The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has confirmed that its official website has been hacked, warning the public to disregard any content published on the platform until the issue is resolved. The announcement was made late Wednesday in a statement shared on X (formerly Twitter).
“This is to inform the public that the NBS website has been hacked, and we are working to recover it. Please disregard any message or report posted until the website is fully restored. Thank you,” the NBS wrote.
The cyberattack comes just a day after the bureau published a concerning report detailing crime experiences and security perceptions in Nigeria.
The report revealed that Nigerians paid a staggering N2.23 trillion as ransom for kidnappings between May 2023 and April 2024. It also recorded an estimated 51.89 million crime incidents across Nigerian households during the same period.
Breaking down the figures regionally, the North-West reported the highest number of crime incidents, exceeding 14 million cases, while the South-East had the lowest figure at over six million cases. Additionally, the data highlighted that crime rates in rural areas (26,526,069 incidents) outpaced those in urban regions (25,360,963 incidents).
The timing of the hack has raised suspicions, as the NBS crime report sheds light on critical security challenges in the country. The agency has assured the public it is taking necessary measures to recover its website and prevent further disruptions.
The NBS has urged Nigerians to verify all reports and information through other official channels until its website is secured. The attack underscores the growing concerns about cybersecurity in Nigeria, particularly for governmental organizations handling sensitive data.
This incident also brings to focus the intersection of cybersecurity threats and the public’s access to reliable information, further complicating efforts to address Nigeria’s pressing security challenges.
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