The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has finally admitted that its website experienced an attempted cyber-attack over the weekend.
It would be recalled that over the weekend, Anonymous, a group of foreign activists prominent for hacking repressive government’s website, had claimed responsibility for attacking the EFCC website in support on the nationwide #EndSARS protest. The EFCC, however, denied the claim.
Anonymous announced it had taken down the EFCC’s website as well as that of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Independent National Electoral Commission, and others.
The tweet read in part:
“Official website of @officialEFCC has been taken down in support of #EndSARSProtest. CHECK HOST: https://check-host.net/check-report/df89d3bk838 TARGET: https://efccnigeria.org/efcc/ You should have expected us! #EndCorruptioninNigeria.”
The group of anonymous hackers, in the past have carried out similar coordinated attacks in the United States, Israel, Tunisia, Uganda, and some other countries.
It would also be recalled that Anonymous hacked the official Twitter account of the National Broadcasting Corporation and posted #EndSARS protest materials on the agency’s Twitter timeline.
Reacting to the development, the EFCC in a post on its Twitter handle, admitted that the commission experienced a compromise of its website, which was later repelled.
“Though there were attempts, over the weekend, to compromise the website by some cybercriminals, the attacks were successfully repelled. The EFCC website is up and running.
“The EFCC, therefore, urges members of the public to disregard the report, in addition to the one which also claims that the commission’s website had been hacked.”
The EFCC also dismissed claims of one of its staff reported to have resigned from the commission in solidarity with the protesters clamouring for the reformation of the Nigerian police.
According to the agency, the said person was identified to be a member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) who had just completed his one year service at the EFCC Port Harcourt zonal office.
“The EFCC wishes to inform the public that Akpan is not a staff of the commission. He merely served as a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member in the Port Harcourt zonal office of the commission from November 2019 to October 16, 2020, when he completed his national service.
“He, therefore, could not have resigned from the EFCC to join the #EndSARS Movement.
“The stunt by Akpan is nothing but crass opportunism. And, seeking to achieve his selfish objectives riding on the crest of the popular protests by the youth, clamouring for institutional reform in Nigeria, is a disservice to the #EndSARS movement.”
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