuaka in Njaba LGA between Friday 2nd and Saturday 3rd April, 2021.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;"><b>March 31, 2021</b>, gunmen on Wednesday, </span><a href="https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2021/03/31/three-policemen-killed-as-soludo-escapes-gunmens-attack-commissioner-abducted/"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">reportedly</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;"> killed three policemen attached to
protect the former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, at his
village, Isuofia in Aguata LGA, Anambra state. Soludo escaped unhurt. While not
ruling out political rivalry, it is interesting that rifles of the slain
policemen were reportedly carted away. This bears the signature of other recent
attacks on security agents.</span><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-font-kerning: 12.0pt;"><b>March 24, 2021</b>, a fierce gun
battle broke out when armed men </span><a href="https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/03/army-ipob-say-report-on-military-attack-on-esn-camp-in-abia-fake/"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-font-kerning: 12.0pt;">reportedly</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-font-kerning: 12.0pt;"> attacked soldiers of 144 Battalion
stationed at Ariaria Junction, along Enugu-Port Harcourt expressway in Aba,
Abia State. The incident left about 10 persons dead.</span><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><b>On </b></span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><b>March 22, 2021,</b> gunmen </span><a href="https://dailytrust.com/breaking-policemen-shot-dead-at-abia-checkpoint"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">reportedly</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> attacked a Police checkpoint in Agu Eze
Amaogudu, Abiriba, Ohafia LGA of Abia State, killing three policemen.</span><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><b>On Saturday, March 20, 2021</b>, gunmen </span><a href="https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/03/tension-again-hoodlums-attack-police-station-lga-secretariat-in-imo/"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">reportedly</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> attacked a Divisional Police station in
Umuelemai in Isiala Mbano Local Government Area of Imo state. An eyewitness
reportedly said, “The boys [attackers] were shouting we owe the land. This is
our land they must leave, and we will rule our land by ourselves.” The police
officers ran for their lives and hide somewhere until the boys finished
operation.</span><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Though the Anambra state police command owned up
that it lost only one cop, Punch Newspaper </span><a href="https://punchng.com/gunmen-kill-four-naval-men-three-policemen-in-anambra/"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">reports</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> indicate that gunmen on Thursday, March 18, 2021, killed
four naval personnel and three policemen in different locations in Anambra
State. The three policemen were reportedly ambushed and murdered at Ukacha
Junction, Neni, in the Anaocha LGA of Anambra state, while their patrol vehicle
was burnt. Similarly, four naval men were reportedly killed at Awkuzu, in the
Oyi LGA, also in Anambra state. The Navy is mute on the purported killing of
its personnel.</span><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><b>February 25</b> – Four police officers were killed at
MCC in Calabar, Cross River state by gunmen. Same day, February 25, 2021,
unidentified hoodlums in four vehicles, </span><a href="https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/02/updated-police-woman-shot-as-bandits-attack-another-imo-police-station/"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">attacked</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> the Divisional Police HQTRS, Aboh Mbaise,
shooting sporadically and injuring a policewoman. The affected police station
was said to have been renovated after it was burnt during the #ENDSARS protests
across the country.</span><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><b>February 24 </b>– hoodlums killed a police officer
and razed down a patrol vehicle in Ekwulobia in Anambra State. Two police
officers reportedly lost their lives when gunmen in the early hours of Tuesday,
February 23, </span><a href="https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/444816-again-gunmen-attack-police-station-in-abia-kill-two-officers.html"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">attacked</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> a police station in Aba, Abia State, Nigeria’s
South-east. This is the second attack against police stations in Abia State, in
less than a month. The police tagged the perpetrators of one of the
“unprovoked” attacks as “hoodlums,” saying they were about 200 people armed
with AK47 rifles and machetes.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><b>On February 5, 2021</b>, two police officers were </span><a href="https://www.thecable.ng/two-officers-killed-as-gunmen-attack-imo-police-headquarters"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">reportedly</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> shot dead while three others sustained injuries
during an attack by gunmen on Obowo divisional police headquarters in Umulowe
autonomous community, Imo state. Also, in September, 2020, gunmen attacked
policemen at Egbu in Owerri and Owerre Nkworji in the Nkwerre LGA of Imo state
respectively.</span><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Mutual Distrust, Extrajudicial Killings Breeding
Insecurity, Reprisals<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">There is no gainsaying the fact that there is
mutual distrust and no love lost between government security forces (GSF) and
the civilian populace in Nigeria. At the root of this, is the penchant for
extrajudicial killings attributed to overzealous government security agents who
strut with impunity.</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"> For instance, </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">a </span><a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-52317196"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">report</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) says,
‘’Security forces enforcing the COVID-19 lockdown in parts of Nigeria killed
more people than coronavirus itself''. Civil unrest ensued after a policeman
reportedly </span><a href="https://www.lindaikejisblog.com/2021/3/youths-burn-down-imo-police-station-after-a-nigerian-policeman-allegedly-killed-two-siblings-video.html"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">killed</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> a young man named Chinanu Okonkwo and his sister
Chinyere Okonkwo at Umuderim Community, Ihitte Uboma, Imo State on March 9. An
angry mob set the police station in the community ablaze afterwards.</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"> </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">I think civilians became even more emboldened aftermath
of the #ENDSARS protests during which police personnel lost </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">monopoly on violence, </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">were demystified and </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">disappeared </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">from their beats, stations. Many of policemen refused donning their
uniforms subsequently and it took threats, coercion from the police hierarchy
before they returned to their beats. According to the Inspector General of
Police, ''</span><a href="https://thenationonlineng.net/protect-yourself-against-attacks-igp-tells-policemen/"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">22 policemen were killed, while 205 police
stations were burnt</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> during
the #ENDSARS crisis''.</span><span face="Candara, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Conclusion<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">From the foregoing, it is obvious that ongoing attacks
on Government Security Forces (GSF), facilities and on individuals in parts of
Nigeria, is systematic</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">. Attacking a prison facility and freeing
convicted criminals cannot be justified under whatever guise. A rocket scientist
is not needed to </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">connect the dots, unravel
what is playing out. If this trend is not reined in, events can snowball into full-blown
anarchy, insurrection. </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">The </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">police recently opined that it </span><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><a href="https://guardian.ng/news/police-arrest-16-ipob-esn-members-for-allegedly-killing-security-operatives-in-southeast/"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: #0563c1; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;">arrested</span></a></span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara;"> sixteen
suspected protagonists of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and Eastern
Security Network (ESN) for alleged complicity in the series of violent attacks
on security operatives in Southeast Nigeria. If those arrested are indeed
complicit, they should be ‘singing’ by now. </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Unlike
northeast Nigeria where Boko Haram exploits the rugged, porous, transnational
swathes of ungoverned spaces such as the Sambisa forest which we understand is
twice the size of Belgium, the topography of southeast Nigeria does not
confer invincibility and is not fertile for prolonged guerilla warfare. While
the resilient Boko Haram insurgency is driven by radical religious beliefs,
proponents of armed insurgency in the southeast may not possess such conviction,
staying power. It will entail enormous collateral damage and unintended
consequences. </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">While proponents argue that
the ESN is a child of necessity, we can discern that it could end up like the
once dreaded Bakassi boys which started well but morphed into a monster.
