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Hacker cut internet access in Liberia

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Hacker cut internet access in Liberia

Liberia has been repeatedly cut off from the internet by hackers targeting its only link to the global network.

Recurrent attacks on November 3 flooded the cable link with data, making net access intermittent.

Researchers said the attacks showed hackers trying different ways to use massive networks of hijacked machines to overwhelm high-value targets.

Experts said Liberia was attacked by the same group that caused web-wide disruption on October 21.

Those attacks were among the biggest ever seen and made it hard to reach big web firms such as Twitter, Spotify and Reddit.

The attacks were the first to send overwhelming amounts of data from weakly protected devices, such as webcams and digital video recorders, that had been enrolled into what is known as a botnet.

A botnet variant called Mirai was identified by security firms as being the tool used to find and compromise the insecure devices.

The source code for Mirai has been widely shared and many malicious hacker groups have used it to seek out vulnerable devices they can take over and use to mount what are known as Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks.

“There’re multiple different botnets, each with a different owner,” security researcher Kevin Beaumont told the BBC. “Many are very low-skilled. Some are much better.”

For more than two weeks, my internet has not been working properly. At first I thought it was a problem with my internet provider, which often suffers from slow speeds. But this feels more serious.

Even when you do get online, the connection repeatedly cuts out. I’ve spent the past week trying to upload some photos and audio to send to London, without success.

A woman who runs a computer club for young people in the capital, Monrovia, tells me that they have been having trouble getting on to Facebook and that their connection has slowed in recent weeks.

The hotel I am staying at in the north-eastern town of Ganta is right next to the network tower of a company that provides my internet service, but the connection is still coming in and out.

The hackers behind the “huge” network that attacked Liberia, dubbed botnet#14, were “much more skilled”, Mr Beaumont said.

“The attacks are extremely worrying because they suggest a Mirai operator who has enough capacity to seriously impact systems in a nation state,” he wrote in a blogpost.

Network firm Level 3 confirmed to tech news site ZDNet that it had seen attacks on telecoms firms in Liberia making access to the web spotty. Other reports suggested mobile net access was affected too.

The attacks varied in length with some lasting only 30 seconds and the longest being sustained for a few minutes.

Net access in Liberia comes via an undersea cable whose capacity is shared with many other nations in West Africa.

“They’re trying a number of different techniques for short bursts, against the companies who own the submarine cable to Liberia,” said Mr Beaumont, adding that commands to botnet#14 seemed to originate in the Ukraine.

Mr Beaumont said the controllers of botnet#14 were refining their control of the attack system but it was not yet clear who it would be turned against next.

A Twitter account, called #Miraiattacks has been set up by a security company to monitor the many different attack targets hit by Mirai botnets. Earlier targets included computer security firms, schools, food-ordering services and gaming sites

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IGP directs police officers to wear black bands in honour of Taoreed Lagbaja

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Kayode Egbetokun, the inspector-general of police, has directed officers to wear black bands in honour of Taoreed Lagbaja, the late chief of army staff (COAS).

In a statement signed by Muyiwa Adejobi, the force spokesperson, Egbetokun ordered personnel to wear the bands during the seven-day mourning period.

“This directive is to pay tribute and honour the late General who has shown gallantry, dedication, and passion for fighting violent crimes and insurgency in Nigeria,” the statement reads.

“He was a great leader who deserves to be honoured by all means.”

On Wednesday, President Bola Tinubu ordered that national flags be flown at half-mast in honour of Lagbaja.

Lagbaja died on Tuesday after battling an undisclosed ailment. He was 56-years-old.

He was appointed COAS by Tinubu on June 19, 2023.

Lagbaja enrolled into the Nigerian Defence Academy in 1987.

In September 1992, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Nigerian Infantry Corps as a member of the 39th regular course.

He served as a platoon commander in the 93 Battalion and the 72 Special Forces Battalion.

Lagbaja also participated in various internal security operations, including operation ZAKI in Benue, Lafiya Dole in Borno, Udoka in south-east, and forest sanity in Kaduna and Niger.

The president has appointed Olufemi Oluyede as acting COAS.

