CYBER SECURITY ENHANCEMENT IN NIGERIA. A CASE STUDY OF SIX STATES IN THE NORTH CENTRAL (MIDDLE BELT) OF NIGERIA

ABSTRACT: Security plays an important role in human life and endeavors. Securing information anddisseminating are critical challenges in the present day. This study aimed at identifying innovative technologiesthat aid cybercrimes and can constitute threats to cybersecurity in North Central (Middle Belt) Nigeria coveringits six States and the FCT Abuja. A survey research design was adopted. The researchers employed the use ofGoogle form in administering the structured questionnaire. The instruments were faced validated by one experteach from ICT and security. Cronbach Alpha reliability Coefficient was employed and achieved 0.83 level ofcoefficient. The population of the study was 200, comprising 100 undergraduate students from computer scienceand Computer/Robotics Education, 80 ICT instructors, technologists and lecturers in the University andTechnical Colleges in the Middle Belt Nigeria using innovative technologies for their daily jobs and 20 officersof the crime agency such as: Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) andEconomic and FinancialCrimes Commission (EFCC). Three research purposes and questions as well as the hypothesis guided the studyon Five (5) point Likert scale. Data collected were analyzed using mean and standard deviation for the threeresearch questions while three hypotheses were tested using t-test at 0.05 level of significance. Major findingsrevealed that serious steps are needed to better secure the cybers against cybercrimes. Motivation, types, threatsand strategies for the prevention of cybercrimes were identified. The study recommends that government,organizations and individuals should place emphasis on moral development, regular training of its employees,regular update of software, use strong password, back up data and information, produce strong cybersecuritypolicy, install antivirus soft and security surveillance (CCTV) in offices in order to safeguard its employees andproperties from being hacked and vandalized.

KEYWORDS: Cybersecurity, cybercrime, cyberattack, cybercriminal, computer virus, Virtual PrivateNetworks(VPN)