By Nnamdi Ojiego

The increasing wave of high-technology induced crimes globally has made it imperative for nations to implement advanced digital security solutions in order to protect their citizens and foreigners domiciled in their countries.

However, Nigeria is not immune to these hi-tech crimes. In fact, the country has in recent time, been bombarded and embarrassed with the spate of kidnapping and bomb blasts.

This spate of insecurity in the country has become a source of concern not only to the government and people of Nigeria but also to foreigners who conduct business in the country.

To this end, SystemTrust Limited, an indigenous ICT Security company, has partnered AccessData Corporation, the global leader in digital forensics applications and pioneer in digital investigations, to provide digital and forensic solutions to arrest the security challenges in the country, which include terrorism, cyber/ financial crimes, and data breaches.

The coming together of the two ICT companies was necessitated by the urgent need for a holistic approach in containing the ugly development in which many lives have been lost and properties worth millions of naira destroyed thereby affecting the economy adversely.

Another reason for the synergy is to adequately equip organizations in critical sectors of the economy with world-class digital security solutions to enable them deal with security challenges.

Speaking at a joint press conference in Lagos, to formally announce the partnership and their preparedness to work with the governments and organisations in Nigeria, the Director, DRS South Africa, Robert Brown and the Regional Account Manager, Middle East, Africa and India, Geoff Brooks (both of AccessData) said they partnered with SystemTrust to assist the government and organisations solve their security problems through the provisioning of tested solutions for security challenges, training of manpower, among others.

The AccessData Executives said crimes are everywhere and are committed through digital elements, and explained that what makes the difference is how prepared and equipped countries and organizations are to fight criminality and secure their digital assets.

On the partnership, CEO of SystemTrust, Mr Philip Nwachukwu disclosed that it was as a result of the urgent need to build in Nigeria the requisite capacity to tackle the new wave of crimes.

He said what is happening in the country is a serious issue that affects every Nigerian and which should be accorded the seriousness it deserved.

“Right away, government should start the process of capacity building and massive acquisition of technologies that are relevant in the face of the current challenges.

Government needs to equip the police and other security services so that they can forensically see contents of mobile phones and other electronic/IT tools of suspects, examine them and use the reports to prosecute the criminals.”