Lacking no command and control structure, sparsely trained, undisciplined and
unprofessional, we can prognosticate that the ESN may get involved in petty
criminality, assassinations and get involved in settling personal scores. It
behooves on good spirited Nigerians, governors, Igbo leaders, intelligentsia and
other stakeholders to join forces and nip the festering carnage, insurrection in
the bud. It’s an ill wind that blows no one any good. I don’t see the trend
abating anytime soon. On the other hand,</span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;"> </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">the prevailing miasma playing out in Nigeria will ebb if the Buhari
Administration genuinely tackles political alienation, marginalization, brazen nepotism,
extreme poverty, unprecedented youth unemployment and impunity. </span><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">As they say, what is good for the geese is good
for the gander. The current Administration in Nigeria will do well to also rein
in the menace of the globally ill-famed </span><a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/global-terrorism-index-nigerian-fulani-militants-named-fourth-deadliest-terror-group-world-a6739851.html"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">fourth deadliest terror group in the world</span></a><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 22.5pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Written
By: </span></b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 15pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 22.5pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">©Don
Okereke, </span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">security analyst/consultant, thinker, researcher, writer, military
veteran.</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 15pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 22.5pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Published April 05, 2021. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 22.5pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Updated April 22, 2021</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 15pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 22.5pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Updated May 12, 2021</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Candara",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Don Okerekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06678079913273123553noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848222137267791504.post-47120000269761242162021-03-18T15:04:00.003+00:002021-03-18T15:04:51.604+00:00 Nigeria Ranked 16th In FBI Global Cybercrime Victims Report<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQcee32EUNGf83f0mECm7f2TbbC82_d1Bn-bBcdrd3d7SIspm44jbarXcKlxi2jo7QXLbFo012qjazEQMgeGiMcwgCSiCTSKxOYf6ere2Uf62av7NxhKlXjXauM6eH35FRgjZizl6VtUs/s279/cybercrime-cyberattacks-cybersecurity-hacking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQcee32EUNGf83f0mECm7f2TbbC82_d1Bn-bBcdrd3d7SIspm44jbarXcKlxi2jo7QXLbFo012qjazEQMgeGiMcwgCSiCTSKxOYf6ere2Uf62av7NxhKlXjXauM6eH35FRgjZizl6VtUs/s0/cybercrime-cyberattacks-cybersecurity-hacking.jpg" /></a></div>Nigeria has been ranked 16th among the countries most affected by internet crime in the world in 2020.<span><a name='more'></a></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">In its latest internet crime report, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said Nigeria received 443 complaints relating to internet crime last year.</p><p style="text-align: center;">The last times the country featured in the annual reports were in 2016 (19th) and 2015 (3rd).</p><p style="text-align: center;">The report stated that victims of such scams globally lost $4.2 billion in 2020, compared to $3.5 billion lost in 2019.</p><p style="text-align: center;">The top five crimes reported include phishing, non-payment/non-delivery, extortion, personal data breach and identity theft.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Excluding the US, the United Kingdom led among the most affected countries followed by Canada, India, Greece and Australia.</p><p style="text-align: center;">South Africa is the only other African country among the top 20, ranking sixth with 1,754 complaints.</p><p style="text-align: center;">The FBI’s internet crime complaint center said it received 791,790 complaints relating to internet crime — an increase of more than 300,000 complaints from 2019.</p><p style="text-align: center;">“Victims lost the most money to business email compromise scams, romance and confidence schemes, and investment fraud.</p><p style="text-align: center;">“Notably, 2020 saw the emergence of scams exploiting the COVID-19 pandemic. The IC3 received over 28,500 complaints related to COVID-19, with fraudsters targeting both businesses and individuals.”</p><p style="text-align: center;">Business e-mail compromise (BEC) schemes continued to be the costliest as 19,369 complaints with an estimated loss of approximately $1.8 billion bothered on them.</p><p style="text-align: center;">The report noted that one of the most prevalent schemes seen during the pandemic has been government impersonators.</p><p style="text-align: center;">“Criminals are reaching out to people through social media, emails, or phone calls pretending to be from the government. The scammers attempt to gather personal information or illicit money through charades or threats,” it said.</p><p style="text-align: center;">“As the response to COVID-19 turned to vaccinations, scams emerged asking people to pay out of pocket to receive</p><p style="text-align: center;">the vaccine, put their names on a vaccine waiting, or obtain early access.</p><p style="text-align: center;">“Fraudulent advertisements for vaccines popped up on social media platforms, or came via email, telephone calls, online, or from unsolicited/unknown sources.”</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Culled from: <a href="https://www.thecable.ng/nigeria-ranked-16th-in-fbi-global-cybercrime-victims-report/amp">TheCable</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>Don Okerekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06678079913273123553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848222137267791504.post-62618882020839117342021-03-15T19:46:00.003+00:002021-03-15T19:48:29.788+00:00 Education Endangered in Northern Nigeria As 618 Schools Are Shut Over Kidnapping Scare<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtKZV5ANTs__FqediRUNdRCn4FSDfVc3-L215YnWNb28Tqg4MeeOfnTNJklzj_3CkrO1QsfOS0cpXtuJwvJgm8mO1mD2kd1wDgfVl2QSUITyiKcZtXyrmrzgnRQC0J-Wk70y_U9nTDKZk/s251/Education+endangered+in+northern+Nigeria_kidnapping_banditry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="201" data-original-width="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtKZV5ANTs__FqediRUNdRCn4FSDfVc3-L215YnWNb28Tqg4MeeOfnTNJklzj_3CkrO1QsfOS0cpXtuJwvJgm8mO1mD2kd1wDgfVl2QSUITyiKcZtXyrmrzgnRQC0J-Wk70y_U9nTDKZk/s0/Education+endangered+in+northern+Nigeria_kidnapping_banditry.jpg" /></a></div>Reports indicate that no fewer than 618 schools have remained closed in six northern states over the fear of attack and kidnapping of pupils and members of staff.<span><a name='more'></a></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">Also, barely three days after the abduction of 39 students of the Federal School of Forestry Mechanisation, Afaka, Kaduna State, security agencies on Saturday rescued 307 pupils of Government Secondary Science School (GSSS) Ikara, Ikara Local Government Area of Kaduna from bandits who attempted to kidnap them from their school.