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 bySUNDAY PUNCHhave 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.

http://www.punchng.com/news/fg-monitors-nigerians-facebook-twitter-accounts/

Lalasticlala

And for the mumu wey una be una come decide to reveal such sensitive information to the public so dat the terrorist group will be aware and take precautions.


***********
FTC again?

Why Always Me? God punish devil & INTROVERT.

I hereby dedicate this FTC to the family of late President Umaru Musa Yaradua. We will always remember u for your principled nature and exemplary patriotic spirit.

Jonathan Approved this..

In as much as i am supporting this, I hope it is not one of those gargatuan project that dont normally come to fruition and with an enormous amount of money involved they should please look deeply into it oh.

It's a nice moveee...

Yea! But I don't tink makin it public like ds is a v wise decision. Will jsst make potential culprits more 'coded'.

ibe9ja:
And for the mumu wey una be una come decide to reveal such sensitive information to the public so dat the terrorist group will be aware and take precautions.

LOL

They need to come and also monitor this nairaland! After all these biafran and wailing _imbeciles are also veritable pools from which terrorist groups can easily recruit from!

where is that guy who was displaying his buttcrack on nl, he said he works for a security agency that monitors people online and on phone and everywhere.

the types of folks doing this monitoring, ehn.


smh.

lord have mercy.

end times.

season of monitoring

K

This calls for a serious protest in front of my laptop at one corner of my room. Namaste (in India's voice) to the government.

Ok

Nairaland nkor?

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!yehhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

No wander he no get fb,twitter account. I no mention name o.

Bubu is back with decree 4 in a different guise, its a shame Bubu hates criticisms but there's very little he can do about it.

Bubu should monitor Terrorist not Twitter.

Quacks

So why exactly are they telling us this Senate and media are the biggest enemy of this nation. Smh

Abeg , FG should monitor barcanister , mogidi , iPrinz20 Aprokoman, Whynotthetruth, Dearpreye, Firefire, Francizy,
Temitemi1, Biafranqueen, Mizmycoli, IsraeliAirforce,
Candyrain, Ambivert, Rose2014, Provacateur, Opiaoku, NDPVF,
Anonimi, Engineerboat, Talktimi, ahaika23, coolestrogue APCSucks
Emperortj93

All the governments in the world have been spying on there citizens both home and abroad because of security reasons since the beginning of time itself.

How dey go take know say na me get wetin den dey monitor?

u gotta be kidding me

okay

Including Nairaland account.......Barcanister take note.

Okay, I hope it works out well for them

If this is true, its good our military intelligence is getting proactive. 

But now that its in the news, they know they are being monitored, this isn't a smart move. They should keep this kind of info away from the media. When will they have sense?

It's [size=20pt]LadyF [/size] again

ibe9ja:
And for the mumu wey una be una come decide to reveal such sensitive information to the public so dat the terrorist group will be aware and take precautions.

I thought i was the only one reasoning their foolishness.

Nice move buh this boko haram issue is taking too long.. Just find 'em, track 'em kill 'em

To forget money, no matter the amount, is costly for democracy

That's why I keep wailing on the N400B debts that we want to forget in Lagos

Super story,Let them first all monitor oil thief and money loundering.

dapsoneh:
A