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The new Miss Black USA is none other than Miss Connecticut USA, Osas Ighodaro. Ms. Ighodaro is a professionally trained actress, and she performed her winning talent, “What If I Am a Black Woman” in four
dialects. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Broadcast Journalism
from Pennsylvania State University. She is also a Master of Fine Arts
degree candidate for Pace University.Upon winning the title, Osas said:

“It’s an honor to be crowned where President Barack Obama and the First Lady Michelle Obama resides. It would be my dream to meet the First Lady,” stated Ms. Ighodaro during the post pageant
press conference at Ben’s Next Door.”

Ms. Ighodaro will serve as the celebrity advocate for the pageant’s national partnership with the Heart Truth® campaign to increase awareness of heart disease..

Shawnta Watson Walcott, former Miss Black Missouri 1993 and champion for social justice, accepted the first ever Miss Black USA® Legacy Award.

Miss Talented Teen® Arizona, Raven Green, was crowned Miss Black Talented Teen® USA 2010 at the Gaylord National Resort in Prince George's County, MD.

The Miss Black USA® $20,000 prize package includes: a walk-on role on Tyler Perry's "Meet the Browns", 2-page spread inHeart & Soul magazine, a trip to Africa, and a scholarship to the prestigious New York School for Dramatic Arts.

Official sponsors included Tyler Perry Studios, Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center, F&L Construction, New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts, and Heart & Soul magazine.

ABOUT MISS BLACK USA:

The Miss Black USA Pageant and Scholarship Foundation® has been revolutionizing pageantry as the preeminent pageant for women of color ages 18-27 since 1986. Founded by Karen Arrington, the pageant provides scholarships to deserving young women. MBUSA is a non-profit 501(c) 3 corporation. Ms. Arrington will release her book, "First Ladies, Be the Leading Lady of Your Life", this fall.

A militant group known as the Niger Delta Watchdogs has warned its members to stay away from the 2011 poll.

The group also charged its members to shun overtures from some desperate politicians trying to recruit them for the elections.

It alleged that some politicians in some states in the region had begun meeting with militant groups and ex-militants with the intention of hiring them to scuttle the forthcoming elections.

In a statement signed by John Duku, and sent to our correspondent via electronic mail, the group claimed that the politicians were importing arms for the purpose of the poll.

The group said, ”We condemn the present political situation in some Niger Delta states and call on the Federal Government to make an urgent step before it gets out of hand.

”We have noticed that several meetings and consultations are going on for some months now with some militant groups and politicians mostly from three states in the Niger Delta to help them actualise their ambition.”

It deplored the attitude of some interest groups calling on the President Goodluck Jonathan to declare his ambition for 2011, describing them as enemies of the region.

It added, ”We note with great surprise and shock that people of high class and value that are supposed to advise the President to commence infrastructure development of the region are distracting with the 2011 poll.

”We wish to advise Mr. President to be careful with these self-acclaimed politicians, who have nothing to offer, but to make noise for their selfish interest.”

Prof. Ukwu I Ukwu of Ebonyi State University (left) discussing with Chairman of Fiscal Responsibility Commission Alhj. Aliyu Jibril Yelwa (right)
while Director of Finance Ministry of Power Ahj. Yusuf Muhammed Agabi
(middle) looks on during meeting to undertake study on budget
implementation.

ABUJA — THE appetite for more funds by the three tiers of government has forced the Federal Government to draw down a $3 billion in one fell
swoop from the Excess Crude Account, leaving behind a mere $460 million.
Accountant-General of the Federation, Alhaji Ibrahim Dankwambo,
disclosed at the monthly Federation Account Allocation Committee, FAAC,
meeting, in Abuja, weekend, that $1 billion of the amount was set aside
for the Sovereign Wealth Fund.

An unprecedented N704.273 billion was shared among the three tiers of government as representing revenue for July which would be used to meet August expenditures.

