General
ISACA Warns on Vulnerabilities of Remote Work to Cyber Attacks
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA) has warned Nigerians working from the comfort of their homes to be wary of possible cyberattacks, which are rampant at vulnerable periods.
According to Director, Research and Marketing of ISACA, Abuja Chapter, Mr Ime Udoko, there are increased threats of attacks to people who have adopted the Remote Work Model (RWM)
Mr Udoko said on Wednesday that the COVID-19 pandemic has encouraged the use of RWM by businesses and institutions, but warned that if precautionary measures were not taken, they can be easily attacked by cyber criminals.
“The RWM model mandates organisations’ personnel to connect remotely to their respective offices to do their work and access business emails and applications using home devices.
“Unfortunately, most often, home devices are not protected by the corporate firewalls and anti-phishing security controls.
“Most times, connections are made using home routers which are ungoverned, browsers on many computers provided by companies hold sensitive information like User identities and passwords.
“Already, attackers find these as easy targets to gain remote credentials and perform malicious logins to corporate network.
“With the low level of security awareness, phishing campaigns through email makes employees at home a soft and easy target,” Mr Udoko said.
He further said that many believed that connections to corporate networks in the Work From Home model were done through Virtual Private Network (VPN) and were secured but said private networks could be manipulated and could be damaging.
He recalled that even by the disruption of COVID-19 era, there were already some disturbing statistics about Nigerian internet space by the Threat Intelligence Reports of CheckPoints, an institution monitoring cyber threats globally.
“Typical organisations in Nigeria with internet presence is being attacked 1,292 times per week in the last six months compared to 411 attacks per organisation globally.
“88 percent of the malicious files targeting institutions in Nigeria were delivered through emails, compared to 66 percent of malicious files globally.
“The most common vulnerability exploit type in Nigeria is Remote Code Execution (RCE) which is impacting 70 percent of organisations in the country,” he recalled.
The ISACA Research Director said that COVID-19 had changed business model and this had made it susceptible to a double rate of attacks which could be blamed on low cyber risks awareness level.
He added that the attacks stated by CheckPoints were being launched on organisations operating 90 percent physical model and less than 10 percent cyber dependence.
He advised that government, private institutions should consider setting up a Cyber Risk Management team to evaluate all possible risk scenarios, ensure adequate Information Technology resources to support staff.
“Companies should invest more on creating awareness on the do’s and don’ts while working from home, ensure employees’ devices comply with organisations’ internal policy, have up-to-date security software and security patch levels.
“Ensure all the corporate business applications are accessible only via encrypted communication channels, ensure Data at Rest (DAR) on employee laptops are encrypted to protect against unauthorised disclosure in the case of theft or devise loss.
“Where possible, get full protection from credential theft through phishing or social engineering as well as malware, exploits, ransom ware, and other email-delivered threats, by investing in relevant services.
“Safeguard access to application portals through the use of multi-factor authentication mechanisms, vet Bring-your-own-device (BYOD) such as personal laptops or mobile devises from the security standpoint,” Mr Udoko stated.
He also advised institutions to ensure policies for responding to security incidents and personal data breaches were in place to the knowledge of the staff.
According to him, the processing of personal data by the employer in the context of remote working should be in compliance with the local legal framework on data protection such as Nigeria Data Protection Regulations (NDPR).
Mr Udoko said that employees should be discouraged from sharing the virtual meeting URLs on social media or other public channels, adding that unauthorised third parties could access private meetings and breach business confidentiality.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
In order to aid alternative and sustainable means of livelihood amid rising food prices and growing concerns over food security in Nigeria, the Ibese Plant of Dangote Cement Plc has handed over a state-of-the-art garri and fufu processing plant to the Kajola host community in Ewekoro Local Government Area of Ogun State.
The facility is expected to support cassava farmers and processors by improving efficiency and expanding income-generating opportunities.
According to the organisation, the project, delivered under the Community Development Agreement (CDA) with its host communities signed in 2022, is a strategic intervention aimed at boosting agricultural value addition, reducing post-harvest losses and strengthening livelihoods for rural farmers and women.
The Ibese Plant Director, Mr Ayyagari Subbaraidu, at the commissioning, said, “This project is aimed at improving cassava processing, reducing losses and creating sustainable employment for women and farmers in the community.”
He disclosed that the facility features separate garri and fufu processing units equipped with modern machinery, including a five-tonne-per-day peeling machine, hydraulic presses, frying systems, fermentation basins, solar-powered boreholes and sanitation infrastructure, adding that it will serve as a catalyst for local economic growth by enhancing productivity and supporting small-scale agribusinesses across Kajola and neighbouring communities.
