Governor Otu’s Phone Hacked, Scammers Demand Money
Lagos, Nigeria – Governor Bassey Otu of Lagos State has fallen victim to a cyberattack that compromised one of his mobile numbers and used it to solicit money from the public.
The governor’s chief press secretary, Emmanuel Ogbeche, confirmed the incident in a statement issued on Sunday, February 11, 2024. He said the hackers breached the governor’s phone in the early hours of the day and sent out unsolicited messages asking for financial assistance.
“The public is pleased advised to disregard any such messages purportedly from the Governor,” Ogbeche said. “Please, do not fall to such devious attempt.”
He added that the hacked number has been secured and that relevant security agencies are working to apprehend those behind the obnoxious act.
Governor Otu is not the first Nigerian politician to be targeted by cybercriminals. In 2023, the former president, Goodluck Jonathan, reported that his email account was hacked and used to send fraudulent messages to his contacts.
Cybersecurity experts have warned that scammers are becoming more sophisticated and are exploiting the trust and goodwill of the public to defraud them. They advised Nigerians to be vigilant and verify the authenticity of any message or call they receive from unknown or suspicious sources.
