Illustrative photo of a hacker. PHOTO | COURTESY
Dar es Salaam. A series of cyberattacks targeting major government institutions has sparked alarm in Tanzania, after hackers breached the official YouTube channel of the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) and also infiltrated the Tanzania Police Force’s X account (formerly Twitter).
The TRA’s YouTube channel, known as TRA Online TV, published false information on Monday following the breach.
The incident occurred shortly after a similar attack on the Police Force’s X account, Police Force TZ, where hackers posted misleading and unethical messages intended to appear as official communication from the law enforcement agency.
Authorities have since regained control of both platforms. As of Tuesday, all official accounts, including the Police Force’s X account and the TRA’s YouTube channel, have been restored.
In a public statement, the Tanzania Police Force disassociated itself from the content posted during the breach, affirming that the claims did not originate from any of its verified platforms.
“The Tanzania Police Force wishes to inform the public that there are false, unethical and misleading reports being circulated on social media claiming to have been issued by the Police through its X account,” the statement read.
“These reports are not true, and it should be understood that the Tanzania Police Force cannot and does not prepare or distribute such information via its social networks,” it added.
The Police confirmed that investigations are underway to identify and apprehend those responsible for the cyberattacks and the dissemination of false information. They also warned that stern legal action would be taken against anyone found culpable.
“We urge the public to ignore such reports and refrain from spreading them further to avoid legal consequences,” the Police said.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Information, Culture, Arts and Sports issued a strong warning on Monday, condemning the deliberate spread of false information online intended to incite fear and unrest.
“It has been discovered that certain criminals are creating social media accounts using names similar to official government institutions to publish false and inflammatory content,” said the Permanent Secretary and Government Chief Spokesperson, Mr Gerson Msigwa.
The ministry urged citizens to exercise caution when using social media and to verify any suspicious content through official channels. It also confirmed that the government had initiated legal processes to pursue those involved.
“The Government issues a stern warning to all individuals involved in these illegal activities,” Mr Msigwa said, encouraging the public to rely on verified government accounts on Instagram, X, and Facebook for accurate updates.
