The phone line of Nigeria’s Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, has been hacked. The Minister shared the news on Thursday through a notice on his official X account (formerly Twitter), warning the public to avoid using his compromised phone number.
In his post, Prof. Mamman urged people to ignore any messages or calls coming from the affected number. He emphasized that no one should respond to requests for assistance until the issue is fully resolved. “My phone line has been compromised. Please refrain from calling the number and ignore any messages requesting assistance until the issue is resolved,” he wrote.
The Ministry of Education later confirmed the hacking incident in a statement released on Friday. According to the Ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade, unauthorized individuals are now using the Minister’s phone line, particularly his WhatsApp account, to send messages.
The Ministry apologized for the inconvenience caused by the security breach and advised the public to remain cautious. They stressed the importance of disregarding any suspicious messages or calls from the Minister’s number until further notice.
“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,” the statement read.
To protect the public from potential scams, the Ministry urged everyone to stay alert and report any suspicious activity involving the hacked phone line. The matter has already been reported to the relevant authorities, who are now investigating the situation.
While the investigation continues, the Ministry is doing its best to minimize any risks to the public. “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 statement continued.
The incident highlights the growing risk of phone and social media hacks, even for high-ranking government officials. It serves as a reminder for the public to be cautious when receiving unexpected messages, especially those asking for money or sensitive information.
As the situation unfolds, both the Minister and the Ministry of Education are working with authorities to resolve the issue. The public is encouraged to remain vigilant, avoid engaging with suspicious messages, and wait for updates on when the phone line will be secure again.
This is not the first time high-profile figures have fallen victim to such attacks, and it reflects a broader challenge of cybersecurity in today’s digital age. The public must continue to stay aware and follow guidance from official channels to avoid falling prey to scams or misinformation.
