MRA’s data record targeted in Lagos office burglary attack

By Chukwuma Umeorah

Media Rights Agenda (MRA) has said that its organisation’s information record and data have been targeted in a burglary attack on its office in Lagos over the weekend.

In a statement issued in Lagos, Monday, the Head of MRA’s Legal Department, Ms Obioma Okonkwo, revealed that hat its office was burgled and ransacked by a group of unidentified intruders who made away with nine laptop computers and other valuable equipment worth millions of naira.

However, MRA disclosed that the attack may not have been a mere robbery incident, but a more sinister effort orchestrated by unknown individuals or entities to cripple its operations or access its records and information since only laptop computers and other digital tools and equipment were taken away. It noted that it was not ruling out the possibility that their primary objective was MRA’s information and communication devices as there were many other valuable assets in the office that were not stolen.

MRA stressed that “although it is not clear why our office was raided and what the motivation might have been, we are concerned about the fact that such a large number of laptop computers, as well as hard drives and other communication devices, were taken while other valuable assets were left untouched. Whatever the motive behind this attack on us, we will not relent in our work of promoting and defending media freedom, freedom of expression and access to information in Nigeria and elsewhere.”

It further explained that the incident took place sometime between the evening of Saturday, January 21 and the following morning, adding that the intruders gained access into the office by climbing over a side fence into the compound, then cutting through the ceiling and smashing roofing material to enter one of the offices on the upper floor.
“The intruders took away nine laptop computers, external hard drives used by MRA to back up documents on its computers, Internet modems and routers, some documents and petty cash,” the statement revealed.

The intrusion and robbery had been reported to the Nigerian Police at the Ojodu Police Station upon which the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) who heads the station has led a team of investigators to the crime scene to gather evidence on the incident.