#OccupyNigeria: Local Hacking Group Hijacking Nigerian Cyberspace

Protests over removal of fuel subsidy by the Nigerian government is gaining increasing support from various spheres  in the Nigerian society. There is no doubt that internet is playing an important role in mobilizing protesters and soliciting support using social media.

Latest of groups to join in the protests is a local hacking group, NaijaCyberHacktivists.

“WE WILL #OCCUPYNIGERIA.

We will continue a relentless and devastating assault upon the web assets of the Nigerian government till the people’s demands are met!

We will cripple Nigeria’s webspace and bring it to a grinding HALT TILL our demands are met!

We will NOT stop the attacks until petroleum subsidy is returned!”, the group said in a message posted on a hacked Nigerian Federal Ministry of Transport‘s site, first in a series of “cyber assaults” it planned on “Nigerian web assets”.

The website which now shows the logo of NaijaCyberHacktivists as well as images of a protester killed during the pro-subsidy protests in Ilorin has been the official web portal for The Ministry responsible for Transportation issues in the Federal Republic of Nigeria. There’s also a logo of Anonymou(the world’s largest hacking group) and PFL.  The full message posted on the hacked site indicates the hackers will continue their cyber assaults ”TILL our demands are met!”, the statement read. Please read full message below:

“Greetings Nigerian Government,

We are NaijaCyberHactivists.

The fetid empire of corruption and consumption that you have created is stifling the lives of hard working Nigerians.
You have sabotaged this country into a monolithic tyranny, yet in doing so made the ties that bind its people brittle.
You shattered this country, liquidating it piecemeal for your own selfish interests.

Nigerians are stirring and with it, revolution is brewing.
Perhaps you see yourselves at the eye of the storm, luxuriating in peace and tranquility while all around is ripped apart and made anew.

The recent cutting of the fuel subsidies by you is the last straw.
Your horrendous actions have crossed the lines.
Your crimes have united this great melting pot into a white hot alloy of rage.

NaijaCyberHactivists are here to offer a gentle reminder:

You are not at the eye of the storm;
You are at the center of the crosshairs!

Nigerians have grown weary of their shackles, your greed having left us with nothing to lose, but our chains…and we JUST DID!

We: students and workers, unemployed and self-employed, bike men, taxi men, traders, teachers, mai-ruwa, barbers, mechanics, househelps, newspapermen, tomato sellers, civil servants, students, business men have ceased to stop wailing.

WE WILL #OCCUPYNIGERIA.

We will continue a relentless and devastating assault upon the web assets of the Nigerian government till the people’s demands are met!

We will cripple Nigeria’s webspace and bring it to a grinding HALT TILL our demands are met!

We will NOT stop the attacks until petroleum subsidy is returned!

THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING!

We Are From The Internet
EXPECT US!

“In source code we trust
We fighting for a cause
To make them account for all OUR money in their purse
MISSION: Hand over the whip to the horse”.”

In a related development, the group has started sending 1million SMS with the message “Dear Senator,you were (s)elected for a time like this. Stand with the people OR Die in the struggle. #OccupyNigeria STOP #fuelsubsidyremoval“ to each House of Assembly Member in the Nigerian Senate.

“NaijaCyberHack: Just sent a million messages to Sen Enyinnaya Abaribe || Phone Number : 08033129152 || Bombard him NOWWWWWWWW! CALLS/SMS/Anything.”, one of many twitter update from the hacking group in Nigeria.

The group announced through it’s twitter page that it will carry out the  Cyber assault in 3 phases:

1. Occupy the Federal govt. Of Nigeria’s Webspace.

2. Send 1million SMS each to ALL house of assembly members

3. Take down a MAJOR epayment site!

We will keep you updated…

By Danny Kofi-Armah