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Security forces also repelled attempts at fresh attack on the senior staff quarters of the Federal Airport Authority (FAAN), Kaduna, where 11 people were abducted about two weeks ago.</p><p style="text-align: center;">The six states where some schools have remained closed are Sokoto, Zamfara, Kano, Katsina, Niger and Yobe.</p><p style="text-align: center;">In Sokoto, the state government has closed all boarding schools along border towns.</p><p style="text-align: center;">The state Commissioner for Security and Career Affairs, Col. Garba Moyi (rtd), said the measure was to avoid the abduction of pupils just as it happened in Katsina, Niger and Zamfara States.</p><p style="text-align: center;">He added that the state Governor, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, had directed the state commissioner for education to merge those schools with the ones in towns.</p><p style="text-align: center;">According to him, schools affected include those in Sabon Birni, Isa Rabah, Kebbe, Tangaza and Gudu local government areas.</p><p style="text-align: center;">THISDAY gathered that 16 boarding schools were affected.</p><p style="text-align: center;">The Zamfara State Government also closed boarding schools along the border towns after the Jangebe incident.</p><p style="text-align: center;">In a reaction to the abduction of 279 pupils of Government Girls Secondary School in Jangebe, Talata Mafara LGA, Governor Bello Matawalle had shut down 10 schools along the borders with Sokoto and Katsina States.</p><p style="text-align: center;">The state Commissioner for Education, Mr. Ibrahim Abdullahi, listed the 10 affected schools as Government Secondary Schools in Zurmi; GSS Birnin Magaji, (boarding) and G.A.S.S Zurmi (boarding); G.G.S.S Moriki (boarding); Science Secondary School Shinkafi (boarding); Science Secondary School, Dansadau (boarding); Science Secondary School, Bukkuyum (boarding); G.D. S. S Nassarawa Mailayi (day); G.D.S.S Gusami (day), and G.D.S.S Gurbin Bore (day).</p><p style="text-align: center;">In Katsina, the state government had initially shut down all its 38 boarding schools after the abduction of 344 pupils of Government Science Secondary School, Kankara.</p><p style="text-align: center;">But the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Badamasi Lawal, later announced the reopening of four out of the 38 boarding schools after a meeting with zonal inspectors of education and permanent secretaries.</p><p style="text-align: center;">He listed the four boarding schools which reopened on March 2 as the Command Secondary School, Faskari; Command Girls Secondary School, Barkiya; Command Secondary School, Musawa and Police Secondary School, Mani.</p><p style="text-align: center;">The commissioner explained that male pupils in the remaining 34 boarding schools should report to the nearest day secondary school in their location to continue with their studies, while female students should remain at home until the security situation in the state improves.</p><p style="text-align: center;">The Kano State Government also closed four tertiary institutions and 12 secondary schools over insecurity in neighbouring states.</p><p style="text-align: center;">The five tertiary schools closed are Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso College of Advance and Remedial Studies, Tudun Wada; School of Environmental Studies, Gwarzo; School of Rural Technology and Entrepreneurship Development (SORTED), Rano and Audu Bako College of Agriculture Development (ABCOAD), Dambatta.</p><p style="text-align: center;">The state government also closed 12 boarding secondary schools on the outskirts of Kano metropolis over increasing abduction of pupils.</p><p style="text-align: center;">The state Commissioner for Education, Mr. Muhammad Sunusi Kiru, said the closure became necessary due to the rising number of abductions of schoolchildren in neighbouring states.</p><p style="text-align: center;">The closed schools are located in Ajingi, Sumaila, Jogana, Kafin Maiyaki and Gaya, among others.</p><p style="text-align: center;">All secondary schools in Niger State have been closed by the state government.</p><p style="text-align: center;">The two-week closure was from March 12.</p><p style="text-align: center;">The Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Hannatu Salihu, said the closure of the schools was to enable the government to make adequate security arrangements to protect the pupils and workers.</p><p style="text-align: center;">In the wake of the abduction of 42 persons from the Government Science College, Kagara, the state government had closed only the boarding schools in Rafi, Mariga, Magama and Shiroro LGAs, which were believed to be prone to bandits’ attacks.</p><p style="text-align: center;">With the closure of all secondary schools in the state, THISDAY gathered that about 496 schools were affected.</p><p style="text-align: center;">The Information Officer of the State Ministry of Education, Alhaji Jibrin Kodo, told THISDAY that 56 boarding schools with two of them mixed are affected while the rest of the schools in the state are day schools.</p><p style="text-align: center;">He declined to state the total number of schools in the state.</p><p style="text-align: center;">The Yobe State government also closed all boarding schools as part of proactive measures to safeguard pupils’ lives.</p><p style="text-align: center;">The Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Dr. Muhammed Idris, who announced the measure, said: “Students from JSS I to SSS II should vacate their schools immediately.</p><p style="text-align: center;">“The closure of the boarding schools is informed by the security concern and the urgent need for government to be proactive in safeguarding the lives of the children”.</p><p style="text-align: center;">The commissioner, however, said all day schools were to continue with their normal academic activities.</p><p style="text-align: center;">The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), quoted the commissioner as saying that further statements would be made concerning the reopening of the schools as soon as possible.</p><p style="text-align: center;">THISDAY gathered that 46 boarding schools were affected by the closure.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Culled from: <a href="https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2021/03/15/618-schools-shut-in-northern-states-over-abduction-scare/">ThisDay Newspaper</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>Don Okerekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06678079913273123553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848222137267791504.post-59247238268201573592021-03-02T06:49:00.004+00:002021-03-02T06:49:52.424+00:00 Jihadists Attack United Nations Base in Nigeria, Trapping 25 Aid Workers<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4-_PN9_oYpNxON5I6Q3LNYSzos6zQ_8FvUxIRdfLCUzebr_Bd2xj3ZmO-BOBWtAHpgNKGdBZQ_K7uoJJjddcjFgjVUQtZ_VQVqHR4LJnQGG4Qb_lXqKE5CvQV-M3nAMek9Zr-DoQWY1Y/s225/UN.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4-_PN9_oYpNxON5I6Q3LNYSzos6zQ_8FvUxIRdfLCUzebr_Bd2xj3ZmO-BOBWtAHpgNKGdBZQ_K7uoJJjddcjFgjVUQtZ_VQVqHR4LJnQGG4Qb_lXqKE5CvQV-M3nAMek9Zr-DoQWY1Y/s0/UN.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Jihadists linked to the Islamic State <a href="https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20210302-jihadists-attack-un-base-in-nigeria-trapping-25-aid-workers">reportedly</a> attacked a UN base and overrun a humanitarian hub in northeastern Nigeria, trapping 25 aid workers, security and humanitarian sources said.