As HURIWA faults police, NDPC over alleged NIPSS data breach probe

The Nigerian Army has alerted the public to an attempt to breach its official X (formerly Twitter) account, saying that it is actively responding to it.

A statement by the Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Appolonia Anele, said the incident, which occurred at about 5 p.m. on Saturday, August 29, 2026, is being treated as a cybersecurity breach.

The statement noted that immediate technical and protective measures were being activated to secure the account, prevent further unauthorised access and safeguard the integrity of information disseminated through the platform.

It restated the Nigerian Army’s commitment to information integrity, operational security and responsible strategic communication and urged the public and the media to verify information through the Nigerian Army’s other official communication platforms pending the full resolution of the incident.

THIS is as the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has faulted the Nigeria Police Force and the National Data Protection Commission (NDPC) over alleged delays in investigating a reported data breach at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS).

The group said more than a year after a petition was submitted, neither agency had publicly disclosed the status of its investigation.

In a statement issued yesterday, HURIWA National Coordinator, Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko, said the petition raised allegations of cybercrime, unlawful interception of private communications and data protection violations involving a senior naval officer and other NIPSS officials.

The petition was submitted on July 1, 2025, by PRNigeria Publisher, Alhaji Yushau A. Shuaib.

According to HURIWA, Shuaib alleged that private digital correspondence belonging to him and his organisation was accessed, intercepted and used during disciplinary proceedings at NIPSS without a court order or other lawful authorisation.