The decision to share $2 billion from the Excess Crude Account in addition to the monthly federally collected revenue was indication of the large spending portfolios across the three tiers of government.

Some fear this money would, in actual fact, go into political campaigns rather than development purposes.

Revenue mobilisation

Interestingly, it was agreed by the three tiers of government and the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMAFC, in 2007 that at least N1 trillion should always be left in the excess
crude account.

According to the document, N413.710 billion was realised into the federation account from mineral revenue accruals largely dominated by the contribution of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC,
and other mineral revenues. But the AGF told journalists that “the NNPC
brought in excess of N500 billion to federation account, noting that
the excess as stipulated by the law will be saved.”

For the month of July, N407.426 billion was approved for disbursement but N404.273 was shared among the units which represented about N3.153 less than what was shared in the previous month.

Earning from the Value Added Tax declined to N42.840 billion to create a short fall on what was expected to be shared for the month of July.

According to the AGF, “The increase (distributable statutory revenue) was attributable to the higher prices of crude oil in the international markets and improved tax drive (even when VAT did not met
its target).

Dankwambo added that for the month of July, “there was no exchange gain (forex) and augmentation because the prevailing exchange rate of N147 per USD is lower than the N150 per USD set as bench mark; and the
revenue inflow for the month is higher than the monthly approved
figure.”

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, deducted N44 billion from 504 billion oil revenue.

The nine crude oil producing states were allocated N35.735 billion as 13 percent derivation. Eventually, the Federal Government went home with N171.579 billion; states N87.027 and local councils N67.094
billion.

The Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, also got N2.556 billion as (four percent of its total collections for the month) as cost of collection and Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, was given N1.899 billion
(seven percent of its collections) as cost od collections.

In her remarks, the new Minister of State for Finance, Hajiya Yabawa Wabi said the Federal Government would “reposition the nation’s economic performance as we get along with the global trend of events”.

She charged members of the FAAC to imbibe the spirit of togetherness and be seen to be guided by the need to look beyond the short time horizon, which the present economic reality seems to impose on them and
take decisions that would transform policies into actions would in
sustainable economic growth.

Burnt car and human as police roadblock leads to multiple accidents in Lagos

Tragedy In Lagos As Police Extortion RoadBlock Turns Deadly For Motorists And Commutters, Over 30 Dead!

These multiple accidents happened after the Nigerian police set up a roadblock that led to the total closure of one lane as they extort motorists on the Lagos -Ibadan Expressway, forcing several motorists to use a narrow side left open. There was heavy traffic build up as a result of police roadblock (they used their van to block one lane while they force other road users to contend for passage on the one lane left) around Otedola Estate Junction on the Lagos- Ibadan Expressway by Berger. Then the worst happened, the brakes of a fully loaded heavy trailer-truck failed and ran over multiples cars and buses. People were trapped in the wreckage crying for help to come out as they were being gutted by a huge fire.

As soon as the accident happened the policemen dismantled their "roadblock" and ran away while the multiple fires from 15 vehicles caught up in the maze killed several commuters.

A belated rescue by the poorly equipped firefighters saved a few lives.

Photos by Seun Ogunniyi, a Citizen Reporter

Some of those killed in the Police-RoadBlock-Inspired -multiple accident are Christians returning from church.

A Bystander took a tour of the accident scene, inspecting burnt cars and human flesh.

The occupants of the car are unaccounted for after the multiple accidents.

A Honda Accord car is smashed from behind in the multiple auto accident caused by the Nigerian police roadblock.

Over 15 cars were burnt in the inferno that followed. Of course, the policemen dismantled their roadblocks and disappeared.

Lagos crowd gathers around accident scene.

Addressing a World Press Conference in Abuja yesterday, Atiku said he was offering himself as a candidate for election to the office ofthe President after due consultations with his family, friends andpolitical associates.

He stressed that he was not vying for the position because he wanted to be rich or famous, but to realise his vision of a prosperous,secure, peaceful, democratic, caring and confident Nigeria.

