UTME: NSCDC bursts syndicate for breaking into JAMB virtual network

THE operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) have arrested in Abeokuta, a ring leader of a syndicate that specialises in erecting radio mass to hack into the Virtual Private Network of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board.

The project, according to one of the suspect arrested, Mr Tosin, was to extend the JAMB VPN from an accredited Computer Based Test (CBT) centre, in Abeokuta, to some Cyber Cafe operators for the purpose of illegal registration of candidates for the 2017 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.

The proprietor of Bright Technologies who was said to be the ring leader of the group, was arrested with his wife alongside other members of the syndicate who are currently cooling their feet at the headquarters of the NSCDC Abuja.

During cross examination by the NSCDC crack team and officials from JAMB led by the Registrar and Chief Executive of the Board, Professor Is-haq Oloyede, the proprietor of Bright Technologies, confessed to the crime but said he was paid to do the job.

According to him, he was approached by one Tosin, Segun and Jideh, who is on the run, from one of the CBT centres in Abeokuta to extend their VPN, given to them by JAMB for the purpose of UTME registration and conduct of the examination, to other users.

He said he has been paid over N600,000 for the job done so far in the deal, saying he created over 400 Usernames and passwords, well over the 100 access point provided for the approved CBT centres by JAMB.

The Bright Technologies proprietor told his interrogators that: “We are using unlicensed spectrum to transmit to our customers using 2.4 gigabyte and 5.8 gigabyte radio.

“On 28 of March, they came from Kindle e-Learning Service that they want Internet services and after three days, they came again, (Tosin, Segun and Jideh) that they want us to configure VPN for them.”

“They told me they need our services only during the JAMB registration and on the 1st of April, 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,” he said.

Available information from the headquarters of the NSCDC indicated that the gang specialises in high tech hacking.

Head of Information of JAMB, Dr Fabian Benjamin, in his reaction to the development said the intension of the group was to completely demobilise the Board process and render every effort by the Oloyede led management ineffective.

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 as this group if they have the IP address of any bank, they could take all the bank’s money.”

“With these arrest, it is obvious that the Board’s matriculation examination is now safe and on good footing,” he said.

The JAMB Registrar, had during the monitoring of the UTME mock examination last Saturday in Abuja, vowed to prosecute all those trying to sabotage the effort of the Board in conducting hitch-free examination.

He said from all indication, the Board was more than ready for the main examination that is expected to kick off on 13th May, and last till 20th May, 2017.

He, however, said he has discovered that some people were bent on thwarting the effort of the Board, and that such people would not be allowed to succeed.

He said: “You must have also noticed that some people are hell bent at thwarting the efforts of the Board but we would not allow such people to succeed. Those of them that were caught, I believe  that the  law would allow them to go scot-free and  the appropriate agencies would prosecute them. We promise Nigerians that we will give our best with sincerity of purpose but without caring about the nay sayers”