The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has expressed concerns over some TikTok videos in circulation, warning that information-stealing malware are now hosted in some of the videos.

The Commission advised Nigerians and subscribers to do all they could to avoid falling victim of devices being used to steal information.

It said in a statement by the Director of Public Affairs of the NCC, Reuben Muoka that the warning came from its Computer Security Incident Response Team (NCC-CSIRT).

An NCC-CSIRT advisory said threat actors have taken advantage of a viral TikTok challenge, known as the Invisible Challenge, to disseminate an information-stealing malware known as the WASP (or W4SP) stealer, the Commission said.

According to the Commission, the WASP stealer, which is high in probability with critical damage potential, is a persistent malware hosted on discord that its developer claim is undetectable.

The advisory said: “The invisible challenge involves wrapping a somewhat transparent body contouring filter around a presumed naked individual. Attackers are uploading videos to TikTok with a link to software that they claim can reverse the filter’s effects.

“Those who click on the link and attempt to download the software, known as “unfilter,” are infected with the WASP stealer. Suspended accounts had amassed over a million views after initially posting the videos with a link. Following the link leads to the “Space Unfilter” Discord server, which had 32,000 members at its peak but has since been removed by its creators.

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“Successful installation will allow the malware to harvest keystrokes, screenshots, network activity, and other information from devices where it is installed. It may also covertly monitor user behaviour and harvest Personally Identifiable Information (PII), including names and passwords, keystrokes from emails, chat programs, websites visited, and financial activity. This malware may be capable of covertly collecting screenshots, video recordings, or the ability to activate any connected camera or microphone.”

The team said some ways to forestall such an attack include avoiding clicking on suspicious links, using anti-malware software on your devices, checking app tray and removing any apps that you do not remember installing or that are dormant and embracing healthy password hygiene practices such as using a password manager.

The CSIRT is the telecom sector’s cyber security incidence centre set up by the NCC to focus on incidents in the telecom sector and as they may affect telecom consumers and citizens at large.

Shuttle bus drivers in Onitsha, Anambra State have protested alleged incessant extortion by touts and illegal revenue agents as well as lack of motor parks in the commercial city of the state.

The protesters, who blocked the ever-busy Onitsha end of the bridge, said the extortion followed government’s inability to provide motor parks for them.

The protest, which lasted for about two hours, led to heavy gridlock which forced some commuters to disembark from their vehicles to trek to their destinations.

One of the drivers, Oliver Eluwa, wondered why they would continue to suffer extortion after paying the agreed levy to government coffers.

He vowed they were prepared to continue the protest if nothing was done to stop the ugly development.

He said, “We decided to embark on the protest for Governor Chukwuma Soludo to feel the negative impact of what we are passing through in the hands of the touts and come to their rescue.

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“We have been paying the agreed levy on mini busses but have no designated parks for those of us plying along the Onitsha/Asaba/Enugu expressway.

“In any bus stop we pull up, they will rush to us and say we are not supposed to park there, and forcefully collect thousands of naira from us.

“Some of us who refuse to pay will be beaten black and blue for daring them, and that is why we protest for government to provide motor parks for us.

“We will continue the protest if nothing is done today to stop the touts and parks provided for us.”

Reacting, a local vigilante operative, who preferred anonymity, said he was among those sent to stop the protest but were unable to avoid clash in view of what he termed an “intimidating” number of the protesters.

“They are not supposed to block the bridge because of travellers from other parts of the country who ply to and from Onitsha. But we decided to allow them to protest to avoid a bloody clash,” he explained.

The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Tuesday denied bail to a Kogi Assembly candidate Ismaila Yousuf Atumeyi, a former employee of Union Bank Abdulmalik Salau and one Ngene Joshua accused of hacking the computer network of Union Bank and stealing N1,403,343,400 billion.

The trio was on Monday,# arraigned by the Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on an 18-count charge before Justice Tijjani Ringim.

They pleaded not guilty and applied for bail through their counsel Mr. Bolaji Ayorinde, SAN.

But EFCC counsel, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, opposed the application and prayed for an accelerated hearing of the matter.

Ruling on the application and counter-application on Tuesday, Justice Tijjani Ringim upheld Oyedepo’s arguments that the defendants were a flight risk and the probability of them jumping bail is high.

The court noted that the magnitude of the offence is such the defendants can interfere with the law enforcement procedure and run away.

It noted further that extradition procedures from anywhere are such a cumbersome process.

“In all, I hold that the bail application filed and argued by Chief Bolaji Ayorinde, SAN, lacks merit and it is accordingly dismissed,” Justice Ringim held.

He remanded the defendants in the Ikoyi Correctional facility and adjourned till January 24, 2023, for trial.

The first defendant Atumeyi is the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) candidate for the Ankpa 11 Constituency for next year’s House of Assembly election in Kogi.

The EFCC preferred an 18-count charge bordering on concealment of proceeds of fraud, money laundering and cybercrime against the defendants before Justice Tijjani Ringim.

The defendants were alleged to have hacked into the system of the commercial bank and defrauded the institution of over N1.4billion.

The court heard that they carried out a “modification of data held in the network of the bank, leading to the fraudulent transfer of the total sum of N1,403,343,400 to the account of FAV OIL AND GAS LIMITED.”

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The agency allegedly recovered N326million and $140,500 from the black Escalade Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) of one of the defendants during an operation at his hideout in Queens Estate, Gwarinpa.

Oyedepo told the court in a charge numbered FHC/L/651C/2022, that the defendants committed the alleged offences between August and October 2022 in Lagos.

He said they conspired to “directly conceal” the N1.4billion in the account of Fav Oil and Gas Limited, “which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of your unlawful activity and you thereby committed an offence contrary to sections 18 (a), 15 (2) (a) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under section 15 (3) of the same Act.

The defendants were accused of laundering the sum in tranches of N100million, $480,000, N12.5million, N7million, N9million, N7m, N12m, N8m, $140,000 and N326,400,000.

Specifically, they were alleged to have acquired a N12.5m black Mercedes Benz C300, N7m BMW 3 Series, N9million Black Range Rover, N7m Toyota Hilux 2014 upgraded to 2021, N12m Black BMW SURXI 2016, a N8m White Toyota Hilux 2010 and a N10million White Toyota Hilux.

The court also heard that they allegedly directly transferred N80million to Frank Maya Intergrated Ventures, acquired a property known as No.8, Grace Crescent, EFAB Queens Estate, Gwarimpa, Abuja, concealed $140,000 and N326,400,000 in a Black Escalade SUV.