According to him, “I am not seeking the presidency because I want to be rich and famous. Given how far I have come from my humble beginningsin Jada, Adamawa State, I feel enormously blessed. But life is not justabout individual success; it is, more importantly, about our collectivesuccess.

“Life is also about those with the capacity and talent to help others and the society as a whole to roll up their sleeves and do so. Ihave had the privilege of travelling quite a bit outside this countryand I always come close to shedding tears when I see what countriesthat were less endowed than Nigeria have been able to do in the effortto provide infrastructure, investment support and social services fortheir people. I know that we can do the same in Nigeria.

“I have been close enough to power to know the enormous potential that a President has to move this country in the right direction. Wejust have to give ourselves the chance to do that with someone who iswell prepared for the challenges, someone with a plan to decisivelytackle our collective and urgent problems.

“I am that person. We need a leader who is experienced, exposed and also keenly aware that the development of this country depends on theinvestments we make in our youth. I am that leader. We need a leaderwho understands that leadership requires both experience and youthful,creative energy, someone who is a bridge to the future and a bridgeacross our divides. I am that leader. We need a leader who can makegood things happen. I am that leader.”

The former Vice President who noted that Presidency was not for ill-prepared persons as well as for experimentation, stressed: “Now istime for action.”

5 key areas of focus

He said he was going to pay attention to five key areas as President of Nigeria. These, according to him, are employment generation andwealth creation; power generation and infrastructural development;security, good governance and war against corruption; education, healthand social services and the Niger Delta.

According to him, “we need a clear vision for our nation with a clear road map of how we hope to get there. Thus, I have had a longperiod of soul-searching and reflection on these and other issuesaffecting our dear country.

“After due consultations with my family, friends and political associates, I have come here to formally announce, with humility and adeep sense of responsibility, that I shall be offering myself as acandidate for election to the office of President of the FederalRepublic of Nigeria in the 2011 Presidential Election. I shall do so onthe platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. I want to chart anew course for our beloved country and lead our people to theirmanifest destiny.”

“Iam seeking the presidency of our great country to realize my vision of a prosperous, secure, peaceful, democratic, caring andconfident Nigeria. I intend to lead the efforts to create conduciveconditions and incentives for productive investment in our country.

“These will create massive numbers of jobs which will keep our youth gainfully employed and help to tackle the high level of insecurity inthe country. Our productivity can only increase significantly if weinvest in education, research and modern technology, andinfrastructure.

“As we become more prosperous through increased productivity we will be better able, as a nation, to provide more rewarding and enablingsocial services. We will become a more caring society as we give moresupport to those who need help in order to have a more decent life.This will include fast_tracking the development of the Niger Delta aswell as addressing the cries of marginalization by different sectionsof the country.

“When we are able to get our acts together, we will become more confident as a people and a country. We will be confident to visit ourvillages or any part of the country without the fear of kidnappers andarmed robbers. We will be confident to present our green passports atinternational entry ports without the fear of being singled out aspotential criminals.

“We will be confident to pick up the phone and call foreign businesses to conclude deals without being seen as scammers. We will beconfident to take on the world and influence events in ways that serveour national interest and the interests of justice, fairness andequity. I am ready to lead the movement for the realization of thatvision. Together we shall make good things happen.

“I have picked five key areas for immediate intervention because of their critical impact on all other areas of development. These are:Employment Generation and Wealth Creation

Power Generation and Infrastructural Development, Security, Good Governance and War against Corruption, Education, Health and SocialServices, and the Niger Delta.

Atiku who admitted that there was no way he would accomplish the task alone, however called on everyone to support him, adding, “Icannot do these alone. With your support, we will put in placeattractive incentives for investors to invest in our economy and createwell_paying jobs.

“Together we will fix our crumbling schools, our roads, and our health care delivery system. Together we shall fix the electricityproblem by taking advantage of the varying energy resources and needsin different parts of the country.

