Protect your networks against cybercrime- NCC

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September 18, 2019

NCC — Nigerian Communications Commission,

The Nigerian Communications Commission has warned operators of the rising incidents of cybercrime in the telecommunications industry and advised them to protect their networks with the appropriative technology solutions.

According to the NCC, the operators must be proactive in mitigating telecoms consumers’ exposure to cybercrime.

The Director, Consumer Affairs Bureau, Nigerian Communications Commission, Felicia Onwuegbuchulam, stated this at the 110th edition of Consumer Outreach Programme held in Abia State.

Onwuegbuchulam, who was represented by the Head, Information and Reference at the NCC’s Consumer Affairs Bureau, Ismail Adedigba, stated that service providers must join hands with the commission to educate and equip their consumers with all the information needed to stave off cybercrime.

He said, “The NCC has been informing and educating the consumers on the challenges and dangers of cybercrime. So, service providers should also demonstrate measures taken against cybercrime and ensure consumers are aware of the roles they can play to avoid falling victims.”

According to Onwuegbuchulam, cybercrime is a global phenomenon.

She stressed the need for continuous education of consumers by the regulator, the operators and other concerned stakeholders such as consumer advocacy groups.

She called for a deliberate action by the operators to safeguard their networks from being hacked.

Onwuegbuchulam added that the cyberspace covered all the activities of consumers on computing devices including mobile phones, tablets and personal computers.

According to her, these devices are storehouses of sensitive information and financial details, which must be safeguarded by the owners.

The Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abia State, Patrick Edung, who joined other participants at the event, commended the NCC for bringing such an educative and informative forum to Umuahia.

He also urged the telecom consumers to resist the temptation to indulge in cybercrime, avoid falling victim and help the police in fighting cybercriminal activities in the country.

“Cybercrime is punishable by law. So, participants here today are encouraged to alert the police when they suspect people were indulging in cybercrime,” he said.

“In addition, we urge you not to purchase any used mobile device from any individual except you know the previous owner in order to avoid buying stolen items and getting implicated, arrested and convicted for crimes you never committed,” Edung warned the participants.

The forum provided an opportunity for telecoms consumers to interact with the regulator and operators’ representatives to address their concerns regarding telecoms service delivery.

Three killed in Taraba, police confirm

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September 18, 2019

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The Taraba State Police Command on Wednesday confirmed that at least three people were killed in Wukari Local Government Area of Taraba State.

Police Public Relations Officer in the state, ASP. David Misal, who confirmed the killings in a telephone interview with our correspondent in Jalingo said one person was killed in an ambush along the Taraba section of the Wukari -Katsina-Ala Road, while two were killed in the farm along Wukari-Ibi Road in Wukari LGA.

“A passenger vehicle travelling from the East to Mubi in Adamawa State was shot at by suspected militia men at a village near Wukari in Taraba State and a passenger was killed in the attack.

“We also got information that two persons were killed on their farm along Wukari-Ibi LGA,” he said.

The Taraba state government had on Saturday after a security meeting agreed to set up a 30 man committee to end the crisis. But when contacted on Wednesday, Senior Special Assistant to Governor Darius Ishaku on Media and Publicity, Mr. Bala Dan-Abu, said members of the committee were yet to be named.

LASUTH CMD, Fabamwo, calls for Health funds for PLWD

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September 18, 2019

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The Chief Medical Director of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Prof. Adetokunbo O. Fabamwo encouraged people living with disabilities to take advantage of the benefits of Health Insurance Scheme made available to them by the Lagos State Government which offers free medical care services for premium at various primary health care centres. He gave the charge at the third UV Care, an awareness Programme organized by Empathy Driven Women Initiative International (EDWIN) which held recently in Lagos. It was themed, “Disability and Free Healthcare. Hope in the Horizon?”

While delivering the keynote lecture titled ‘Special People, The Law, Their Health’, Prof Fabamwo affirmed that there is a law that stipulates free medical and health services in public institutions for people living with disability but most of the services in these health institutions are run privately, and this makes the law difficult to implement”. In the interim, while the Health Insurance Scheme is being implemented, Prof Fabamwo opined that a special fund could be created to take care of this cause and suggested that pharmaceutical companies and similar corporate organizations who do business with government hospitals should be encouraged to give a certain percentage of their profit to cater for these special persons.

