FUTA Suspends Final Student Indefinitely For Hacking Into Premium Times’ News Website

The management of Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) has handed an indefinite suspension to a final-year student in the Department of Food Science and Technology, Afolabi Emmanuel, for allegedly hacking the website of an online news publication, Premium Times.

FUTA had received a complaint from Premium Times about a Denial of Service (DOS) attack on its website between 28th and 29th February 2020 through a concerted vulnerability scanning by a person using the Information Technology (IT) infrastructure of the university.

Following the complaint, the university management initiated an investigation and it was discovered that Emmanuel carried out the alleged act of misconduct using the login credentials of two members of staff without authorisation to perpetrate the act.

In a statement issued by the university’s Deputy Director, Corporate Communications, Adegbenro Adebanjo on Wednesday, August 5th, the institution described it as an act that constituted misconduct and misuse of its IT infrastructure.

“The university received a complaint from Premium Times about an attack on its website between 28th and 29th February 2020 through a concerted vulnerability scanning by a person using IT infrastructure of the university.

“Following the complaint the university management initiated an investigation and it was discovered that Emmanuel carried out the alleged act of misconduct using the log in credentials of two members of staff, without authorization, to perpetrate the act.

“In the extant students handbook of Information, your action is a misconduct to abuse the use of university IT infrastructure.

“While still putting in place an arrangement to give you an opportunity to explain yourself, you are hereby placed on an indefinite suspension retroactively from 18th March, 2020.

“In effect Emmanuel should not be found anywhere in or near the precincts of the federal university throughout the period of his indefinite suspension.

“The university deplores such behavior and reiterates that it will continue to visit such aberrant act with the full weight of the rules and regulations governing students behavior and conduct off and on the campus.

“For the avoidance of doubt only students who are worthy in learning and character can lay claim to and be addressed as FUTA students”.

KanyiDaily had also reported that FUTA suspended three students who were seen in a viral video physically assaulting a female student who referred to them as ‘runs girls’.