</div><span><a name='more'></a></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">Scores of Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters invaded the town of Dikwa in restive Borno state, dislodging troops from the military base and torching the humanitarian hub, a military source told AFP on Monday.</p><p style="text-align: center;">"We have 25 staff sheltering in the bunker which is under siege by the militants... but so far no staff has been affected," a humanitarian source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Military reinforcements, including fighter jets and a helicopter gunship, had been deployed to help repel the attackers, the military source said.</p><p style="text-align: center;">A spokesman for UN chief Antonio Guterres confirmed only that there was a "security incident", but gave no further details.</p><p style="text-align: center;">For more than a decade, Nigeria's military has battled an insurgency by the Islamist group Boko Haram that has devastated the northeast, killing at least 36,000 people and displacing more than two million.</p><p style="text-align: center;">The ISWAP group split from Boko Haram in 2016 and has become a dominant threat in the region, attacking soldiers and bases while killing and kidnapping passengers at bogus checkpoints.</p><p style="text-align: center;">The violence has spread into neighbouring Niger, Chad and Cameroon, prompting a regional military coalition to fight the militants.</p><p style="text-align: center;">The latest attack comes after Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari replaced his four top military commanders after months of pressure over his government's failure to end the Islamist insurgency.</p><p style="text-align: center;">The latest assault in Dikwa comes three years to the day after ISWAP fighters attacked a UN humanitarian hub in the remote northeastern town of Rann, killing three aid staff and abducting a female worker.</p><p style="text-align: center;">On Friday, ISWAP fighters in trucks fitted with machine guns raided Dikwa, sending residents fleeing.</p><p style="text-align: center;">The town, 90 kilometres (55 miles) from the Borno state capital Maiduguri, is home to more than 130,000 people, including 75,000 who had already fled from other parts of the region and were living in camps where they rely on food handouts from aid agencies.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Culled <a href="https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20210302-jihadists-attack-un-base-in-nigeria-trapping-25-aid-workers">from</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>Don Okerekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06678079913273123553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848222137267791504.post-68198382590862966042021-02-23T14:19:00.000+00:002021-02-23T14:19:14.298+00:00President Buhari Unveils Nigeria National Cybersecurity Policy And Strategy 2021<p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtITK0_Imjg3oBAu40Xy2OgJSr-161KwIzZCpNfQrpGpQE1lEWD-v3Pn221x1Z13jBNv3nWZnxFkC-_gm4hlnvMAaHOOSdOhE7eCx6FtWa_IZlwi4B25Vd2BvRxJoxaUGn2R7CBB6maP0/s500/Nigeria+National+Cybsersecurity+Strategy_NCSS_Cyberattacks_Cybercriminals_BVN_Policy_5G+Technology_ONSA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="399" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtITK0_Imjg3oBAu40Xy2OgJSr-161KwIzZCpNfQrpGpQE1lEWD-v3Pn221x1Z13jBNv3nWZnxFkC-_gm4hlnvMAaHOOSdOhE7eCx6FtWa_IZlwi4B25Vd2BvRxJoxaUGn2R7CBB6maP0/s320/Nigeria+National+Cybsersecurity+Strategy_NCSS_Cyberattacks_Cybercriminals_BVN_Policy_5G+Technology_ONSA.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>President Muhammadu Buhari, on Monday, observed
that the growth and development of the internet have caused a rise in the
threats posed by cybercriminals, online financial fraudsters and cyber
terrorists who he said are causing apprehension in the country.</span></div><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;"><span><a name='more'></a></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 5pt 0cm; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">He spoke at the presidential villa, Abuja while
unveiling the National Cybersecurity Policy and Strategy 2021.</span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 5pt 0cm; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">Noting that the country is currently at a
turning point in its history, the president said Nigeria is blessed with a
young and vibrant population that has the potential to exploit the benefits of
the current Internet revolution to enhance the nation’s economic progression
and improve our national security.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 5pt 0cm; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">He added that the country is also witnessing a
rapid surge in its adoption of the Internet and social media for almost all
aspects of its daily life, and therefore, the Internet or cyberspace is now
central and indispensable to our national development.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 5pt 0cm; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">The president said that is why over the past
couple of years, his administration has focused its efforts on several
Information and Communications Technology (ICT) driven initiatives.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 5pt 0cm; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">According to him, some of these include; the
National Broadband Plan (NBP) 2020 – 2025 launched in March 2020 to increase
Internet broadband penetration across Nigeria, the National Digital Economy
Policy and Strategy 2020 – 2030, the National Identity Program, Treasury Single
Account (TSA) and Bank Verification Number (BVN) schemes, amongst others.</span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 5pt 0cm; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">Buhari explained that all these initiatives
serve as enablers for tackling the myriad of economic and security challenges
facing the country while also providing it with the platform to improve
accountability and transparency in our unwavering resolve to tackle corruption.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 5pt 0cm; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">He added: “However, like several other countries
across the globe, the growth and development of the Internet is accompanied by
significant problems.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 5pt 0cm; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">“We are witnessing a rise in threats posed by
cybercriminals, online financial fraudsters and cyber terrorists who use the
Internet to cause apprehension.</span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 5pt 0cm; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">“We are also observing a surge in the use of
the Internet and social media for propagation of hate speech, fake news and
seditious messages, as well as the risks of breaches to personal information
and government sensitive data. It is almost impossible to overstate the
challenges.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 5pt 0cm; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">“Some global events such as the rapid emergence
of new technologies, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the advent of 5G
technology, have further widened the scope and diversification of these cyber
