Education Minister’s phone hacked, as Nigeria ranks 5th most breached country globally

Education Minister, Prof. Tahir Mamman has alerted the public of the hacking of his WhatsApp number by suspected hackers.

The development comes amid Nigeria’s rising cybersecurity concerns, as it has been ranked as the fifth most breached country in the world.

Confirming the hack of the Education Minister’s phone in a statement on Friday, the Director, Press & PR of the Ministry, Folasade Boriowo, raised the alarm that the number is currently being used by unauthorized individuals.

In a statement titled, ‘Public Disclaimer: Hacking of Honourable Minister of Education’s Phone Number’, the Director said: “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 or request received from the said number until further notice.

“The matter has been reported to the relevant authorities and is under investigation. We advise all members of the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity”.

Meanwhile, Nigeria is ranked as top five countries with the most cyber attacks in 2024.

Using a World Cybercrime Index (WCI) score, a recent research from Oxford University revealed the top five most breached countries in the world to include:

Russia: 58.39
Ukraine: 36.44
China: 27.86
United States: 25.01
Nigeria: 21.28

In July this year, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, also had his telephone number hacked.