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LASEPA seals off churches, hotels over noise pollution

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The Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) has sealed off some establishments over alleged noise pollution.

The facilities sealed include churches, lounges, nightclubs, bars, and hotels in the Lagos metropolis.

In a statement on Wednesday, Babatunde Ajayi, the general manager of LASEPA, said the move was in line with the agency’s efforts to uphold environmental standards and safeguard public health.

“In a bid to address noise pollution and other environmental violations, LASEPA took action, closing down several establishments across different parts of the state,” Ajayi said.

He noted that the establishments were found guilty of breaching environmental regulations despite multiple warnings from LASEPA.

He reiterated the agency’s zero-tolerance policy on regulatory non-compliance, saying “we will not permit disregard for our regulations”.

Ajayi said the enforcement drive focused on areas like Ogudu, Gbagada, Iyana Ejigbo, Isolo, Ajao Estate, Oshodi, Ilasamaja, and Okota.

He added that the sealed outfits include Honourable Lounge & Lodging, Redeemed Christian Church of God, Celestial Church of God, OMA Night Club and Lounge, and Bridge Spot Bar.

Others are Okiki Event Centre and Hall, Emota Paradise Hotel (Phase 2), CF Hotel & Suites, House 27 Hotel & Suites, Echo Spring Hotel, and Smile T Continental Hotel.

The LASEPA boss urged all businesses to recognise their environmental obligations and work alongside the state government to foster a cleaner and more sustainable Lagos.

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Tinubu approves establishment of Teaching Hospital in Ondo

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The Federal Government has approved the establishment of a teaching hospital in Akure, Ondo State, to support the training of medical students at the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA).

President Bola Tinubu has directed the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Mohammad Pate, to initiate the necessary arrangements for the establishment of the teaching hospital. Prof. Pate has since dispatched a team to Ondo State to assess the location.

Leading the team, Dr. Jimoh Olawole Salaudeen, Director of Hospital Services at the Federal Ministry of Health, inspected FUTA’s permanent site, designated for the hospital. Salaudeen also visited the Akure Annex of the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital (UNIMEDTH), which will serve as a temporary site for the teaching hospital.

Speaking with reporters after the inspection, Dr. Salaudeen expressed optimism about the hospital’s potential to become operational soon, citing available facilities. “President Tinubu directed that Akure should have a federal teaching hospital,” Salaudeen stated. “We are here to coordinate with the state government and review the site options for establishing the teaching hospital.”

Salaudeen highlighted the urgency of the project, noting that FUTA has begun training medical students, who are now in their third year. “The state government has provided a temporary site, and we are pleased with the infrastructure at the permanent site, including an auditorium, health center, and classrooms,” he said.

He added, “Our goal is to identify equipment needs at the temporary site to create a model federal tertiary hospital that supports student training. The enthusiastic support from the community is encouraging and will facilitate a peaceful learning environment.”

Ondo State’s Commissioner for Health, Dr. Banji Ajaka, affirmed the state government’s commitment to supporting the project, ensuring it aligns with the president’s vision. “We have drafted an MOU and laid groundwork for the medical students to complete their training on schedule,” Ajaka said.

FUTA’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Adenike Oladiji, expressed relief, saying, “We’ve been concerned about where our medical students would complete their clinical studies. I’m thrilled that the federal government has stepped in to provide a solution.”

Prof. Oladiji also highlighted FUTA’s biomedical engineering department, which aims to contribute to the school of health sciences by producing essential medical equipment. “This initiative aligns perfectly with our commitment to training future health professionals and engineers who can innovate and support the healthcare sector,” she added.

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Bodex F. Hungbo, SPMIIM is a multiple award-winning Nigerian Digital Media Practitioner, Digital Strategist, PR consultant, Brand and Event Expert, Tv Presenter, Tier-A Blogger/Influencer, and a top cobbler in Nigeria.

She has widespread experiences across different professions and skills, which includes experiences in; Marketing, Media, Broadcasting, Brand and Event Management, Administration and Management with prior stints at MTN, NAPIMS-NNPC, GLOBAL FLEET OIL AND GAS, LTV, Silverbird and a host of others

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