The Plant Director also urged the community and the Project Governance Committee to maintain transparency in the management of the facility to ensure long-term sustainability.
The Ogun State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Mr Bolu Owotomo, who was at the unveiling of the project, said it aligns with Governor Dapo Abiodun’s vision of making agriculture a key driver of economic growth through value addition and enterprise development.
The Commissioner disclosed that “over 166,000 farmers, including more than 90,000 cassava farmers, have been registered under the Ogun State Farmers Information Management System (OGFIMS) to benefit from government interventions.”
He urged the community to safeguard the facility and assured residents of the continued support of the state government towards agricultural development and food security.
“This processing plant will strengthen the cassava value chain, improve product quality, create jobs and enhance food security while boosting farmers’ incomes,” the Commissioner stated.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The federal government has hailed the recent sanctioning of three Nigerian bureau de change (BDC) operators by the United States’ Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) for alleged terrorism financing.
“The Nigeria Sanctions Committee welcomes the recent inclusion of Mukthar Muhammad Adamu, Nine to Nine BDC, and Generation BDC Limited by the United States Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
“These designations follow the inclusion of Adamu and his companies as part of a broader update to the Nigeria Sanctions List approved and published on 18th June 2026,” it disclosed in a statement.
It said that the naming of the three companies and six people followed extensive intelligence gathering, financial investigations, and inter-agency assessments, which established reasonable grounds to believe that the affected individuals and entities facilitated, financed, supported, or otherwise contributed to the activities of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and associated terrorist networks.
“The individuals and entities added to the Nigeria Sanctions List on 18th June 2026 are Ibrahim Yakubu Ogirima (NLISWi.19), Muktar Muhammad Adamu (NLISWi.20), Adamu Chiroma (NLISWi.21), Ibrahim Abubakar (NLISWi.22), Abdullahi Umar Usman (NLISWi.23), Babangida Muhammed Adamu Hammajam (NLISWi.24), Abbal Bako & Sons Bureau De Change Limited (NLISWe.25), Generation Currency BDC Limited (NLISWe.26), Nine to Nine BDC Limited (NLISWe.27),” the statement read in part.
The federal government reiterated its directive to all financial institutions and designated non-financial businesses and professions to continue to comply with all sanctions obligations, including asset-freezing requirements, the filing of suspicious transaction reports, and the reporting of all relevant matches to the appropriate authorities.
The sanctions committee commended the work of the Federal Ministry of Justice, Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Department of State Services, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit for their actions to ensure that terrorist groups are denied the resources that sustain their activities.
It stated that Nigeria remains resolute in its commitment to ensuring that terrorists and their financiers find no safe haven within the country’s financial system.
The committee also said that the Federal Government would continue to work closely with domestic stakeholders and international partners to protect national security, strengthen financial integrity, and contribute to global efforts to combat terrorism and its financing.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
A radio station, Wise FM, has been sealed by officials of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA).
The premises of the broadcast media platform, located on Ogabi Street, Meiran, Ile-Iwe Bus Stop, were shut by the state government on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, alongside other establishments across different parts of Lagos State for alleged persistent violations of environmental regulations despite repeated warnings, abatement notices, and opportunities provided for compliance.
In a statement by LASEPA, it was disclosed that the enforcement exercise was carried out in response to various environmental infractions, including noise pollution, air pollution, obstruction of official duties, and failure to comply with its directives.
As regards Wise FM, it was said that it was sealed for noise and air pollution as well as non-compliance with the Agency’s directives.
Another organisation affected, Star-View Terrace, located in Amuwo Odofin, Lagos, was shut down for noise pollution and non-compliance with the agency’s directives, while Premiership Suites, located at Akin Osiyemi Street, Off Allen Avenue, Ikeja, was sealed for non-compliance with the agency’s directives.
Speaking on the enforcement operation, the General Manager of LASEPA, Mr Babatunde Ajayi, reiterated the organisation’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding public health and ensuring a cleaner, safer, and more sustainable environment across Lagos State.
He stressed that both individuals and corporate organisations have a responsibility to comply with environmental laws and regulations, stressing that environmental protection remains a collective duty that requires the cooperation of all stakeholders.
The LASEPA boss warned that the agency would continue to intensify enforcement actions against violators in order to curb environmental nuisances and protect residents from the harmful effects of pollution.
Mr Ajayi urged residents, business owners, and operators of commercial establishments to adopt environmentally responsible practices and cooperate with regulatory authorities in promoting a healthier, cleaner, and more livable Lagos.
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