In a recent development, the Ogun State government has fallen victim to a malicious cyberattack.
On Wednesday morning, July 12, 2023, hackers, going by the name "Aliester Crowley," operating under the pseudonym "Anon Ghost," claimed responsibility for the breach and asserted their location as the Maldives.
The website of the Ogun State government displayed a bold inscription bearing the words, "We are Anon Ghost," accompanied by what seemed to be the hackers' logo.
The hackers left a message stating, "We are legend, we do not forgive, we do not forget, expect us. Hacked by Aliester Crowley. Update your security! Greetings from the Maldives. Find me on YouTube," further emphasising their involvement.
The cybercriminals defaced every page of the website, leaving a visible mark of their unauthorised access.
Unfortunately, this is not the first occurrence of a cyberattack targeting the Ogun State government. In 2015, similar cyber-terrorists breached the website and, like the present incident, urged the government to enhance its security measures.
Kunle Somorin, the chief press secretary to Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, expressed unawareness of the cyberattack but assured that appropriate actions would be taken promptly. He stated, "I am not aware of a hack. By who? The cabinet is dissolved at the moment, but I will get across to the social media team. I'm sure they will work on it now."
Regrettably, other governmental bodies in Nigeria have also suffered from cyberattacks, highlighting the pervasive nature of the issue. The National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) have all experienced similar breaches in their respective websites.