threats.</span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 5pt 0cm; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">“In October 2020, we all witnessed an escalation
in the use of the social media for dissemination of subversive messages and
incitement of violence which played a part in heightening tensions, causing
unrest and spurring widespread acts of looting and destruction across the
country.</span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 5pt 0cm; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">“Therefore, in a bid to ensure that we
effectively embrace and harness the benefits of the digital revolution while
effectively combating the heightening risks of cyber threats, the Federal
Government of Nigeria has been proactive, over the past couple of years, in taking
steps to ensure progressive use of our Internet and cyberspace.</span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 5pt 0cm; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">“In 2014, we developed our maiden National
Cybersecurity Policy and Strategy to provide us with the necessary roadmap for
the realization of our national cybersecurity programme. This national effort
paved way for Nigeria to reach numerous cybersecurity milestones over the past
six years.</span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 5pt 0cm; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">“Therefore, in order to build on this
achievement and reposition ourselves for enhanced engagement in cyberspace, it
became expedient to review the National Cybersecurity Policy and Strategy 2014
and develop a comprehensive National Cybersecurity Policy and Strategy 2021 for
the common good of the country.</span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 5pt 0cm; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">“The National Cybersecurity Policy and Strategy
2021 will provide us with the necessary platform to effectively confront the
dynamic nature of threats in our cyberspace. The document will also provide the
framework that would enable us to harness the efforts of our private sector,
academia and industry towards progressive economic and national development.</span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 5pt 0cm; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">“To this end, the document will provide the
platform for technical education, digital skills acquisition and indigenous
technology production, thereby creating job opportunities for our youths and
supporting our resolve to alleviate poverty and boost our economy.”</span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 5pt 0cm; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">President Buhari noted that the National
Cybersecurity Policy and Strategy 2021 signifies the rejuvenation and renewal
of his promise and commitment to Nigeria’s national security and economic
prosperity and it ensures that Nigeria’s National Cybersecurity Programme is
prioritized among other national exigencies in my administration.</span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 5pt 0cm; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">“I, therefore, unveil the National
Cybersecurity Policy and Strategy 2021 as the overarching policy and strategy
framework for driving Nigeria’s cybersecurity efforts towards the attainment of
our national objectives,” he declared.</span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 5pt 0cm; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">The president commended the efforts of the
National Security Adviser (NSA), Major General Babagana Monguno and his staff
as well as other stakeholders for “the remarkable work in developing the
document and contributions towards strengthening the development of
cybersecurity in Nigeria.”</span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 5pt 0cm; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">He urged the NSA to continue to coordinate the
efforts of all stakeholders to ensure that Nigeria’s Internet and cyberspace
are used for the enhancement of national security and economic progression.</span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 5pt 0cm; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">“I am confident that, together we can pave the
path for the creation of new opportunities to usher Nigeria into a bright
future driven by a prosperous cyberspace and digital economy,” President Buhari
stated.</span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 5pt 0cm; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">In his remarks, Monguno noted that with the
surge in digital transformation, the country’s cyberspace has become a centre
stage for governance, new business innovations, communications and social
interactions.</span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 5pt 0cm; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">He said this trend has created an opportunity
for Nigeria to redefine national objectives and address some of the major
developmental challenges currently facing it.</span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 5pt 0cm; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">According to him, the cyber revolution also
creates the nexus for the country to effectively synchronize the efforts of
security and law enforcement agencies towards curbing crime, irregular
migration, human trafficking and arms proliferation amongst others while
improving road safety and border security and enhancing ongoing anti-banditry, anti-militancy
and counter-insurgency operations.</span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 5pt 0cm; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">He affirmed that the ongoing rapid expansion of
cyberspace, especially the Internet and social media, has widened the scope of
cyber threats facing the country.</span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 5pt 0cm; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">The NSA further said: “Our country is now confronted
with increasing threats of cyber attacks on Critical National Infrastructure
including our telecommunications systems, banking platforms, military networks,
transportation systems, national databases and other critical assets in the
country.</span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 5pt 0cm; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">“Furthermore, we are witnessing a rise in the
spread of fake news and hate speech over the social media, as well as
propagation of seditious messages by subversive elements looking to disrupt the
unity and wellbeing of the country. Some of these threats were exemplified
during the recent events of October of last year.</span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 5pt 0cm; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">“We are also currently seeing an escalation in
online financial scams and fraud perpetrated by some nefarious individuals and
groups within and outside the country which is persistently denting our
international image.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 5pt 0cm; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">“These threats are coupled with other risks
ranging from defacement of government websites and social media platforms to
breaches of sensitive personal data and confidential government communications,
as well as terrorists use of the Internet for recruitment and propaganda.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 5pt 0cm; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">“We have also observed a recent rise in the
launch of online radio broadcasting stations by unscrupulous elements for