“Together we shall address desertification, gully erosion and other lingering environmental challenges. Together we will tackle theinfrastructural bottlenecks that have stalled investments. Together weshall provide our people with the tools to live productive livesindependent of government handouts. “Together we shall wage a genuinewar on corruption by instituting a better reward and punishment system,ensuring true independence of the anti_corruption agencies and thespeedy trial of corruption cases.

“In 2007, I proposed a separate ministry of the Niger Delta in order to fast_track the development of the region, the way we have been doingfor Abuja. As you can see, the idea of a separate ministry has not beenfully implemented to be able to fast_track development of the region.Under my watch that will change.

“Together we shall clean up and restore the environment of the Niger Delta, speed up the development of the area, ensure that oil and gasextraction is carried out in a responsible and sustainable manner, andhold those responsible for environmental degradation accountable. Oiland gas prospecting does not have to be a death sentence for those whoare fortunate to sit on vast amounts of energy resources.

“Together we shall create a country where it no longer matters which region of the country a public office holder comes from. Together wewill make this country truly great. Together we shall make good thingshappen.

Atiku who described Nigeria as a failed state against the backdrop that as a nation, the country is still drifting like a rudderless ship,stressed that Nigeria has no reason to fail owing to the fact that itis one of the most richly endowed nations of the world.

“Despite the modest achievements of the past, our country is still drifting like a rudderless ship. It is difficult for anybody to saywhat vision is guiding the actions of those in charge of our affairs.Rather we seem to be stumbling from one crisis to the other.

“Our economy is still very weak and unable to deliver the goods and services needed to give our people a decent standard of living. Ourinfrastructure is in a shambles thereby making economic and socialactivities unprofitable and unattractive. Our public schools havecontinued to deteriorate, creating an embarrassing and unacceptabledichotomy between public and private education.

“Our health care system has been rated as one of the worst in the world. The manufacturing sector has been hobbled by a series ofinconsistent policies and power failure,” he said.

On how to overcome the lingering power crisis in the country, Alhaji Abubakar said, if the Obasanjo’s administration had accepted hisblueprint in 2002, the nation would by now, have overcome its powerproblems with the private sector investment in small and medium powerplants across the nation .

“If my 2002 blueprint had been approved we would have overcome the problems of the power sector by now. The way out of the power problemin small and medium power stations which will take between two to threeyears to build.

“Even the Federal government does not have enough resources to tackle the current power challenges. Therefore, we have to create theenvironment for investors to come in to build small and medium plants.Many private investors, both local and foreign are yearning to go intothis sector; all we need is the environment to be created for them”, hesaid.

When asked why he was declaring on the platform of the PDP when the party said there was no waiver for him, Atiku Abubakar said, “I knowIam a member of PDP, this talk about my membership is nothing, butrubbish. Waiver is an ongoing thing, today (yesterday), Iam declaringmy intention to run: tomorrow (today), I will file my application tocontest and let me see…”

On whether he will not quit the party if he does not get the ticket, he said, “I will not leave PDP if I don’t get the ticket”.

Notable Politicians who were present at the briefing and formal declaration were, former Senate President Iyorchia Ayu, Ex_ministersMustapha Shettima, Funke Adedoyin, Titi Ajanaku, Dubem Onyia, Atiku’s2007 Vice Presidential candidate, Senator Ben Obi, Alhaji TankoYankassai, Yahaya Kwande, Ozi Salami, former governor of Old KadunaState, Lawal Kaita, Tonye Princewell, among others.

From Bayo Alabira, Jos

The former Governor of Plateau state, Sir Fidelis Tapgun, has said the current problem in Jos, the Plateau state capital, can only be solved through equity, fairness and honesty.

According to him, “fairness and honesty have to be allowed in the political system to avoid anybody been marginalised or maligned to a point that people will become frightened and resort to taking arms against one another.”

The former Nigerian Ambassador to Kenya told journalists in Jos at the weekend that the crises in the state were purely political, arguing that because the crises often begin on Sunday or Friday does not make it religious.

