General News
2015 Polls: Controversy Trails INEC’s N9Bn Ballot Papers Contract

Crisis is reportedly brewing at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) following the decision of the Commission to contract the printing of the ballot papers to be used for the presidential and governorship elections to a foreign firm at the cost of N6 billion.
The Commission is yet to award the controversial contract to any of the foreign firms, but Vanguard Newspapers gathered that it has, however, set in motion the process that will lead to the award of the pricey job to either an American or European firm any moment from now.
To ascertain which firm should be given the job, top officials of INEC are set to depart Nigeria this week for the United States of America, Germany, Italy and Ukraine in the first leg of the move to inspect elite printing companies, which can handle the job, classified as ‘security documents’ by the commission.
According to Vanguard Newspapers, under the plan, which has already been wrapped up by the commission, the sum of N6 billion is to be used in printing ballot papers meant for the presidential and governorship election slated for February next year.
Similarly, the commission has set aside the sum of N3 billion to be paid to local printers to produce the ballot papers to be used for the National Assembly and House of Assembly elections in Nigeria next year.
In all the commission will spend a whopping N9 billion for the printing of ballot papers for the five set of elections, which the electoral body has decided to stagger because of its claim that it does not have adequate logistics to run it simultaneously.
A competent source in INEC told Vanguard that many officials, who were uncomfortable with the decision of the management to farm out the job to outsiders, have made their opposition known to Prof Attahiru Jega, INEC chairman.
One of the sources close to the commission said: “The INEC officials will visit the United States of America, Germany, Italy, Ukraine, among others to inspect some printing presses that will produce the ballot papers for the next general elections in 2015.
“INEC will specifically produce the presidential and governorship ballot papers abroad while those of the National Assembly and House of Assembly will be printed in Nigeria. The proposed budget for the overseas printing is put at over N6 billion.
Vanguard learnt that those opposed to the printing of the papers abroad have reportedly drawn the attention of INEC Chairman to the fact that it was against the interest of Nigeria for such action to be taken at the time when the Presidency had already made a case for the printing of the documents locally.
The antagonists of the proposal, Vanguard also gathered, had reportedly opted to report the action of the management to President Goodluck Jonathan, who only last week made a case for the printing of security documents with the Nigerian Security and Minting Printing Compan (NSMPC), as a means of promoting national security and job creation.
The angry officials are said to have queried the rationale of taking such a huge and security-related job outside Nigeria when there were many local printing companies that could conveniently handle it.
To prove their point that the papers could be printed locally, the officials cited the successful printing of the ballot papers used in the Anambra, Ekiti and Osun elections by local contractors.
According to them, the papers that were printed within the country were foul-proof and passed all INEC’s security checks.
While kicking against the foreign contract, the officials, who pleaded anonymity, called on the Federal Government to stop the commission from awarding the job to foreigners especially as the materials needed for the printing were also available in the country.
They also pointed to the fact that the 2011 election was postponed because of the non-delivery of the ballot papers sprinted abroad on time.
But a senior INEC official told Vanguard on Monday that the commission would remain focused in its honest and earnest desire to ensure the success of the 2015 election.
Defending the decision of the management to print the papers abroad, the officials, who pleaded anonymity because he had not been authorized to speak on the matter, said that no company in Nigeria had the capacity to produce the quality and quantity of paper required and be able to deliver to the commission before December this year.
“We are concerned about the capacity of printing press in Nigeria. The time available to us as a commission to conduct the election and the quality and quantity of materials to be delivered by the local contractors do matter to us,” the official said.
“If you must know, for us to conduct the election in February 2015, it means that we must take delivery of the ballot papers in December this year to avoid a repeat of what happened in 2011 when we had to postpone an election because of the late arrival of ballot papers from South Africa,” the officer added.
Reminded that the President last week made a case for the printing of such vital documents with the NSMPC of Nigeria, the officer said, “Well, as we get along and the capacity of the company to handle such assignments grow, we will patronize it. For now, there is none in the country to do such complex job for INEC,” he said.
General News
Breaking News…Hackers Allegedly Expose EFCC Data, Operatives’ Identities

Nullsec Nigeria, a threat actor, has claimed responsibility for leaking the identities of operatives and sensitive internal data linked to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Ola Olukoyede, chairman, EFCC
The leak raises fresh concerns over cybersecurity vulnerabilities within Nigerian public institutions and safety the agency’s operatives.
The breach surfaced on April 21 on a dark web forum, where a user identified as “ki4t,” reportedly affiliated with the group, published details of the dataset.
The exposed data is said to include agent names, phone numbers, operational code names, and password hashes tied to EFCC personnel.
The breach allegation comes amid growing concerns over cyber risks facing government agencies, following a recent reported compromise involving the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).
Cybersecurity analysts say that if confirmed, the exposure of such sensitive operational data could pose risks to both personnel security and ongoing enforcement operations, particularly if password hashes are successfully decrypted or linked to other compromised systems.
The development adds to increasing pressure on public institutions to strengthen digital infrastructure, access controls, and internal cybersecurity protocols as threat actors continue to target government databases.
Authorities are yet to confirm the extent of the alleged breach or whether any mitigation measures have been activated.
Nigeria has lately experienced a growing activities of hacktivists defacing websites and leaking data.
General News
Leo Stan Ekeh Foundation to Open Portal for 1,000 University Tech Scholarships on Monday

