DELSU student hacks into gov. Uduaghan’s phone

WARRI— A 400-level medical
student of Delta State University,
DELSU, Abraka, in Delta State, has
been arrested by the police for
allegedly hacking into Governor
Emmanuel Uduaghan’s phone.
The student, who failed in
pharmacology and pathology course
sent a text message, purportedly
from the governor, to the Vice
Chancellor, Prof Eric Arubayi,
requesting him to upgrade his
scores.
Vanguard gathered that enraged
Govenor Uduaghan asked the vice
chancellor to report the matter to
the police and ensure the student
was arrested when the matter was
brought to his knowledge, as he
never sent such message.
The affected student in a statement
to the police, however, denied the
allegation.
Investigation by Vanguard showed
that the matter was causing ripples
in the university, as the university
authorities, apparently responding
to the request, upgraded the score
of the student in pharmacology.
The poser by concerned
stakeholders is: Assuming, but not
conceding that the text message
emanated from the governor,
should the vice chancellor have
altered the scores of a student that
failed his  examination?”
This is, however, not the first time
the governor’s phone had been
hacked into by fraudsters. They had
hacked into his Airtel and MTN
phone numbers in the past as well
as his email address.
The first text message to the vice
chancellor on July 24 reads: “My
able VC, Chief Tony Anenih called
me in respect of one boy that just
wrote pathology and pharmacology
exam in 400 level Medicine. My
able Prof, I want you to ensure that
boy passes, you know I cannot
afford to disappoint Chief Tony
Anenih. Am in a meeting. These are
the details. CHS/04/05/88406.”
Thinking that the text message was
actually from the governor, as it
came from the number with which
he saved the governor’s name,
Uduaghan 1 in his phone, Prof
Arubayi replied, asking for the
student’s name to which the hacker
replied: “His name is Imala W. Kelly.
My able VC,  all I want is the boy to
pass. Chief Tony Anenih has been
calling.”
DELSU vice chancellor, Prof Arubayi,
confirmed to Vanguard in his office,
Monday, that he, in fact,  received
the said text message and contacted
the governor after  the scores of
students who scored between 48-49
in pharmacology was upgraded to 50
based on standing regulation of the
university, “but he denied ever
sending me such a text message.”
He said the Academic Board of the
College of Health Sciences had met
and approved the scores in
pathology, which the student scored
46, and there was nothing that could
be done about it, other than for the
affected person to go for a resit,
adding: “That is what I advised the
governor.”
Prof Arubayi told Vanguard that it
was the Provost of the College of
Sciences, Dr. John Ohaju-Obodo,
that drew his attention about a
week after that a text message,
purportedly from the governor,
appointing him chairman of a juicy
government  committee was
received by him, but when he
contacted the governor, he told him
it was a scam.
He said he wasted no time when he
confirmed the truth from the
governor in summoning the student
and handing him over to the police
for cyber crime.
“I am even surprised that the police
have not charged him to court, as
far as I am concerned, this is an
EFCC case,” he said.
He said the student was currently
facing a disciplinary panel for breach
of matriculation oath, but lamented
that he had not appeared before the
panel.
A university source said the student
had been suspended, but as at
Monday, he was seen attending
lectures and had refused to vacate
his room despite orders to that
effect from the authorities.
Prof Arubayi laughed when told by
Vanguard that he was being accused
of examination malpractice, saying,
“Did the student give me money to
change his scores or is he a girl to
say that she is my girlfriend, what
was done was based on the
regulation of the school,”
Deputy Vice Chancellor, Prof
Chukwuemeka Peter Aloamaka and
provost, Dr Ohaju –Obodo  told
Vanguard that no unilateral decision
was taken by the vice chancellor, as
the appropriate organ looked into
the matter before upgrading the
scores of five to six students based
on the institution’s regulation.