Chairman of Audit Committee Institute (ACI), Mr. Chris Ekeigwe, has called on the auditing profession, particularly the audit technology professionals in Nigeria to immediately review their security protocols because of what he called the coming great data robbery. He reminded computer security auditors that the economics of computer crime is compelling, and for that reason criminals will always be incentivized to try. 

“It is, therefore, important that IT audit consultants invest in novel prospective security technologies and enhance staff behaviour and operating procedures to ensure that client data are not put at risk”, Ekeigwe said, adding that “society relies on our expertise and we must fulfill our public interest duty with professionalism. 

Ekeigwe also called for increased cooperative interaction between the police and the accounting/auditing profession to enable the police understand the challenges that technology auditors face.  The cooperation, he said, will definitely be beneficial too if accountants and auditors organize joint training on information security audit awareness for the police and auditors.  He added that such cooperation will yield the collective efficacy needed to protect our community. According to him, there is a lot that the police can teach auditors about security and vice versa.  He therefore advised that “we need to embark on a co-learning strategy now”.