On Saturday, a cryptic revelation was made by an alleged hacker who had seized control of the Facebook page of Kabarak University, a prestigious institution based in Nakuru, Kenya. The page boasts a following of 46,000 people and is marked by Facebook’s stamp of verification.
“Apologies to all, but I must confess this account has been hacked. I was merely amusing myself, so don’t take my posts to heart,” the infiltrator brazenly posted.
In an audacious challenge, the hacker refused to relinquish control of the account, urging followers to try and recover it. “I won’t return this account, but I invite you all to attempt to reclaim it. Best regards, a student from a tech-oriented high school in Jakarta,” the hacker added.
In the wake of these unsettling incidents, the institution has appealed for calm as it mobilizes efforts to repossess the page. In a public statement, Kabarak University denounced the messages, attributing them to cybercriminals who had breached their Facebook page.
“Kabarak University, a stalwart of Christian values, wishes to clarify that our official Facebook page has fallen victim to cybercriminal exploitation. The miscreants have been disseminating harmful and misleading content, which strays from our institution’s biblical Christian ethos. We assure our stakeholders and the wider public that we are implementing every necessary measure to regain our online presence,” the statement read.
The university’s management reiterated their dissociation from the posts, urging followers and prospective students to ignore the false information and to communicate through their official website or other verified means.
The esteemed institution, founded in 2000 by the late President Daniel arap Moi, opened its doors to the first cohort of students in 2002. Kabarak University gained its full accreditation in 2008, under the tenure of President Mwai Kibaki, Kenya’s third president. In July 2020, Gideon Moi, chairman of the Kenya African National Union (KANU) and son of the late President Moi, was instated as the university’s second Chancellor.