The Federal Government has been monitoring the
social media accounts of Nigerians who are suspected
of having links with various terrorist groups, including
Boko Haram and the Islamic State of Syria and Iraq,
findings by SUNDAY PUNCH have shown.
Our correspondent learnt that through covert
operations, which have been going on for a while,
security agencies hack into the Facebook and Twitter
accounts of those they are monitoring.
The move, it was learnt, was meant to frustrate
terrorist attacks on the country.
The project, which is costing the country millions of
dollars, is being managed by the Office of the
National Security Adviser.
Multiple sources, who spoke to our correspondent on
condition of anonymity because they were not
authorised to inform the press about the security
checks, stated that the administration of former
President Goodluck Jonathan approved the request
by security agencies to spy on targeted sections of
the population, mainly religious extremists and
radicalised individuals.
It was gathered that the project is being coordinated
by some foreign firms, including an Israeli firm, Elbit
System.
Our correspondent learnt that the local espionage
involves hacking of phones, email accounts, social
media accounts and bugging of telephone
conversations of persons of interest.
A source said, “The surveillance system is not being
used to target everyone, as people may want to
believe. It is only deployed to get intelligence on
specific targets because it would be hard and difficult
to use such system to spy on all Nigerians; the
amount of data would be too huge and staggering for
the assessors to sort and manage.
“Basically, the system is used to hack into emails and
phones of targets, and the targets are those who are
suspected of having ties with terrorists, whether
Boko Haram, ISIS or any other criminal element.”
It was also learnt that the system had greatly assisted
security agencies to nip in the bud and also frustrate
many terror plots and attacks across the country.
The security agencies had been using electronic
trackers, which they were used to track and
apprehend kidnappers.
But it was learnt that the electronic surveillance
system is more effective and has better capacities to
hack emails, passwords and social media accounts
used by terrorists to recruit members.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Emmanuel
Ojukwu, confirmed that security agencies were using
a sophisticated surveillance system as part of
measures to combat crime and terrorism in the
country.
He said, “It is not a new technology. Everywhere in
the world, it is used, including drones and other
sophisticated equipment. Nigeria is part of the
international community; we have our surveillance
system, which shows that Nigeria is developing.”
Ojukwu said the security agencies respect the rights
of Nigerians and were not using the system to hack
the phones and computers of innocent Nigerians.
The Department of State Services could not be
reached for information on their use of the
surveillance system.
Copyright PUNCH Read more headlines here
social media accounts of Nigerians who are suspected
of having links with various terrorist groups, including
Boko Haram and the Islamic State of Syria and Iraq,
findings by SUNDAY PUNCH have shown.
Our correspondent learnt that through covert
operations, which have been going on for a while,
security agencies hack into the Facebook and Twitter
accounts of those they are monitoring.
The move, it was learnt, was meant to frustrate
terrorist attacks on the country.
The project, which is costing the country millions of
dollars, is being managed by the Office of the
National Security Adviser.
Multiple sources, who spoke to our correspondent on
condition of anonymity because they were not
authorised to inform the press about the security
checks, stated that the administration of former
President Goodluck Jonathan approved the request
by security agencies to spy on targeted sections of
the population, mainly religious extremists and
radicalised individuals.
It was gathered that the project is being coordinated
by some foreign firms, including an Israeli firm, Elbit
System.
Our correspondent learnt that the local espionage
involves hacking of phones, email accounts, social
media accounts and bugging of telephone
conversations of persons of interest.
A source said, “The surveillance system is not being
used to target everyone, as people may want to
believe. It is only deployed to get intelligence on
specific targets because it would be hard and difficult
to use such system to spy on all Nigerians; the
amount of data would be too huge and staggering for
the assessors to sort and manage.
“Basically, the system is used to hack into emails and
phones of targets, and the targets are those who are
suspected of having ties with terrorists, whether
Boko Haram, ISIS or any other criminal element.”
It was also learnt that the system had greatly assisted
security agencies to nip in the bud and also frustrate
many terror plots and attacks across the country.
The security agencies had been using electronic
trackers, which they were used to track and
apprehend kidnappers.
But it was learnt that the electronic surveillance
system is more effective and has better capacities to
hack emails, passwords and social media accounts
used by terrorists to recruit members.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Emmanuel
Ojukwu, confirmed that security agencies were using
a sophisticated surveillance system as part of
measures to combat crime and terrorism in the
country.
He said, “It is not a new technology. Everywhere in
the world, it is used, including drones and other
sophisticated equipment. Nigeria is part of the
international community; we have our surveillance
system, which shows that Nigeria is developing.”
Ojukwu said the security agencies respect the rights
of Nigerians and were not using the system to hack
the phones and computers of innocent Nigerians.
The Department of State Services could not be
reached for information on their use of the
surveillance system.
Copyright PUNCH Read more headlines here
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