He said the whole thing was a function political deprivations which fuel the sentiments and grievances that explode into sectarian violence.

Lamenting that in a situation where certain persons are denied certain positions and even franchise, while certain people are imposed on the electorate while elections are manipulated and to produce false and predetermined outcome is definitely bound to generate resistance and violence across the state.”

He blamed the January, 2010, Jos crisis on security lapses, saying, "the security arms failed in their routine surveillance and briefing of the chief security officer of the state, or the governor ignored security reports and failed to act dutifully and timely to avert the breakdown of law and order".

Rumours are that He was asked to testify in a fraud case so they killed him. Who will ever have the nerve to do the right things . RIP. Mike Ajari. Brunnel Energy.

Mike Ajari, a sleepy street in Sabo area of Ojodu, Lagos on Tuesday witnessed a gory killing that shook the entire area.

After the close of work on the fateful day, the victim, Felix Adebayo, an accountant with Brunnel Energy, a foreign human resources and consultancy firm based in Victoria Island, Lagos, had returned to his residence at No 7, Mike Ajari Street, where neighbours said he had lived for close to six years.

As he approached the gates in his official car, however, he was oblivious of the danger that lurked in the corner. Unknown to him, a man had laid an ambush for him at the entrance to the house where he lived.

A neighbour who pleaded not to be named for security reasons, said as he came down from the Nissan car and proceeded to open the gate, the stranger walked up to him, pretending to have something to discuss with him. Then suddenly, he pulled a pistol and shot him in the neck.

A co-resident, who also pleaded anonymity for the same reason, said, “We were in the house and preparing to sleep around 9.45 pm when we heard the sound of a gunshot. We all rushed out to see what was happening, only to get to the gate and found Mr Adebayo struggling in a pool of blood.”

It was gathered that as soon as he was shot, his attacker entered Adebayo‘s car and zoomed off. And since then, all the efforts to retrieve the car have been abortive.

Neighbours rushed out only to find Adebayo gasping. “We kept shouting his name but there was no response. He continued to bleed profusely,” a resident said.

Confusion was said to have ensued as neighbours and passers-by made frantic efforts to save his life. Unfortunately, he he gave up the ghost there and then.

The attention of the policemen at Grammar School Police Station, Ojodu was drawn to the dastardly act. The policemen were said to have responded promptly and took the corpse to the morgue of Isolo General Hospital, Lagos.

”We had to take the body to Isolo General Hospital mortuary due to our inability to raise some money required to keep the body at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital mortuary. But later, the body was moved back to the Ikeja mortuary and the autopsy had already been done,” a family source said. It was a tragic end to the promising career of the 43-year-old employee of the oil and gas company, who only three months ago marked the christening of his youngest child with pump and circumstance. “His eldest child is two years old and he did the naming of his youngest child three months ago,” said a resident who identified himself simply as Olu.

A resident of the area told Saturday Punch that a few hours before the incident, three strange men in black cloths were seen surveying the area. Some people said they saw them making calls on their mobile phones.

Associates of the late accountant described him as an easy-going fellow who would not hurt a fly.

He was survived by his wife, with two children and an aged mother. ”The death has thrown the family into mourning because he was the breadwinner of the family. Three of his younger ones are still in school,” a source close to the family said.

His younger brother, Gbenga Adebayo who described the death as ‘shocking’ said that family members were learning to accept their fate. “He was the breadwinner of the family and we believe he had acted well his own part. What can we do? It is only God that can avenge for someone,” he said.

His wife, Mrs Tayo Adebayo, who was surrounded by sympathisers on Thursday was speechless. “What can I say? She asked rather rhetorically. “I have handed everything over to God. It is only God that can judge,” she said.

His co-tenants told our correspondent that he started living in the house as a bachelor.