disinformation and to incite violence and cause apprehension.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 5pt 0cm; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">“These issues brought to fore the dire need to
develop proactive measures to enhance the security of our cyberspace.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 5pt 0cm; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">He explained that the new National
Cybersecurity Policy and Strategy 2021 is expected to “address the nation’s
cybersecurity challenges, boost readiness for global cybersecurity
collaborations, enhance national digital economic competitiveness, improve
indigenous technology development, safeguard our Critical National
Infrastructure, and ensure the protection of our cyberspace from cyberattacks,
online fraud and other related illicit activities including fake news and hate
speech.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 5pt 0cm; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"><o:p>Culled from: <a href="https://tribuneonlineng.com/cyber-criminals-threats-in-nigeria-rising-%E2%80%95-buhari/">Tribune Newspaper </a></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 5pt 0cm; text-align: center;"><br /></p>Don Okerekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06678079913273123553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848222137267791504.post-56727183223218325072020-11-28T14:57:00.003+00:002020-11-28T14:57:26.543+00:00 1,570 Nigerians Kidnapped In 11 Months, N311 million Paid in Ransom<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnM1_12zSgpkQ5pS9kt7p6avSEH0JNJPynuLofCFx3hUHADaioG-sOXgjlQIzg7oobH4vav6TlcuSBekryEAv_gB1TUNnDSFsg3MAibhl3cRiZthwLw5CSiZC-tjuU7K5anNe7oZwcUB0/s225/Kidnapping_Nigeria_Insecurity_Ransom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="90" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnM1_12zSgpkQ5pS9kt7p6avSEH0JNJPynuLofCFx3hUHADaioG-sOXgjlQIzg7oobH4vav6TlcuSBekryEAv_gB1TUNnDSFsg3MAibhl3cRiZthwLw5CSiZC-tjuU7K5anNe7oZwcUB0/s0/Kidnapping_Nigeria_Insecurity_Ransom.jpg" /></a></div>Investigation reveals that no fewer than 1,570 Nigerians were reportedly kidnapped between January and November 2020 in 366 reported cases.<span><a name='more'></a></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">The kidnappers raked in over N311 million from payment of ransom by relatives of their victims within this period, though they demanded over N6.9 billion from their victims. The money paid did not include millions of naira paid by some families who chose to keep quiet because of threats or simply to have their peace.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Daily Trust reports that there has been an upsurge in kidnapping in Nigeria with 41 cases reported in November.</p><p style="text-align: center;">The trend has spread to some tertiary institutions in Kaduna State while the Federal Capital Territory was also not spared with 31 reported cases in 11 months.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Major arteries including the Abuja-Kaduna and Abuja-Lokoja roads have turned to kidnappers’ hotspots, raising fears in commuters. The young and old have been victims.</p><p style="text-align: center;">From the seven-year-old boy kidnapped in Katsina for which N3m ransom was demanded, to the 60-year-old Zainab Musa kidnapped in Niger State, many Nigerians are living in fear of the unknown.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Security operatives were also kidnapped within the time under review. Among the victims were 12 Assistant Superintendents of Police (ASPs) seized in November, 10 Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) officials and four officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) who were also kidnapped in September and February, respectively. An officer of the Department of State Security (DSS) was also kidnapped in September.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Daily Trust recalled that the Sultan of Sokoto and President of the Nigerian Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), governors of the North East, the Afenifere from the South West, among other groups and individuals have all expressed disgust over the deteriorating security situation in the North and the country at large.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Source: Daily Trust Newspaper</p>Don Okerekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06678079913273123553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848222137267791504.post-54305960356747282322020-10-13T16:35:00.007+01:002020-10-13T16:35:55.037+01:00#EndSARS Campaign: A Metaphor For Better Policing System<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; text-align: justify;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1mTIri0tOqLw3uJBXpvaWJr2tla6ntG67lA1ytRwunDpBC8LIYTCU_zVHE3JMzLogPwpYUqSQLcrN5E5RsuQSHxQjZV-cVK-imiggr5T9wGFRhe3BnV4jBE6OXktIzlpRhvcXKHJCQkM/s323/ENDSARS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="302" data-original-width="323" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1mTIri0tOqLw3uJBXpvaWJr2tla6ntG67lA1ytRwunDpBC8LIYTCU_zVHE3JMzLogPwpYUqSQLcrN5E5RsuQSHxQjZV-cVK-imiggr5T9wGFRhe3BnV4jBE6OXktIzlpRhvcXKHJCQkM/s320/ENDSARS.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />The #EndSARS &
#EndPoliceBrutality campaign has continued to dominate public space following
atrocities committed by some bad eggs in the Nigeria Police Force. These
atrocities, no doubt attained a high level of notoriety in recent times and
equally generated a huge public outcry resulting in nationwide protests and
condemnations being conferred on the NPF. <span><a name='more'></a></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">The IGP's recent directives
especially with banning elite units like FSARS, SARS, STS, IRT etc from
"routine patrol and low risk policing duties" is in my opinion not a
long term solution to the menace of these bad cops. </span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">I do not subscribe to the 'ban'
from the roads as the presence of these elite cops conducting patrols and
surveillance duties (which are some of the pillars of the security) aids the
detection, deterrence and sometimes delays the occurrence of incidents by
criminal elements amongst us.</span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Their presence in the public
space has also aided the response time to mitigate the occurrence of such
criminal incidents.</span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Rather, I am of the firm belief that
some of the </span><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">under-listed</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> suggestions should form a part of the solutions for
reforms that must be instituted by the leadership of the Police high command
towards evolving the Nigeria Police Force into an attractive, desired, enviable
and respected cop of well-trained officers, that the nation deserves. </span></span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><b>Below are the said suggestions.</b></span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">1. A review of the recruitment
requirements and processes for admission into the Police training schools
should be urgently implemented.</span><span style="font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">2. Equally, the training
curriculum especially for the training of recruits, needs to be reviewed to
align with societal demands of contemporary times. It is worthy to note that my
interactions with officers who attended the Police Academy, Kano have remained
largely impressive because of the quality of training, received as by these
