Abuja — More than two weeks after the website of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) was breached, the platform remains offline, denying the public, and data users access to critical statistical information and other analysis.

While details of the attack remained sketchy, the Bureau had on December 18, 2024, announced that the website had been compromised.

It added, "Our team is actively working to resolve the issue and restore full functionality.

"We advise the public to disregard any messages or reports published on the website until further notice."

Contacted, NBS spokesman, Mr. Sunday Ichedi told THISDAY yesterday that work was still ongoing on the website, adding that the site will be restored soon, without issuing a timeline.

There were speculations that the hack may have been premeditated.

Earlier, on December 12, 2024, the NBS had released the Crime Experienced and Security Perception Survey (CESPS) 2024 report which indicated that the average amount paid by Nigerians as ransom between May 2023 and April 2024, stood at N2.67 million while about N2.23 trillion was paid within the reference period.

The report was alleged to have ruffled feathers among security agencies which weighed the security implications.

The NBS remains a key agency of government with a mandate to

collect, compile, analyse and disseminate statistics and related information on social, economic, demographic and environmental activities.

It's operations are particularly key to helping the government take informed decisions in its policy interventions.

Ichedi said, "We want to make the website very tight for these hackers to penetrate. So, we are seriously working on it and very soon it would be okay."

The bureau remains of the agencies of government that is grossly underfunded from annual budgetary provisions.