“He was here before he got married. After marriage, he continued to live here. We are like one family and we are all touched by his death,” the landlord of the house, who simply identified herself as Adesuwa said. As learnt, Adebayo chose to live in Lagos because of his job, leaving his wife and children in Ibadan, Oyo State. “He goes to Ibadan to see his family every weekend,” said a co-tenant who did not want his name in print.

The news of his death was said

to have been broken to the

members of his family as well

as his employers the

following day. His wife, who is nursing a three-month-old baby, was said to have collapsed like a pack of cards, while his siblings also cried uncontrollably. Sorrow was also said to have enveloped the office when the news of his assassination was broken to his employers.

The office, where he was said to have occupied a strategic position before his death, was said to be helping the police to unravel the mystery beside his assassination.

When our correspondent called at he office on Tuesday, efforts to speak with some of his colleagues yielded no fruit. A foreigner and director of the company who pleaded not to be named, said the company would not want to comment on the tragic incident untl the police had concluded their investigations. He said, “Brunel Energy is unable comment at this stage because the matter is in the hands of the police.”

The director also said they had their lawyer’s instruction not to say anything so as not to jeopardise the investigations being carried out by the police. “We do not want anything to affect police findings,” the director said. He also would not volunteer a comment on the rumour that Adebayo uncovered a major fraud in the company shortly before he was killed.

It was also rumoured that while those who allegedly perpetrated the fraud had been nailed and arrested, Adebayo was about being used as the prosecution witness anytime the perpetrators of the fraud were made to face the wrath of the law. ”He has a lot of facts and documents and I want to believe he was to be used as a key prosecution witness. But before they could do that, he was cleared out of the way,” the source who sought anonymity said.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Frank Mba said he was not aware of the killing when Saturday Punch contacted him on Wednesday. He promised to contact the appropriate police division for necessary information relating to the incident. However, several calls made to his telephone on Thursday were not answered.

It was gathered that arrangements were being made to bury the slain accountant at his residence in Ibadan.

1.MY ADVICE TURN OFF INTERNET BANKING ON YOUR ACCOUNT !

2.ATM Withdrawals Have one account for only Daily transactions of minimal amounts

Customers have expressed dissatisfaction in the manner in which some banks have been handling reported fraud cases on internet banking and Automated Teller Machines (ATM).

Tochukwu Onyiuke, a lawyer at Punuka Attorneys & Solicitors, said of the over 1,000 internet banking fraud and ATM scam cases his firm is handling, “none of the banks involved has shown genuine interest in rendering assistance to the victims.”

Mr. Onyiuke said many of these victims are customers of Intercontinental Bank, Bank PHB, and Union Bank.

Moses Adeogun, a postgraduate student in a university in the United Kingdom and an Intercontinental customer, recently narrated how he lost all his savings of N429, 000 in the bank to online fraud.

“On Tuesday, 27 July, I just discovered that all my savings at Intercontinental Bank to the tune of N429, 000 had been stolen through internet banking,” said Mr. Adeogun.

“I have two accounts at the bank, one is current and the other is savings. I have been using these two accounts since 2008. I activated internet banking on both of them so that I can have access to my accounts while I am away for studies,” Mr. Adeogun said.

He said, “It happened that I was trying to log into my account on 27 June; a Sunday night, but I couldn’t. So I kept on trying until the account was locked. I then sent a mail to the internet banking office that my access has been locked.. The following day, I got a message from the office that my account has been unlocked. That was on Monday, 28th of June.”

However, he said that on 4 July, somebody transferred N100, 000 from his account to another person’s account named Olufunmi Olusanya. Two days later, another N100, 000 was removed. It went on until the last N29, 000 was removed on the July 14.

Mr. Adeogun said while all these was happening, he didn’t receive any alert from the bank as he usually do on any transaction. He said he didn’t touch his account after it was unlocked until July 27 when he tried to confirm his statement of account after transferring money into it that he discovered all his money had gone. “I have mailed the bank severally since it happened but all I get from them is we are investigating. I was hoping that the matter would be resolved on time so that I can use my money. But as it stands, the bank is only dragging the issue,” he said.

