The phone line of Nigeria’s Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, has been hacked, prompting a public warning from both the minister and the Ministry of Education. The breach, first revealed through a post on the minister’s official X (formerly Twitter) account on Thursday, has raised concerns about unauthorized communications being made through the compromised line.
In the announcement, Prof. Mamman urged the public to refrain from contacting his phone number or responding to any requests made from the hacked line. He wrote, “My phone line has been compromised. Please refrain from calling the number and ignore any messages requesting assistance until the issue is resolved. Thank you for your understanding.”
Following the minister’s disclosure, the Ministry of Education confirmed the breach in a statement issued on Friday by the Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade. The ministry stated that unauthorized individuals are now using the minister’s WhatsApp number, potentially to solicit information or assistance fraudulently.
The official statement from the Ministry of Education read: “The Office of the Honourable Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman, wishes to inform the general public that the Minister’s WhatsApp number has been hacked and is currently being used by unauthorized individuals. We deeply regret any inconvenience this may cause and urge everyone to disregard any message of request received from the said number until further notice.”
The ministry also confirmed that the hacking incident has been reported to the relevant authorities, and an investigation is underway. Members of the public were advised to remain vigilant and to report any suspicious activity related to the compromised phone line.
This incident highlights growing concerns over cybersecurity vulnerabilities in high-profile government offices, as hackers increasingly target public officials for fraudulent activities.