officers in their cadet days.</span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">3. A compulsory and structured
retraining program is required to re-orientate serving policemen at all cadres
and also to equip them with the proper etiquette required for dealing with
members of the public, along with the right set of knowledge<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>+ skills that will aid them to discharge
their duties professionally and in line with modern policing tenets. To achieve
this, the various existing training institutions for specialized capacity
building programs and their modules have to be upgraded to meet with present
demands, trends and techniques required for effective crime bursting duties. In
addition, weapon handling skills should be horned along with officers embarking
on periodic visits to the shooting range. This, if executed is expected to
improve marksmanship, promote weapon handling discipline and skills which will
reduce the menace of 'accidental discharge'.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">4. Also needed to be implemented,
is an effective supervision mechanism which will include a periodic test for
substance use and the psychological evaluation of officers to identify and
discipline bad eggs that are not compliant with disciplinary measures to
promote modern policing attitudes. Acts of indiscipline by officers is largely
responsible for the battered image, the police presently have. Any policeman
whose conduct attracts a collateral reputation damage for the force as a result
of indiscipline should be severely sanctioned, so that discipline can restored.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">5. The reward system of the
police needs to be rejigged and should be based on merit, bravery, courage and
other exemplary behavioral values, instead of using other primordial parameters
that dampen the morale of officers, who are forced to resort to unorthodox means
for promotion and survival purposes. In addition,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the police high command should also focus on
aspects of the conditions of service, such as providing decent accommodation,
clean offices, stations with the needed equipment for use by officers, the availability
of mandatory capacity building programs for all Officers, an improved welfare
package with financial and other benefits for serving and retired police
personnel, so as to attract more of the right persons into the police force.
Also, important for consideration is a transparent pension and insurance scheme
for implementation.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">6. The appearance of the average
policeman is nothing to write home about. Efforts should be focused on
adequately kitting our policemen with the right uniforms, tools and equipment
as seen in other climes. No doubt, if properly kitted, our policemen will not
only exude confidence but also attract the same level of confidence and goodwill
from the various publics.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">7. To perform optimally and to
also give the police force a superior fire power, the right set of equipment
must be provided. These should include a wide range of required soft and
hardware. Also needed is a functional central database that is linked with
other institutions in the criminal justice system and the financial sectors,
forensic laboratories for effective investigations, surveillance drones,
Armoured Personnel Carriers,K9, appropriate helmets, bullet proof vests,
rehabilitated barracks and community focused initiatives that will promote the
shift from traditional policing to community policing, where all elements of
the communities will be involved with the police in the search for solutions to
challenges of crime and disorder.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">The aforementioned suggestions are
hinged on my sincere belief that if the Police high command implements these
suggestions along with other actionable considerations. As a nation, we will in
no time have a transformed Police force that we will not only be proud of, but
will equally have no place for impediments to a successful policing process for
the benefit of all.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Written by: </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Candara",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Michael A. SAM-WOBO</span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>Don Okerekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06678079913273123553noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848222137267791504.post-73595988726529321492020-09-28T12:18:00.004+01:002020-09-28T12:34:53.330+01:00As Nigeria Scrambles For K St in The United States<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwhOogYcSJ4xxPUEr6Wb7r3LEQ0uziDXVpnEqTkHMzmMfmM7ZGiuzNoov-fkjD1DonO-GRXj3SZPq53s_Zm9ThTiwFit4dKrTO8rBjpdDe7V_xASwjmcZjS1hzGM5hycd2NnFpP9MFw8I/s608/Nigeria_K+St_United+States.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="355" data-original-width="608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwhOogYcSJ4xxPUEr6Wb7r3LEQ0uziDXVpnEqTkHMzmMfmM7ZGiuzNoov-fkjD1DonO-GRXj3SZPq53s_Zm9ThTiwFit4dKrTO8rBjpdDe7V_xASwjmcZjS1hzGM5hycd2NnFpP9MFw8I/s320/Nigeria_K+St_United+States.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">One of the most often used criticisms in American Politics over the
most recent election cycles has been the perceived influence of the lobbyists
on K St and their influence on Capitol Hill.</span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">
</span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Most of the concern has focused on Domestic Legislation including what
are known as pet projects or pork.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Cambria",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">There is another facet of K. St that should be scrutinized. Various
actors from overseas have sought a voice in Washington for decades.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is true regardless whether or not it’s a
Government dealing with an Insurgency or vice versa. Both sides have sought
champions here in Washington, More often than not the focus has been on which
Member of Congress they should reach out to.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Cambria",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">One nation that falls under this criteria and seems to be lurching
along from crisis to crisis is Nigeria.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Most analysts became aware of Nigerian efforts after the 2019
Presidential Polls in the country. The defeated candidate Atiku Abubakar </span><span lang="EN"><a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2019/04/failed-nigerian-presidential-candidate-lobbying-u-s-to-recognize-him-as-authentic-president/"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Cambria",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">reached
a deal </span></a></span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Cambria",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">with the Firm Fein & DelVallle PLLC to assist him with challenging
the results to claim that he was the authentic President of Nigeria.</span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Cambria",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">The issue of elections in Nigeria is proving to be a potential source