Pushing blames

Experts say the perpetrator must have had access to Mr. Adeogun’s username, password and transaction code -the three details needed in internet banking -before money could be successfully transferred from his account.

Meanwhile, the victim said he never disclosed any of those information to anyone as “all these details are only known by me and the internet banking office.”

Findings revealed that the Olufunmi Olusanya’s account belongs to a female youth corps member. A transaction was made from Mr. Adeogun’s account to hers and she later withdrew the money through an ATM.

However, Mr. Onyiuke said how fraudsters managed to get into people’s accounts through internet banking is a question banks should answer since the position of law says “banks have a mandatory duty to protect customer’s fund.”

The legal practitioner said banks are to protect their customers’ money by ensuring that there is no manipulation on customers’ account or unauthorised withdrawal. “In the event that customer losses money, or occasions that the bank fails to protect the fund, the customer can bring a legal action of a breach of contract against the bank,” he said.

“Banks in Nigeria are fond of pushing blames to the customers even before investigating. Banks always claim that the customers compromised their passwords. But most times, we have discovered through investigations, that the claims were false,” said Mr. Onyiuke

Contacted over Mr Adeogun’s allegation, after several phone calls and electronic mails to the Intercontinental Bank went unreturned, Bridget Chinasa, a receptionist at the bank front office who tried to cover her name tag, said a reporter cannot speak to any official in the bank’s Corporate Communication office since no appointment was made. “Just keep trying the office number to book an appointment,” Ms. Chinasa said.

Suspicious move

Meanwhile, Mr. Adeogun said he suspects insider abuse. “I really believe that she (Ms. Olusanya) colluded with someone at the Internet banking office to get into my account for the reasons being that the person who unlocked my access on the 28th of June failed to attach his or her name,” he said, adding that “most times when I receive messages from the bank, there is usually the name of the sender attached to the message. But the message I got after unlocking my access just read: Good day, your account has been unlocked now. Thanks. Internet Banking Unit, Web Services/I-Mobile Dept., Intercontinental Bank Plc... Happy Customer Happy Bank.”

Another suspicious act, according to Mr. Adeogun, was that the perpetrator disabled the alert on his transaction so that he won’t get any message while the theft was going on. “All these can only be done by an insider with priority access,” he said.

Last October, at a consumer advocacy forum, Akeem Awe, a business man and a customer of Zenith Bank, also shared his experience on how he lost his savings of v1. 06 million to an ATM fraudster in less than 20 minutes, and how the bank failed to fully investigate the matter.

Nigeria Installs Full Body Scanners at Airports

•As US marshals accompany flights
By Paul Ohia and Zacheaus Somorin, 08.12.2010

The training of local staff has commenced to handle full body scanners acquired following the Christmas day bomb attempt by Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab even as Air Marshals from the United States now guard flights coming in and out of Nigeria.

“Full-body scanners have been installed at Nigeria 's four international airports and are being used selectively,” the Director-General of Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Mr. Harold Demuren, said at a joint press briefing with the United States ambassador to Nigeria, Dr. Robin Renée Sanders in Lagos yesterday.

Demuren said training is ongoing for officers with the goal of having the scanners which have been installed at Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja operating 24 hours a day.

For the time being, the machines have not been installed at similar airports in Kano and Port Harcourt .

“We want to make our airports extremely unfriendly to terrorists…explosive detection equipment are already being used and full body pat-downs for international passengers will not allow such to happens again." Demuren said.

He disclosed that ten of such scanners which create a 3-D images of passengers’ shape have been acquired by the government
Ambassador Sanders said that Nigeria should be commended for the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority’s successful completion of Federal Aviation Administration [FAA] assistance program in preparation for the Aviation Safety Assessment [IASA] audit.
She posited also that although there is still more job to be done in the sector, it is important to celebrate the tremendous progress and success of the government in making the nation’s air travel the safest it has ever been.

