Cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike has announced plans to implement enhanced checks and staggered updates to prevent a recurrence of the global IT outage that affected millions of computers last week. The Texas-based company outlined initial findings from its investigation into the incident and detailed steps to mitigate future risks. On Wednesday, CrowdStrike revealed that it would improve its internal testing processes to prevent disruptions similar to the recent widespread issues that impacted various sectors, including airlines and retailers, due to a faulty software update. Microsoft estimated that approximately 8.5 million Windows devices, representing less than 1% of all Windows machines, were…
Author: Adewale A.
The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ola Olukoyede, has underscored the need for increased collaboration among all stakeholders in the fight against corruption. He made this appeal in Abuja on Tuesday, 23 July 2024, during a one-day familiarisation visit by the Old Students Association of Federal Government College Ikom, Abuja Chapter, to the EFCC headquarters. Speaking through the Head of the Media and Publicity Unit, Dele Oyewale, Olukoyede stressed that winning the anti-corruption battle requires a multifaceted approach involving all stakeholders, particularly in whistleblowing. “The fight against corruption necessitates collaborative synergy, whistleblowing, building, and…
Justices R.M. Aikawa and Darius Khobo, presiding over the Federal High Court and the State High Court respectively in Kaduna, have convicted and sentenced four individuals for internet fraud. The convicts, identified as Anthony Chukwu (alias Carmelita Luna), Madaki Shamun Ismail (alias Will Beal), Samson Aliyu (alias John Dunwell), and Christopher Israel (alias Bernie Dallas), received varying jail terms for their crimes. The Kaduna Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) prosecuted the quartet on separate charges of impersonation, obtaining by false pretence, and money laundering. Chukwu’s charge stated: “That you, Anthony Chukwu (alias Carmelita Luna), in…
Operatives from the Kano Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have apprehended a banker, Kamaluddeen Lawal, along with three businessmen on charges of recycling and manipulating Naira notes. The other suspects have been identified as Ismail Ibrahim Ilu, Lamido Bala, and Abba Mohammed. They were arrested at Unity Road in the Kantin Kwari market, Kano, following credible intelligence about individuals suspected of trafficking substantial sums of cash. Investigations revealed that the suspects specialised in acquiring mutilated Naira notes from various banks. Their scheme involved removing a few notes from each bundle and depositing the altered bundles into…
Husqvarna is proud to partner with Liverpool Football Club, one of the most iconic football clubs on the planet. As part of the multi-year global agreement, Husqvarna will become the official groundskeeping partner of LFC, the first partnership of its kind for both parties. Since 2021, LFC has been using Husqvarna robotic mowers to maintain the pristine conditions of the green spaces at AXA Training Centre, and AXA Melwood Training Centre, supporting the Grounds management team to ensure that LFC’s playing surfaces continue to be of the highest standard for players. Through this partnership, Husqvarna’s state-of-the-art equipment and innovative solutions…
The announcement by the Federal Government that it will provide 186 meters at our flow stations is very curious and needs an explanation from the Minister of Petroleum. A Flow station is simply a tank where crude oil is stored as it flows in the oil pipelines, awaiting export. The international oil companies are responsible for the flow of crude oil because they manage the pipelines and flow stations as operators. If the FG wants to place meters at these flow stations to know how much crude we produce for export, it follows that nobody, apart from the international oil…
At last, the Supreme Court of Nigeria has ruled in favour of Nigeria’s 774 Local Governments (LGs)! May God’s name be praised! Yes, the Supreme Court’s ruling is a significant victory, ordering 20.6% of the federation account allocation to be paid directly to LG accounts, as constitutionally mandated! But how did Nigeria descend to this point? Most state governors sought to control LGs by appointing their herds and apparatchiks as council chairmen, thus disregarding elections. President Bola Tinubu deserves the highest praise imaginable for taking bold action. In Nigeria, state governors have historically been reluctant to grant fiscal autonomy to…
The Lagos Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has successfully secured convictions for six individuals before Justice A. A. Okeke of the Federal High Court in Abeokuta, Ogun State. The convicted individuals are Aladeusi Korede Seun, Akande Habeeb Kunle, Aliu Faleti Opeyemi, Oseni Suleimon, Tobiloba Ebhodaghe Wadiale, and Shedrack Obioma. They were arraigned on Friday, 19 July 2024, on separate charges related to money laundering and impersonation. These charges contravene Section 18 (2) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and Section 22 (2)(iv) of the Cyber Crimes (Prohibition and Prevention) Act, 2022. All…
Justice (Professor) C. A. Obiozor of the Federal High Court in Benin City has sentenced businessman Olabinjor Ajobor to seven years in prison without the option of a fine for fraud. Ajobor was initially arraigned in 2018 and re-arraigned in July 2023 on an amended three-count charge of obtaining money by false pretences. One of the charges stated: “That you, OLABINJOR AJOBOR, and BISOFRANK INVESTMENT LIMITED, on or about the 21st day of February 2017 in Benin, Edo State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did with intent to defraud, induced Mr. George Ezomo to deposit the sum of…
Operatives from the Ibadan Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have apprehended 10 individuals suspected of illegal mining activities in Ogbomoso, Oyo State. The suspects were caught with six trucks fully loaded with lithium. The names of the apprehended individuals are Yunusa Adisa, Ganiyu Kazeem, Muideen Babayemi, Sulaiman Usman, Adeleke Waliu, Tiamiyu Rokeeb, Olusola Sunday, Oyedokun Oluwagbemiga, Sulaimon Ishiaq, and Olufimihan Eniola. The arrests were made following credible intelligence reports indicating their involvement in the unlawful extraction of solid mineral resources, particularly lithium, which were being transported to undisclosed locations. Investigations are ongoing, and the suspects…
