A 400-level medical student of Delta State University, DELSU, Abraka, in Delta State, Imala Kelly has been arrested by the police for allegedly hacking into Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan’s phone.
The student, who failed in pharmacology and pathology courses, sent a text message, purportedly from the governor, to the Vice Chancellor, Prof Eric Arubayi, requesting him to upgrade his scores.
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.”
The university authorities, apparently responding to the request, upgraded the score of the student in pharmacology.
It was gathered that 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.
However, the affected student in a statement to the police, denied the allegation.
This is 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.
DELSU vice chancellor, Prof Arubayi, confirmed to newsmen in his office, on 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 added 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 cybercrime.
“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.