Sanders who would be leaving Nigeria soon congratulated the NCCA for its historical issuance of Air Operator Certification [AOC] to Arik Air Limited on July 12, this year. She however said that Nigerian aviation sector has not been able to obtain Category 1 status the way other developed countries have.

Responding to her comment, Demuren said ‘’security challenge is a global one. It is not only an American issue, it is not the Netherland issue, and not Nigerian issue but a global one. So, the war on terror must be total’’. Demuren promised that the December 20th December 2009 bomb incident, with security measures being put in place by the NCAA, will never happen again, saying that body scanners have been made available in all he major airports in the country with the provision of ten scanners by the Federal Government.

While recounting on Abdulmutallab’s bomb case, which resulted in Nigeria in being included in the global terror list by the United States, Demuren said that on the fateful day, the equipment available at the Lagos Airports are those that could only detect metals, but that now all the international airport in the country have automatic detecting systems at different four stages before boarding flight to another country.

Co

AHEAD of his formal declaration for the 2011 presidential election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, the leadership of the PDP said yesterday that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has not been granted a waiver to contest the polls.
According to the party, there was no way the National Working Committee, NWC would recommend to the National Executive Committee, NEC of the party when Atiku’s home state, Adamawa has not formally applied for a waiver .

Answering questions from Journalists yesterday in Abuja during the Press briefing on the outcome of the 52nd National Executive Committee, NEC meeting of the party, the National Publicity Secretary, Professor Rufai Ahmed Alkali said, “You will recall that the former vice president came in to this secretariat and formally told the leadership of the party that he was returning to the party with all his supporters nationwide.

Atiku Abubakar has not been granted a waiver to contest the polls

“He indeed brought a document showing the names of the people who came along with him and signed the document and said they are returning unconditionally. Am sure you also recall that when he left, we invited you to come and see the former national chairman so that he could tell you why Alhaji Atiku Abubakar came into his office, and the chairman, I recalled informed you that the former vice president came into the secretariat to say that he has returned to the party formally with all his supporters.

“But the Chairman asked him to go back to his ward and register because that is the elementary thing, and then the process can start from there. Because as he said the party cannot reject any person coming back to the party. No party worth its salt can do that. But what the former national chairman said, and that is the position of the party is that we do not have card here to give to members.

“So he was asked to go back, which means what was said in effect was Atiku Abubakar will go back and continue with the process of healing and reconciliation, a kind of mend fences with him and all the stakeholders in Adamawa State, and since that time there have been formal consultations and discussions between him and stakeholders in Adamawa state, and the Adamawa people too came to the secretariat and the rest of it.

“This is the usual thing in politics, there’s nothing unusual. And so by the time they sort this out Atiku will also be treated like any other person who has come back to the party; he will be given the waiver to be qualified as bonafide member of the party.

So I think the issues are very clear. No matter what we have done here, all these cases that you see of who has been cleared, those at the relevant level will have to clear them before they get to the national secretariat, and that is the situation.

“There are other levels that are usually waived or are given waivers at their own relevant level not necessarily at the national level. But at the level of governors, Senators, President and Vice president, the waiver always come from the Secretariat, but it has to come on the advice from the state chapter. This is the situation on the ground and I cannot see why there should be controversy.”

It would be recalled that according to the PDP’s 2009 amended constitution, “Persons who desire to rejoin the Party after leaving it shall, unless exempted by the National Working Committee, be placed on probation for a period of time not less than a year”.

Speaking further on the resolutions of PDP NEC, Alkali who noted that NEC considered proposals to hold a Special Convention to amend sections of the party’s constitution, stressed that areas to be amended which the National Working Committee, NWC recommended for deleting are Article 12.17, Article 12.e40 and Articles 12.84 which confer status of automatic delegates on Ministers, Chairmen of Boards, Commissioners, Special Advisers and Special Assistants to Party Congresses and National Conventions.

Ekwueme’s report granted me waiver — Atiku