INEC driver caught with electoral materials in Delta

Pandemonium broke out yesterday at the premises of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Asaba when a driver attached to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was caught with electoral materials for tomorrow’s election.

Trouble started when the driver (names withheld) arrived the CBN office where sensitive materials were being dispatched to council headquarters and informed the Electoral Officer that before his vehicle is loaded with the materials, he needed to refill his fuel tank.

But as he was driving out, loyalists of some political parties suspected his movement and accosted him, allegedly forcing the vehicle open in the process of interrogation and discovered to their chagrin that materials were already in the vehicle.

An eyewitness said the vehicle was vandalized by the mob who accused the driver of attempting to make away with the materials.

Contacted, Public Relations Officer of the state police command, DSP Celestina Kalu confirmed the incident, adding that the driver and the vehicle were in police custody while matter was under investigation.

A source in the Asaba office of INEC also confirmed the development but insisted that the suspect was wrongly accused as the said vehicle was yet to be loaded with sensitive materials at the time he apprehended.

According to the source, the driver had left INEC office with the content of non-sensitive materials including card readers and registers to the CBN office to pick the sensitive materials.

“What happened is that the driver came in from INEC office and informed the Electoral Officer that prior to the loading of the materials, he would go and refill his tank. He was going to refill his tank when he was accosted.

“As usual, he was carrying non-sensitive materials including card readers and registers because they have been with us at INEC. So it is nothing serious because those materials can be reproduced by our IT department,” the source noted.

South African caught with N74 million hidden in packs of Jungle Oats

A 39-year-old South African woman was intercepted at the Murtala M​u​hammed International Airport, Lagos, with $373,725 (N74.4million) and €2,120 (N450,000) concealed inside packs of oats, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has said.

In a statement Thursday, the agency said the money was detected during an inward screening of passengers on a South African airline flight from Johannesburg.

Two Nigerians are also being investigated by the anti-narcotic agency in connection with the case.

Hamza Umar, the NDLEA Commander at the Lagos Airport, identified the lady as Nosisi Nqgula.

“The mode of concealment presents reasonable grounds for money laundering,” Mr. Umar said. “Five packs of oats were found to contain $373,725 and €2,120. Two Nigerians, Damian Akamelus and Prophet Cyprian Chigere are also being interrogated in connection with the seized money.”

Victoria Egbase, NDLEA Director of Assets and Financial Investigation, said th​e​ refusal ​of the South African ​to declare the money and the manner of concealment were criminal and that the case was being investigated to establish possible link with drug trafficking.

The suspect, Ms. Nqgula, who works in a cosmetic shop, said the bag containing the money was given to her by a Nigerian in South Africa.

“I live in Johannesburg, South Africa,” Ms. Nqgula said in her statement. “I was given a bag by a Nigerian to deliver to one Damian Akamelu. During examination of my bags at the Lagos airport, the money was found inside packs of oats.”

Ahmadu Giade, NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive, who commended the officers for detecting the money, ordered that the case be investigated to determine the source of the money.

“One of the mandates of the agency is to identify, trace, freeze, confiscate or seize proceeds derived from drug-related offences or property whose value corresponds to such proceeds,” said Mr. Giade. “I have therefore directed that the case be investigated to ascertain the source of the money.”

The investigation report is expected to be presented to Mr. Giade for necessary action. Meanwhile, officials of the South Africa Embassy are said to be in touch with the suspect.

APC alleges PDP plans to rig Lagos elections, questions Jonathan’s commitment to credible polls

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has slammed the PDP over its desperation to capture Lagos State at all cost, including using fake result sheets which were flown in from Abuja for Saturday’s elections, warning that the people will resist any attempt to rob them of their votes.

In a statement issued in Lagos on Friday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the rigging plans are being led by President Goodluck Jonathan, who has already flown into Lagos where he has held a meeting with his point men, including Musiliu Obanikoro, Jimi Agbaje and Gani Adams.

It said that before the meeting, eagle-eyed Nigerians who are appalled by the PDP’s rigging plans have widely circulated on the Social Media the details of the planned electoral malfeasance, including the airlifting from Abuja to Lagos of a Black Kia Mohave SUV, with plate number DHQ 340, which was packed with election materials (especially result sheets).

”The meeting in Lagos was aimed at devising a strategy to distribute the fake result sheets that were packed into the SUV, which will be free to move around (because of its plate number) despite the restriction on vehicular movement during the elections.

”It is sad that the same President, who conceded defeat in the presidential election and then followed up with a speech in which he
said he would like his ‘legacy’ of free and fair elections to endure, is the one who is presiding over a desperate move to steal the people’s votes on Saturday.

”How can President Jonathan’s ‘legacy’ endure when one of his last acts in office is a seeming vengeance mission to lead his party to
capture Lagos, because the PDP sees the state as a cash cow that they can milk to death, with the party’s gravy train at the federal level having derailed?” the party queried.

”In their desperation over the Lagos election, they have shamelessly divided the people along ethnic, religious and regional lines, thus setting the stage for the condemnable hate speeches to which they have in turn latched on to further whip up primordial sentiments.

