Human Rights Commission warns public, partners and media against unauthorised statements as it moves to regain control of official social media account
By A1NEWS International
ABUJA, September 4, 2026
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has alerted the public to the compromise of its official X account, warning that messages, statements, links and other content being published from the account are not authorised by the Commission.
In a public disclaimer issued by the Commission, the NHRC said its official X account, formerly used as one of its recognised channels for communicating with Nigerians, development partners, stakeholders and the media, is currently under the unauthorised control of an individual or account operating under the handle @ephesus_lib.
The development raises concerns over the potential misuse of the Commission’s identity and communication platform at a time when official social media accounts have become important channels for government institutions to disseminate public-interest information, respond to allegations and communicate with stakeholders.
NHRC Disowns All Content From Compromised Account
The Commission was unequivocal in distancing itself from material currently appearing on the affected account.
According to the disclaimer, the NHRC does not authorise, endorse or accept responsibility for any posts, statements, messages, links or other content published from the compromised account while it remains outside the Commission’s control.
The warning is significant because members of the public who encounter information on the account could reasonably assume that such material represents the official position of Nigeria’s principal human rights institution.
The NHRC therefore urged Nigerians, development partners, civil society organisations, government institutions, journalists and other stakeholders to treat any communication from the account with caution.
Public Asked to Ignore Unauthorised Communications
The Commission specifically advised the public to disregard communications emanating from the compromised X account until further notice.
The warning extends beyond conventional posts to messages and links that could potentially be used to impersonate the Commission, misrepresent its position or direct users to unauthorised online destinations.
For organisations and individuals routinely relying on the NHRC’s social media presence for statements, announcements or human-rights-related information, the disclaimer effectively places the affected account outside the Commission’s chain of official communication until control is restored.
NHRC Begins Recovery Efforts
The Commission said it is taking appropriate steps to address the security breach and regain control of the account.
It did not, however, publicly disclose details of the circumstances surrounding the compromise, how access was allegedly obtained, how long the account had been under unauthorised control, or whether any sensitive information had been accessed.
Those details could become important in determining the extent of the incident and whether the breach was limited to control of the social media account or involved wider security implications.
The Commission’s immediate priority, according to the statement, is to restore control and establish a secure and reliable official presence on X.
New Official X Channel to Be Announced
The NHRC said it would notify the public and its partners through its verified and established communication channels once an official medium on X becomes available.
The clarification is intended to prevent individuals or organisations from inadvertently following, sharing or relying on a replacement account that has not been formally authenticated by the Commission.
Until such notification is issued, stakeholders have been advised to rely on the NHRC’s recognised communication channels for official information.
Why the Breach Matters
The incident highlights the growing security risks facing public institutions that rely heavily on social media for official communication.
A compromised institutional account can create more than reputational damage. It can potentially be used to circulate false government positions, misleading information, malicious links or fraudulent appeals while appearing to originate from a trusted public authority.
For a human-rights institution such as the NHRC, the credibility of its communications is particularly important because its statements can concern sensitive matters involving alleged violations, law-enforcement agencies, court proceedings, vulnerable persons and public accountability.
The compromise therefore creates a need for stakeholders to distinguish between information genuinely issued by the Commission and material being circulated through an account it no longer controls.
NHRC Appeals for Public Understanding
The Commission expressed regret over any inconvenience caused by the incident and appealed for the continued understanding and cooperation of members of the public, partners and stakeholders.
The disclaimer was signed by Fatimah Mohammed Agwai, Director, Corporate Affairs & External Linkages, National Human Rights Commission.
As of the issuance of the disclaimer, the Commission’s position remains that content published from the compromised X account should not be treated as official NHRC communication.
The compromise of the NHRC’s official X account presents both a communications challenge and a wider cybersecurity concern for a key public institution.
Until the Commission confirms that it has regained control, Nigerians and other stakeholders should avoid relying on statements, links or direct messages originating from the affected account. Any purported NHRC announcement circulating through the compromised platform should be independently verified through the Commission’s established communication channels.
The incident also underscores the importance of stronger cybersecurity safeguards, multi-factor authentication, account-recovery procedures and rapid public communication protocols for government and public-interest institutions operating in Nigeria’s increasingly digital information environment.
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