Gov. Ortom dumps APC

Syndicate collects N600,000 to hack JAMB network

JAMB registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede.

 

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has arrested a syndicate in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, which confessed to erecting a radio mast to hack the Virtual Private Network of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board.

Our correspondent learnt that the syndicate, including a proprietor of one Bright Technologies, whose name was not given by NSCDC, confessed to collecting N600,000 for the deal.

The hacker’s wife and other accomplices were also arrested by the NSCDC crack team from Abuja. Other suspects, identified only as Segun and Jide, are said to be at large.

One of the suspects, identified only as Tosin, said the deal was to extend the JAMB network from an accredited Computer Based Test centre in Abeokuta to some cyber cafe operators for the purpose of illegal registration of candidates for the 2017 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.

The corps stated that during the interrogation, the proprietor, who confessed to the crime, said he was paid over N600,000 for the job, adding that he created over 400 User Names and passwords.

He told the operatives, “We are using unlicensed spectrum to transmit to our customers using 2.4 gigabyte and 5.8 gigabyte radio. On March 28, they came from Kindle e-Learning Service that they wanted Internet services and after three days, they came again, (Tosin, Segun and Jide) that they wanted us to configure VPN for them.

“They told me they needed our services only during the JAMB registration and on April 1, we went to their office. They gave me the IP (Internet Protocol) address and I did pinging from my own Router. I have collected about N600,000 so far from Kindle e-Learning.”

The NSCDC said the gang specialised in high-tech hacking.

The JAMB Head of Information, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, said the intention of the group was to completely demobilise the Board process.

He said, “With what we saw, we are of the strong opinion that the DSS should also come in to consolidate on the investigation done by NSCDC.

“This is because if this group has the IP address of any bank; they could take the whole money in the banks.”

The JAMB Registrar, Dr. Ishaq Oloyede, said people, who were bent on thwarting the effort of the board, would not be allowed to succeed.

“You must have also noticed that some people are hell bent on thwarting the efforts of the board but we will not allow such people to succeed. I believe that the law will not allow those who have been caught to go scot-free,” he said.