In her response, the convener, Mrs. Uri Ngozichukwuka thanked the Chief Medical Director for his presence and his interest in the cause. She spoke about her passion and the dire need to help people living with disabilities, she said their health should be made a priority and a commission for special persons should be established.

The event which held in conjunction with Albinism Awareness Society and the Eye Doctors and Dermatology Society of Lagos, had other groups in attendance, they include Down Syndrome Foundation of Nigeria and Autism Parents Association of Nigeria.

Other dignitaries in attendance include, Princess Teni Aofiyebi, as Mother of the Day; Dr. Saliu Oseni, President of The Lagos State Chapter, Nigerian Medical Association (NMA); Air Vice Marshall Femi Gbadebo, Grand Patron of the day and Mrs. Rose Mordi, President, Down Syndrome Foundation of Nigeria.

EKSU student kills boyfriend

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September 18, 2019

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It was a tragic moment in Iworoko-Ekiti yesterday as a female student of Ekiti state University, Ado-Ekiti, Bukola Odeyemi stabbed her boyfriend John Itu to death.
The incident which occured at Treasure hostel iworoko Ekiti, has Odeyemi a twenty years old guy from the department of Biology education and the deceased of twenty two year old of same institution as subject matter.

Eye witness made it known that the incident occurred at about 10pm when the lady demanded a sum of two thousand and five hundred naira from the deceased to make another hairstyle.

The refusal of the boyfriend was said led to an hot argument whereby the lady stabbed the boy in the chest.

The deceased who could not survive the injury died after his cry for help from his friends who later notified the police of the incident.

As at the time of filing this report, the suspect has been arrested for interrogation by the police.

Tribunal sacks PDP lawmaker Obinna Onwubuariri

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September 18, 2019

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The National Assembly Elections Petitions Tribunal in Owerri on Wednesday sacked a member of the House of Representatives, Obinna Onwubuariri.

Until the nullification of his mandate, Onwubuariri represented Isiala Mbano/Onuimo/Okigwe federal constituency of Imo State on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party.

He was first elected into the House of Representatives in 2015.

In her judgment which lasted for about two hours, chairman of the Panel, R. Harriman, ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to conduct a fresh poll in the federal constituency within 90 days from the date of the judgment.

According to the Jurist, the petitioner, Princess Miriam Onuoha, of the All Progressives Congress, was able prove her petition beyond reasonable doubt.

The jurist said that INEC and the first respondent were unable to defend the allegations of over-voting, mutilation of figures, and the reduction of the petitioner’s votes preferred against them by the petitioner.

The panel, which ordered a fresh poll in the federal constituency, instructed that the first respondent’s certificate of return should be withdrawn immediately.

Harriman said the declaration of the lawmaker who is a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, was done in utter disregard of the Electoral Act, as amended.

The petitioner’s aide, Israel Onyema, told newsmen after the judgment that his principal would have been happier if the tribunal had declared the APC candidate the winner of the February 21 poll.

Onyema contended that his principal won the election in the three local government areas that make up the federal constituency.

An aide to the sacked lawmaker said his principal would appeal the judgment.

Four banks generate N24.3bn from account maintenance charges

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September 18, 2019

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Between January and June 2019, four leading banks generated N24.3bn from account maintenance charged on their customers’ accounts, investigation has shown.

This is an increase of about 19.18 per cent from N20.39bn generated in the corresponding period in 2018.

Some banks on monthly basis charge their customers N50 with or without card while some deduct N1,000 from each customer’s account per annum for maintaining their savings accounts.

The Senate had in 2018 called on the Central Bank of Nigeria to suspend the deduction of card maintenance fee.

The upper legislative chamber also directed its banking committee to investigate the deduction in comparison with what obtained in other countries.

The earning of some banks in account maintenance charges may have been propelled by large customer base.

Two leading banks by profit, Zenith Bank Plc and GTBank, for instance, have over 8.6 million and 16 million customers respectively.

Specifically, Zenith Bank recorded N9.57bn from account maintenance fee in the first six months of 2019. This reflects 10.76 per cent increase over N8.64bn reported in the first six months of 2018.