”The PDP cannot now seek to benefit from the problems it caused in the first instance. This party (PDP) and its leader, the President, have divided Nigerians in general and Lagos residents in particular more than any individual or group and at any time in history. If today things are being said that should not have been said, it is the direct consequence of the PDP’s divisiveness,” APC added.

The party advised the President to desist from any vengeance mission that will only rubbish whatever is left of his so-called legacy of
free and fair elections.

It urged all APC members and supporters, and indeed all the good people of Lagos, to be extra vigilant on Saturday to thwart the evil machinations of the fallen behemoth called the PDP.

”Lagosians, please come out en masse on Saturday and vote in a peaceful manner for a candidate of your choice. Say no to coercion,
defend your votes and repudiate all architects of divisiveness and rigging,” APC said.

Guber Polls: AIG, three police commissioner deployed to Benue

Inspector General of Police, Suleiman Abba has deployed one Assistant Inspector General (AIG) and three commissioners of police to Benue to cover today’s governorship and state assembly elections in the State.

Recall that the Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega on Thursday in Makurdi ranked Benue State highest in incidences of electoral violence in the just concluded March 28 elections across the country.

This is just as the Military comprising of Army, Navy and Airforce as well as other security agencies in the state have also been assigned to mount surveillance around the state during the exercise.

Governor Gabriel Suswam who disclosed this while briefing newsmen yesterday after a security meeting held at the Government House in Makurdi, said the senior police officers were sent from Abuja for the purpose of the election.

While noting that their deployment to the state was as a result of speculations making the round about the possible breakdown of law and order in the state, Suswam revealed that each of the police commissioners would take charge of a senatorial district while the AIG is to oversee the entire security operations for as long as the exercise will last in the state.

The Governor posited that the decision was taken in the best interest of residents in the state to forestall possible outbreak of violence trouble during the elections even as he appealed to parties involved in the election to see the exercise as a game.

Suswam who urged people of the state to remain calm and go out to vote for candidates of their choice assured that everything that needed to be put in place have already been done by the state government to ensure a free, fair and credible election devoid of violence.

Commenting, the Police commissioner in charge of Benue North West (zone B), Jimoh Ozi Obeh maintained that the idea of each CP being in control of a senatorial district was meant to avert a reoccurrence of violence in some parts of the state during the March 28 poll.

He however warned people to adhere strictly to restriction of movement stressing that no candidate should move around outside their polling unit just as he assured the electorates of safety of lives and property.

Nigeria heads list of countries accessing stolen data

How far does stolen data get before a breach is detected? That’s the question Bitglass asked — and answered — in a recent experiment.

The Cambell, Calif.-based company went on the Dark Web and planted documents filled with mocked-up data realistic enough to pass as real until the point of actually using it to make financial transitions.

According to a report the company released this Tuesday, it took just 12 days for the data to be looked at more than 1,000 times in 22 different countries. Russia and Nigeria headed up the list.

Meanwhile, according to the latest report from FireEye’s Mandiant, it takes 205 days to discover the average data breach.

“The level of access after just 12 days was extraordinary,” said the report. “Imagine how much further the data would spread in 205 days.”

Your goal is simple: Beat Mali – NFF to Falcons

Ahead of today’s return leg All Africa Games qualifying match against Mali in Abuja, Chairperson of the Nigeria National Women’s League and Executive Committee Member of the Nigeria Football Federation, Dilichukwu Onyedinma, has commanded the Super Falcons to go all out and bring glory to the country.

Onyedinma, who visited Super Falcons in their camp on Thursday evening, said she came to underscore the importance of Friday’s game and ticket to the AAG.

“This match looks simple because we know that we will always beat Mali, but then we will take it seriously because it is a qualifying match. I want you girls to show Nigerians that it was jet-lag that made you play 1-1 draw in Bamako. You girls must put a better show when they come calling on Friday,” she was quoted by thenff.com.

“This is now our turf and you must show Malians the stuff you are made of; that you are African Champions.”

Onyedinma however expressed delight over the arrival of some overseas-based players for the encounter, whilst appreciating their various clubs for releasing them for this crucial national assignment.

“I thank the clubs that released the girls to come and play. After tomorrow’s match, we will be able to assess the team for the World Cup. I know that, by the time we finish the qualifying matches and play a few friendly matches, we will be ready for World Cup glory,” she concluded.

Nigeria’s Falcons swoops to 8-0 victory in AAG qualifier

African champions Super Falcons of Nigeria will feature in the women’s football event at the 2015 All Africa Games in Congo after they trounced Mali 8-0 to go through 9-1 on aggregate.

Liverpool Ladies star Asisat Oshoala shone brightly as she was virtually involved in all the goals by Nigeria besides scoring a double herself.

France-based Desire Oparanozie gave hosts Falcons the lead after three minutes.

Francisca Ordega made it 2-0 after 18 minutes, before Oshoala increased Nigeria lead on 36 minutes.

Oparanozie then made it 4-0 just a minute to half time.

A minute after the interval, Oshoala netted her brace as Mali tried to play damage control.

Ordega became the third Nigeria star to grab a brace when she hit target in the 62nd minute.

Skipper Evelyn Nwabuoku fired home the seventh goal from 23 yards after 69 minutes, before substitute Esther Sunday completed the rout in the 71st minute off a rebound.