The Kaduna Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned Audu Ishida, also known as Baddie Kylemilli, on charges of internet fraud. The case is being heard before Justice Hauwa’u Buhari at the Federal High Court in Kaduna State. Ishida faces a one-count charge of impersonation, retention of proceeds of crime, and money laundering. The charge sheet reads: “That you, Audu Ishida (Baddie Kylemilli), on or about the 2nd of June 2024 in Jos, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, retained the sum of $50 from your victim, which you reasonably ought to have known…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has successfully secured the convictions of Benjamin Apagu, Francis Dung Yusuf (a.k.a Richard Miller), and David Bini Semen (a.k.a Rose Kelly). These convictions were handed down by Justices Darius Khobo of the Kaduna State High Court, and R.M Aikawa and Hauwa’u Buhari of the Federal High Court, sitting in Kaduna. The trio faced separate one-count charges prosecuted by the Kaduna Zonal Command of the EFCC. Apagu was charged with misappropriation and obtaining by false pretences, while Yusuf and Semen were charged with impersonation, retention of proceeds of crime, and obtaining by false pretence.…
The Enugu Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday, 19 July 2024, arraigned Rufus John Isip, a self-proclaimed forex broker, before Justice C. S. Onah of the Federal High Court in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. Isip, alongside his company ITM-IT Resources Limited, faces an eight-count charge, including fraudulent conversion, money laundering, and obtaining funds under false pretences amounting to N2,022,081,172 (Two Billion, Twenty-Two Million, Eighty-One Thousand, One Hundred and Seventy-Two Naira). One of the charges against Isip reads: “That you, Rufus John Isip, being the Director of ITM-IT Resources Limited, in December 2020 and May…
US President Joe Biden recently announced his decision to conclude his re-election campaign, endorsing Vice-President Kamala Harris as the Democratic Party’s nominee for the 2024 presidential race. While Harris has yet to be officially nominated, she will need to select a running mate when Democratic delegates gather next month at the Chicago convention to confirm the ticket. Historically, vice-presidential picks are made to complement the primary candidate, and strategists suggest that Harris may choose a white man from a swing state. Here are some potential candidates: Andy Beshear, Governor of Kentucky Andy Beshear, a Democrat successfully leading the heavily Republican…
In the deeply religious city of Kano in northern Nigeria, a unique prayer session was held a few months ago. This gathering was organised to seek divine favour for the success of a significant industrial venture – the new Dangote Petroleum Refinery, which is set to start producing petrol next month. While it might seem unusual to pray for an industrial facility, many Nigerians are hopeful that this $19 billion (£15 billion) refinery, located near Lagos on Nigeria’s southern coast, will drastically increase petrol availability and reduce prices. Construction of the refinery, which spans nearly 4,000 football pitches, began in…
Researchers at Beihang University in China are pioneering the development of a solar-powered drone with the potential for indefinite flight. Led by Mingjing Qi, the team created a sophisticated circuit that significantly enhanced the voltage generated by solar panels, which was then integrated into a miniature drone prototype. Drones have revolutionised various sectors due to their versatility, but their limited flight time remains a significant drawback. Active research is now focused on overcoming this limitation by developing tiny solar-powered drones capable of perpetual flight. The latest prototype from Beihang University is a lightweight aerial robot weighing just 4 grams, equipped…
Donald Trump’s campaign is rapidly refocusing its efforts to target Kamala Harris, launching a series of attack ads that critique her record as vice president and her tenure in California, following Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the 2024 presidential race. Sources close to the campaign indicate that Trump and his team view Harris as the likely Democratic nominee, especially after Biden endorsed her. Consequently, opposition research against Harris has intensified in recent weeks. Trump-aligned political action committees (PACs), such as MAGA Inc., are preparing a substantial offensive, including a $5 million television ad blitz in key battleground states like Pennsylvania, Georgia,…
In a significant legal development, Justice O. J. Enobie of the FCT High Court in Jabi, Abuja, has sentenced Daniel Ungbo Silas, the director of Asher Trust Investment Limited and Fifteen Network Limited, to five years in prison for his involvement in a major fraud case. Silas, along with his companies, faced prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on two counts of criminal breach of trust and fraudulent conversion of property, amounting to a staggering N128 million. The first charge against Silas states: “That you, Daniel Ungbo Silas, as the Director of Fifteen Network Limited, on or…
On Friday, 19th July 2024, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) presented its 14th prosecution witness, Sahibu Salisu, in the ongoing trial of former Ekiti State governor Ayodele Fayose. The case, involving allegations of N6.9bn fraud, is being heard by Justice Chukujekwu Aneke at the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos. Salisu, who previously served as Director of Administration and Finance in the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), testified regarding payments made to a company named Sylvan MacNamara on the orders of former NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd). Fayose and his company, Spotless Investment Limited, were re-arraigned…
Judges R.M. Aikawa and Hauwa’u Buhari of the Federal High Court in Kaduna have convicted and sentenced five individuals for various fraudulent activities. The convicted persons include Ibrahim Haruna, Abdullahi Yahaya, Daniel John (a.k.a Julieta), Benjamin Andrew Zagni (a.k.a Andrew Williams), and Kenneth Barau (a.k.a Aisha Mohammed). They were prosecuted by the Kaduna Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Currency Counterfeiting Convictions Ibrahim Haruna and Abdullahi Yahaya were charged with a single count of currency counterfeiting, involving counterfeit notes totalling $81,700. Justice Aikawa presided over their case. The charge against Haruna and Yahaya stated: “On or…