The Nigerian Communications Commission has launched another consumer-centric outreach programme “Shine your eyes, no fall mugu” yesterday in Benin, Edo.
The programme, which translates to, “Be alert, don’t be a victim of fraudsters” is an initiative of the commission’s consumer affairs bureau (CAB).
The programme is specially conceived and implemented using Nigerian pidgin and [is] intended for a segment of the telecommunications consumer population who are more comfortable with localised communication that resonates with their reality.
The two-day programme, implemented in three phases, started with a road show yesterday. The show featured local artistes and comedians who displayed musical different forms of mastery of their art to amuse and entertain people to create awareness and sensitise telecoms consumers on the activities of cyber criminals and how they may use telecom platforms to defraud unsuspecting members of the public.
Today, the last day of the two-day event, featured a 20-minute radio talk in Nigerian pidgin, to further create awareness and, like the roadshow, invite telecoms consumers to an enlightenment forum where presentations will be made about tricks deployed by cyber criminals to defraud people online. The presentations will also capture measures to be taken by consumers and members of the public to not fall victim to fraudsters who may use telecom platforms to perpetrate such fraudulent acts.
Additionally, at today’s enlightenment forum, drama, audio narratives and other attractions thematised on the centrality of vigilance, alertness and caution in cyberspace by all users, will be featured.
The programme is facilitated by a local partner who supports NCC by mobilising critical segments of the public through opinion leaders and social groups to participate in the events, for them to be armed with the right information to explore the Internet safely. These leaders and members of the public attending the forum are expected to re-diffuse the messages to other members of the public and others in their socio-cultural groups.
The programme, coming on the heels of NCC’s National Cybersecurity Awareness Month (in October) and the annual National Cybersecurity Conference, which took place on November 3, 2021, is meant to reinforce the messages of cyber awareness, cyber vigilance and cyber smartness to telecom consumers whenever they are online.
The roadshow yesterday commenced at Ekehuan Road and the procession drove through Airport Road, to State Secretariat, Sapele Road and Ring Road, to Akpakpava, Dawson Road and back to Ugbowo and Uselu Market. The motorcade, music, displays by artistes and the underlying narration of the message of the outreach in Nigerian pidgin caught the attention of residents and passers-by who patiently listened to the messages. Information, communication and education (IEC) materials were also shared with the public at every neighbourhood the procession stopped.
A statement by the commission’s director of public affairs, Dr Ikechukwu Adinde, said more mobilisation campaigns and awareness creation will be made during the radio component of the sensitisation on Vibes Radio, 97.3 FM at 8.45 a.m; followed by the enlightenment forum at Obey God Events Centre, Nova Road, opposite Uwasota Junction, Benin.
