BREAKING: EFCC, National Industrial Court, Other High-profiles Websites Hacked As #EndSWAT Protests Go Global

Multiple websites of Nigerian Government have been reportedly hacked by Anonymous, a decentralized international activist/hacktivist collective/movement that is widely known for its various cyber attacks.

This comes few days after the unknown hackers reportedly ramp up cyberattacks on Nigerian government internet assets.

BIGPEN understands ‘Anonymous’ began its hacking activism in Nigeria on the heel of the #EndSARS nationwide protests which have jostled the Nigerian Government.

Few days ago, the unknown hacker group, attacked the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) website as well as that of the Nigeria Broadcasting Commission (NBC) as part of its threats to carry out coordinated attacks on more Nigerian government websites in solidarity with #EndSARS protest in the country.

Making the threat on its verified twitter handle, Anonymous also known as anons, said the coordinated attacks on more Nigerian government websites would not cease until the federal government listens to the yearnings of citizens to bring police officers accused of brutality to justice

“#Nigeria: Anonymous hacks multiple government websites in solidarity with #EndSARS protestors and retribution for violence by police. #OpNigeria #EndSARSProtest,” the group tweeted in the early hours of Thursday.

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BIGPEN reports few days after the tweet, Anonymous, took down the website of Nigeria’s National Industrial Court and also targeted the official website of Edo State Government.

Anonymous’ hacktivist also breached the website of the Nigeria State House Abuja and that of the anti-graft agency, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). It also claimed to have compromised the website of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

It was not clear if any data were stolen from the twin websites but the hackers said the series of attacks on government-owned websites were to support the widespread protests against police brutality in Nigeria.

On the homepage of the National Industrial Court’s website, the hackers wrote the hastags #OpNigeria #EndSARSProtest #EndSARS #EndSarsNow and #EndPoliceBrutality

It also claim responsibility for hacking of the website of Edo state Government from where they alleged to be in possession of contract rackets by the Edo state Government.

The hack group was said to have also exposed names of companies to which some of the contracts were awarded in Edo.

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“You got paid for these contracts but never delivered the job, received billions but spent nothing,” Anonymous said on Twitter.

But the Edo State government has denied the allegations, in fact, it said the documents were fake.

Crusoe Osagie, Edo State governor’s spokesman, in a phone chat with The Guardian on Friday said the documents on the state official websites are for public consumption but  said the ones leaked by the hacktivists were “fake”.

“Our website in Edo State is not for hiding documents, it is for putting documents out there for the public. So you don’t need to hack our website to see things that were put there,” Osagie said.

“If you claim you hack our website to get documents that means whatever they are putting out there is fake because our website is not that one we hide documents in,” he added.

Meanwhile, report says as the #EndSWAT protests continue on Friday, protesters gathered in France and London to raise voices against police brutality and oppressive regime in Nigeria

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In France, Nigerian residents on Friday lent their voices to protest against brutality and human rights violations committed by operatives of the dissolved Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) by joining the #EndSARS protests.

The protesters demonstrated peacefully in front of the Nigerian Embassy at the Victor Hugo area of Paris, to demand an end to police brutality and human rights abuses under the administration of President Buhari.