GTBank Group’s audited report for the first six months of the year; N5.71bn was generated for maintaining customers account in the first six months of the year, up from N5.18bn in the first six months of 2018.

The merger between Access Bank Plc and Diamond Bank Plc aided 96.15 per cent increase on account maintenance fees of Access Bank, moving from N3.14bn in the first six months of 2018 to N6.16bn in the first six months of 2019.

Access Bank in its audited result and accounts for the six months ended June 30 said account maintenances fees were fees charged on current account.

“N1 on every N1, 000 in respect of all induced debit transactions is charged on these accounts,” Access Bank explained.

The bank noted that card maintenance fees were fees charged customers for maintaining their accounts.

“The fees are earned and recognised by the bank over the validity year of the card. The bank charged the customers for this service on a monthly basis,” extract from the bank’s audited six months result for the period ended June 30 to the Nigerian Stock Exchange explained.

The United Bank for Africa Plc, on the other hand, reported 16.3 per cent increase on account maintenance fees, N3.39bn, in the first six months of the year, up from N2.9bn in the first six months of 2018.

The President of the Bank Customers Association of Nigeria, Dr Uju Ogubunka, explained that the guide to charges by Banks and Other Financial Institutions in Nigeria, 2017 made no provision for “Account Maintenance Fee”.

Ogubunka, a former Registrar and Chief Executive of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, added, that the CBN guideline, however, provided for ‘Current Account Maintenance Fee’.

He noted that the CBN guide prescribed that the rate chargeable by a bank for this fee was negotiable with a customer subject to a maximum of N1.00 per mille”.

Ogubunka said, “Consequently, no bank is authorised to make this charge without first, negotiating with the customer and the agreed rate must not be more than N1.00 per mille.

“How many customers know that they ought to negotiate with banks on this fee? How many cross-check and verify the type, amount and basis of charges entered into their accounts by their banks? How many seek redress when necessary?

“Nevertheless, the Guide’s provision, directly or indirectly, places the burden on the banks. It is their responsibility to call the attention of their customers for negotiation.”

He called on regulators and supervisors of banks in the country to investigate and confirm that banks are complying with regulatory provisions on account maintenance charges.

According to him, CBN needs to impose deterrent sanctions on any bank found, not just violating the regulations but more fundamentally, cheating customers as well as putting the reputation of banks and bankers in disrepute.

He asked bank customers to examine their accounts periodically, with a view to ensuring they were managed in accordance with the rules/regulations of banking operation in the country.

Culled from The Punch

Tiwa Savage walks runway for Naomi Campbell

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September 18, 2019

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Afro-pop star, Tiwa Savage strutted the runway for a supermodel, Naomi Campbell’s 2019 Fashion for Relief show.

Fashion for Relief is a charitable organization founded in 2005 that has raised funds for various environmental and humanitarian causes. It holds events in association with the London-based non-profit organization CARE

News Agency of Nigeria reports that the ’49-29’ singer showcased her modelling prowess at the British Museum where the event held on Saturday.

An excited Tiwa shared the news on her Instagram page @tiwasavage hailing Naomi for the chance to walk for a good cause. She said, “Thank you, Queen.”

Speaking with British Vogue about her experience, Tiwa noted that modelling was harder than it looked and she would only walk the runway for Naomi.

She said, “If she asks me, yes. Naomi is the only person I would do it for.”

“You prepare for so many hours and then in a few seconds, it’s done. It is definitely a different experience from singing.

“It was very quick, and it’s not as easy as it looks… I just found out.” On the experience working with Naomi, Tiwa said, “I still look up to her.

“I catch myself just staring at her and wondering how her skin glows like that. Naomi is a perfectionist, she knows what she wants and she gets it done.

“I admire that about her, she just works so, so hard… and she is so down to earth.”

NAN reports that Tiwa had also been part of Maki Oh’s show during the New York Fashion Week. The brand is owned by Nigerian designer, Amaka Osakwe.

The singer recently attended shows like Laquan Smith and Pyer Moss and performed at basketball player, Carmelo Anthony’s second collaborative collection, called Melo Made.

(NAN)