of income for lobbyists. The </span><span lang="EN"><a href="https://www.clsstrategies.com/practice/international"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Cambria",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">webpage</span></a></span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Cambria",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;"> for CLS
Strategies that lists their International clients states that the PDP (People’s
Democratic Party) is one of their international partners. This partnership
should be closely monitored for a recent move by Facebook. A</span><span lang="EN"><a href="https://www.prweek.com/article/1693342/facebook-deletes-dozens-fake-accounts-pages-run-cls-strategies"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Cambria",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">
recent report</span></a></span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Cambria",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;"> found that this firm set up fake social media
profiles in three Latin American Countries in an effort to disrupt the
Venezuelan Elections.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If this action was
discovered in this Hemisphere it shudders to think what operations that CLS Strategies
will be willing to undertake in support of this client.</span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Cambria",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">Another firm that the PDP retained is the Washington office of Ballard
Strategies. The deal with the Florida based firm came into being </span><span lang="EN"><a href="https://floridapolitics.com/archives/276526-nigerian-political-party-retains-ballard-partners"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Cambria",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">back
in 2018</span></a></span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Cambria",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;"> with the firm providing support for the PDP for the 2019 elections as
well. .</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Cambria",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">It should be noticed that it is not just established political parties
in Nigeria that have reached out to K St for representation but fringe elements
and separatists as well. One such entity is IPOB (Indigenous People of Biafra)
which is </span><span lang="EN"><a href="https://www.garda.com/crisis24/news-alerts/154566/nigeria-court-upholds-ipob-terrorist-label-january-18"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Cambria",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">considered
to be a terrorist group by the Nigerian Government. </span></a></span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Cambria",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">In an effort to
improve its image the group has contacted Mercury Public Affairs to </span><span lang="EN"><a href="https://efile.fara.gov/ords/f?p=181:200:0::NO:RP,200:P200_REG_NUMBER:6170"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Cambria",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">represent
them </span></a></span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Cambria",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">here in Washington.</span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Cambria",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">The group is serious about how they want their image to be presented
in Washington. On Social Media the group has been active in offering a safe
haven for Nigeria’s suffering Christian Community on various social media
platforms. When President Trump met with President Buhari in 2018 this topic
was raised by the US President.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Promoting this subject is thought to be a way to ensure that their voice
is heard here in Washington. It is way too early to determine whether or not
this will bear fruit, but this cannot be ignored by Nigeria watchers.</span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Cambria",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">In another interesting twist</span><span lang="EN"><a href="https://www.thecable.ng/exclusive-us-firm-with-links-to-ipob-denies-lobbying-for-okonjo-iwealas-wto-bid"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Cambria",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">
Mercury has denied</span></a></span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Cambria",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;"> that it was lobbying for Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala in
her effort to be head of the WTO (World Trade Organization earlier this year.
It should be noted that on June 5th of this year that Mercury Public Affairs
registered with Congress to represent Ms. Okonjo-Iweala in both Houses of
Congress.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Cambria",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">Biafra is not the only flashpoint within Nigeria that has garnered
attention on K St. The Governor of Kaduna State Nasir Ahmed El-Rufai had found
a voice on K St back in 2007. He was </span><span lang="EN"><a href="https://guardian.ng/news/five-nigerians-entities-that-are-in-bed-with-american-lobbyists/"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Cambria",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">represented
by KRL International</span></a></span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Cambria",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">. Why is this important?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Over the last several months there has been
violence in the southern part of the state. According to </span><span lang="EN"><a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/07/31/multiple-killings-nigerias-kaduna-state"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Cambria",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">Human Rights Watch </span></i></a></span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Cambria",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">over 170 were
killed in the first seven months of the year. The situation has led the local
citizens to </span><span lang="EN"><a href="https://www.voanews.com/africa/southern-kaduna-villagers-stand-security-threats-killings"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Cambria",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">set
up their own patrols</span></a></span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Cambria",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">. It is not clear what the current status of this
relationship currently is but Kaduna is becoming an area of concern.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Cambria",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">The situation in Nigeria remains fluid and at certain instances
rapidly moving. It appears on the surface that the relationship with Washington
is paramount and they desire to make sure that their voices are heard on the
Potomac.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is irregardless whether or
not they want to gain political power or even to form their own state. The
other side of this coin is the willingness by some groups on K St that have the
motive of providing any service to any client to earn the dollar. This is a
most interesting partnership.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Cambria",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p> Written by: Scott Morgan</o:p></span></p>Don Okerekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06678079913273123553noreply@blogger.com0