SNG commends Nigerians, hackers hit EFCC website

Convener of the Save Nigeria Group (SNG), Pastor Tunde Bakare has commended Nigerian Internet enthusiasts for keeping dates with the on-going.

This is coming  as indications have shown that the website of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) was hacked Friday, following the purported announcement that the Commission has some 21 executive directors of oil-chip firms in its custody for defrauding the nation over fuel subsidy.

Speaking at the fifth-day of the on-going he said that social media activists have helped in no small way in ensuring that Nigerians are fed the right and correct information concerning the week-long protests both locall across all the 36 states and some cities in the country, but also across the world where Nigerians in diaspora have been protesting at the embassies.

He called on Nigerians not to relent, but keep the spirit and hope alive until such a time that President Goodluck Jonathan listens to the voice of the people.

Bakare also noted that the protest has not been called off, but a two-day break to enable Nigerians, especially the protesters to restock their needs in preparation for this week as they intend to reassemble at the various locations accepted as the ‘Freedom square’ for protesters.

According to him, the two-day break is to further send a warning signale to the government and president Jonathan on the demands of the Nigerian people.

In a related development, 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 immediate past 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.

Just 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

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