A body of Nigerian hacker activists under the aegis of NaijaCyberHactivists, has continued to occupy Nigeria institutions online.
Technologically, a hacker is referred to a term described as
contentious term used in computing for several types of person, while computer
security experts see those hackers as crackers, who access a computer system by
circumventing its security system, even as some describe them as hobbyist who
makes innovative customizations or combinations of retail electronic and
computer equipment, yet there are those known as ‘programmer subculture,’ who
share an anti-authoritarian approach to software development now associated
with the free software movement.
Investigations carried out by ITRealms Online at the weekend
showed that hackers have embarked on this mission of occupying Nigeria
businesses, especially Federal Government institutions websites online in
sympathy of the populace following the sudden removal of fuel subsidy by President
Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (GEJ).
On Monday, the website of the Nigerian Army Education Corps
(NAEC) was also hacked by Naija Cyber Hactivists, denouncing the deployment of soldiers
across the country, especially Lagos by GEJ at the Gani Freedom Park among
others, to molest protesters.
ITRealms Online recalls that on the New Year day, January 1,
2012, the Federal Government had announced the removal of fuel subsidy, thereby
causing hike in pump price from hitherto N65 per litre to about N143 per litre.
Further investigations showed that as at the time of filing
this report, both the websites of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC) and National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control
(NAFDAC) among others.
Although, ITRealms Online also gathered that by weekend,
NAFDAC website, http://www.nafdac.gov.ng/ has been restored, while that of
EFCC, http://www.efccnigeria.org/ remain inaccessible as any attempt showed
that the requested Universal Route Locator (URL) had additional code ‘/jm15/’
indicating that it was not found on the server. While, additionally, a 404 Not
Found error was encountered while trying to use an Error Document to handle the
request is being displayed on the website ever since last Friday when the EFCC
website went live with the news that the likes of telecom business mogul, Mike
Adenuga, Femi Otedola and others were allegedly arrested.
Also, ITRealms Online gathered that sooner than it was
hacked, officials of EFCC denied the arrest of these business moguls, alleging
that its website was hacked.
Speaking on this development, the Publicity Secretary of the
Nigerian Bar Association, Mr. Emeka JP Obegolu told ITRealms Online that as
much as Nigerians are entitled to peaceful protest within the law, hacking of
website is a cybercrime and legitimate protesters are not welcome.
He advised those hackers to avoid criminality as a way of
protest.
Equally commenting, one of the protesting Nigerian youth who
gave his name as Hareem, said that this – the hacking of government institutions
website; is a very good way of communicating their message loud and clear to
the government. Mostly “if they don’t still understand what is going on.”
Further investigations confirmed this with a Tweet from
NaijaCyberHactivists, saying that the hacking of EFCC website was in solidarity
with the Nigerian masses’ protest over fuel subsidy removal and alleged bad
governance and inability of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to assent to the
demands of the people.
ITRealms Online further gathered that on Friday, January 13,
2012, NaijaCyberHactivists had stated through social media, Twitter, that it
should be occupied for unwillingness to give the Nigerian people justice.
The call to occupy EFCC was for not bringing the suspected
cabals among the oil importers and corruption politicians in the country to
book, which came as popular a demand online.
“The AYES have it. EFCC’s website goes down officially at
exactly 2pm tomorrow with an #OccupyEFCC chatbox on it.
In what started with a question from NaijaCyberHactivists on
a motion: Should EFCC’s website be occupied for mis-information & lack of
will to prosecute the Cabals? Aye or Nay? The majority of his followers
affirmed to the temporary occupation of EFCC website, mostly for the inability
of the Commission to tackle the purported cabals defrauding the country of
millions of Naira.
ITRealms Online recalled that the hackers had occupied EFCC
site with that notice.
In addition, the website of the Economic and Financial Crime
Commission (EFCC) was last Friday hacked following the alleged announcement by
the Commission for arresting and detained some 21 executive directors of
oil-chip firms for defrauding the nation over fuel subsidy.
The former Head, Media & Publicity Unit, EFCC, Mr. Femi
Babafemi was purportedly reported as saying in a press statement dated January
13, 2012 that those arrested were in response to fuel subsidy scam.
He also alleged to have said that operatives of the Economic
and Financial Crimes Commission arrested and detained at the weekend included
the managing director of CONOil, Otunba Mike Adenuga, who also is the executive
chairman, Globacom and three others.
He said these comprised of his counterparts at African
Petroleum (AP), Mr. Femi Otedola, MRS Oil, Mr. Sayyi Dantata and Mr. Adewale
Tinubu who is the Group Chief Executive of Oando plc among others.
Equally, Babafemi was reported to have disclosed that some
senior officials of the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA)
and Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), “who defrauded the nation
several billions of Naira.”
The EFCC spokesman was further alleged to have said that in
total, “21 executive directors have been detained in all and at the moment been
interrogated over fresh information that they allegedly stole fuel subsidy
funds,” even as he promised to release more information later.
Investigations conducted by ITRealms Online indicated that
the EFCC website may have been hacked by unknown persons following agitation on
the removal of fuel subsidy by the federal government, this was further
strengthen by the fact that some media organizations who rushed to the press,
especially online to announce the arrest have since yanked the announcement off
their website.
Even as it was rumoured that the said Mr. Babafemi Babalola
may have resigned from the employ of EFCC as at January 12, 2012. However, EFCC
has since Friday denied the reported arrest of Adenuga and co.
Remmy Nweke
ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D
No comments:
Post a Comment