The Leo Stan Ekeh Foundation (LSEF), in collaboration with TD Africa, Konga Group, Zinox Technologies, and Task Systems, is set to officially launch its highly anticipated scholarship programme aimed at empowering 1,000 exceptional Nigerian indigent whiz-kids in the field of technology.

Leo Stan Ekeh
The dedicated application portal, initially scheduled to go live on April 22, will now launch on Monday, April 27, 2026, following final technical enhancements to ensure a seamless, secure, and transparent application experience for prospective candidates nationwide.
This landmark initiative, first announced by Leo Stan Ekeh, Africa’s foremost tech icon and chairman of Zinox Group, forms part of his unwavering commitment to national development and youth empowerment.
The programme was unveiled on February 22, 2026, when Ekeh marked his 70th birthday. Rather than host an elaborate celebration befitting a man of his stature, he chose to channel resources into a cause that would create long-term impact for an economy, offering university scholarships to indigent but brilliant Nigerian youths to study Computer Science in federal institutions.
Building on a legacy of over 6709 beneficiaries trained over four decades by him and his companies, Mr. Ekeh at the time said the goal is to nurture a new generation of highly skilled technology professionals capable of supporting both the private and public sectors, while positioning Nigeria for greater competitiveness in the global digital economy.
This vision reflects his decades-long commitment to building sustainable positive disruptive capacity within Nigeria’s technology ecosystem that shall alter the nation’s GDP.
The scholarship programme is designed to transcend mere financial support, offering beneficiaries access to a comprehensive ecosystem powered by the initiative’s distinguished partners. Beneficiaries will receive technical support, mentorship by very successful members of Nigeria Compute Society, and industry exposure to ensure that recipients are equipped with practical, market-relevant skills.
This multi-faceted approach ensures that scholarship beneficiaries gain not only theoretical knowledge but also hands-on experience and professional networks that will propel their careers in technology.
By leveraging the combined expertise and infrastructure of these industry leaders, the initiative is poised to deliver a transformative learning experience that prepares young Nigerians to compete effectively on the global stage. Beneficiaries will emerge as future-ready innovators capable of driving digital transformation across sectors and contributing meaningfully to Nigeria’s economic growth.
The initiative builds on the longstanding legacy of Leo Stan Ekeh, whose contributions to Nigeria’s technology landscape and by extension Africa have spanned decades and fundamentally reshaped the nation’s digital infrastructure. From pioneering indigenous computer manufacturing through Zinox Technologies to driving digital transformation across public and private sectors, Ekeh has consistently demonstrated a commitment to building sustainable technological capacity within Nigeria.
His investments in digital infrastructure, talent development, and indigenous innovation have positioned Nigeria as a formidable player in the global technology landscape.
This scholarship programme represents the latest chapter in that transformative journey, directly addressing the critical need for skilled technology professionals in an increasingly digital global economy.
As anticipation builds ahead of the April 27 launch, interested applicants are advised to visit the Konga.com website and click the Foundation banner on 1000 Tech Scholarships Awards where the application link and detailed participation guidelines will be published on the launch date. The organisers have assured that the selection process will be merit-driven, inclusive, and transparent, with a focus on identifying truly outstanding young talents from across Nigeria’s diverse regions.
General News
US Library Blames Hackers for Viral Posts Urging Violence in Nigeria

Westerville Public Library, a public library that serves the community of Westerville, Ohio, a suburb of Columbus in United States is in the news after its social account urged violence against Nigerian politicians.

Library staff said the inflammatory messages were not written by any employees and moved quickly to purge the feed and regain control of the account, rattling regulars who are used to the library’s usually low-traffic presence in Uptown Westerville.
The Columbus Dispatch reported that the library’s X account first posted a message calling for the death of Nigerian politicians, starting with the country’s president.
According to the paper, most of those posts were wiped from the feed within about half an hour.
The Dispatch also noted that the account had been sitting dormant since 2024 before the violent statements suddenly went live, and its full report includes the timeline and language that circulated on the platform.
After the posts appeared, the library issued a short note on X that read, “Please disregard any recent posts you may have seen from the Westerville Library on this platform today. Thank you for your understanding.” As reported by The Columbus Dispatch, communications director Tamara Murray told the paper the account was hacked shortly before the messages were published and that staff were working to recover passwords.
The library did not immediately say whether law enforcement had been notified.
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