Cybersecurity Expert Dr. Arnold Mashud Abukari Advocates for Indigenous Language Monitoring Systems to Combat Digital Radicalism

Cybersecurity expert Dr. Arnold Mashud Abukari has urged Ghanaian authorities to develop and deploy cyber threat monitoring systems in indigenous languages to bolster the nation's defense against emerging digital threats. Speaking at the launch of his new book, 'Digital Radicalism: A Comprehensive Guide to Understanding and Countering Cyber Terrorism and Digital Radicalism in Ghana,' Dr. Abukari pointed out that current security frameworks are heavily biased toward the English language. This linguistic gap, he argues, allows bad actors to coordinate crimes, spread misinformation, and recruit individuals into extremist ideologies using local dialects that fly under the radar of existing automated monitoring tools. The expert emphasized that localizing cybersecurity efforts is essential for detecting the nuances of harmful content shared across social media platforms. His book serves as a strategic resource for understanding how digital radicalism manifests in the Ghanaian context and proposes preventive measures rooted in community engagement and inter-sectoral collaboration. Dr. Abukari suggested that by integrating indigenous languages into surveillance and detection systems, Ghana can more effectively preempt cyber-terrorist activities and disrupt criminal networks operating in the shadows of the digital space. Furthermore, Dr. Abukari called for a structural shift in how the nation approaches digital safety, particularly among the youth. He advocated for a partnership between cybersecurity stakeholders and the Ghana Education Service to develop a robust digital literacy curriculum. By embedding these skills into the formal education system, the country can empower the next generation to navigate the internet safely, recognize radicalization attempts, and contribute to a more secure digital economy. He concluded by stressing that a comprehensive national awareness campaign, coupled with community-level interventions, is vital to building a resilient front against the evolving landscape of cybercrime and digital radicalism in Ghana.