Headlines

EFCC flags Lekki as red zone for cybercrime in Lagos.

—arrests 402 suspects in three months

Owolola Adebola

Lekki, the fast-developing upper-middle-class area of Lagos Metropolis, is emerging as the new hub of internet-related fraud.

Data from the investigation activities of the Lagos Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) for the second quarter of 2021, indicates that Lekki District is the preferred location for all manner of cyber fraud syndicates.

Between April and June 2021, the Advance Fee Fraud and Cyber Crime Sections of the Command recorded a total of 402 internet-related fraud arrests.

While the advanced Fee Fraud Section was responsible for 243 arrests, the Cyber Crime Section executed 18 sting operations which resulted in 159 arrests, from which 13 convictions have so far been recorded.

Of the 159 suspects arrested by the Cyber Crime Section, 70 are from Lekki, comprising communities such as Ajah, Badore, Victoria Garden City, Sangotedo and Oniru.

Ajah accounted for 24 suspects, while Oniru and Sangotedo had 14 and 13 suspects respectively.

Badore had eight suspects while the neighbouring Ikoyi and Eko Atlantic had two and one suspects each.

Ikorodu and Alagbado on the Lagos Mainland make up the remainder.

The suspects are mostly millennials, with 82 of them aged between 25-34 years, which speaks to the fact that most of the individuals arrested are either still in school, recent graduates or university dropouts.

Analysis of the data from the Cyber Crime Section further shows that the dominant form of internet crime is Dating Scam/Online Dating Scam/Romance Scam.

Sixty-Four percent (64%) of individuals arrested are involved in romance scams, followed closely by “Middle Man Scam” and “Picking” which account for 8% and 7% respectively of those arrested.

The 64% involved in the dating scam benefitted to the tune of N8, 310,000; $349,290 USD; £ 900; €10 and Cryptocurrency 0.17513.

Other typologies of fraud identified include forgery, possession of fraudulent documents, spamming, credit card fraud, impersonation, rental scam, loan fraud, Business Email Compromise, Hacking, stealing, cheque scam, phishing, and money laundering.

The data also reveals gift cards, at 39%, as the prevalent method employed by the suspects to access their illicit funds. It is followed by bank transfers at 27% and Cryptocurrency at 21%.

A total of $12, 512.49USD was recovered from the e-wallet accounts of four suspects within the period.

Headlines

NRC suspends Warri- Itakpe train service over operational concerns

Funso OLOJO, Editor

The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has announced the temporary suspension of Warri–Itakpe Train Service (WITS) due to what the management described as operational exigency and technical advice from the Corporation’s Engineers.

The temporary suspension, according to a public statement by the NRC, has become necessary to enable the Corporation carry out critical operational assessments aimed at ensuring continued safety, reliability, and improved service delivery on the corridor.

“The NRC regrets the inconvenience this development may cause passengers and other stakeholders, and assures the public that efforts are currently ongoing to resolve the issues within the shortest possible time.

“Passengers and intending travelers will be duly informed before the end of the week on the date for the resumption of normal train operations.

“The Corporation remains committed to safe, efficient, and customer-friendly rail services across the country and appreciates the understanding, patience, and continued support of the public during this period” the NRC declared.

Headlines

Sallah: FG slashes train fares by 50 percent on all routes

Gloria Odion, reporter

The Federal government through the Federal Ministry of Transportation has announced a 50 percent fare reduction on all train services operated by the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) as part of measures to ease transportation costs for Nigerians during the Eid-el-Kabir celebration.

The discount takes effect from Tuesday, May 26, 2026 and will run through Monday, June 1, 2026.

Accordingly, ticket fares on all NRC passenger train services across the country have been reduced by 50 percent of the existing approved rates within the stated period.

Passengers who had earlier purchased tickets at the full fare before the announcement will be entitled to a 50 percent rebate, reusable for train rides on or before Monday, June 1st, 2026.

Train schedules and timetables remain as previously advertised.

The Federal Ministry of Transportation said it appreciated the continued support of Nigerians and wishes all passengers and the Muslim faithful a peaceful and joyous Eid-el-Kabir celebration.

Headlines

Salah: NIWA MD threatens to wield big stick on violators of safety guidelines on waterways

— calls for calm over Supreme Court judgement

Funso OLOJO,Editor

The Acting Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Umar Yusuf Girei, has issued a stern warning to boat operators across the country to strictly adhere to waterways safety regulations during the forthcoming Eid-el-Kabir celebrations.

Girei gave the warning during an exclusive interview with journalists at the NIWA headquarters in Lokoja, noting that festive periods often witness increased movement on the inland waterways, particularly within riverine communities.

According to him, compliance with safety measures during the Sallah season remains non-negotiable.

He stressed that overloading of boats would not be tolerated, while the use of life jackets by all passengers and operators remains compulsory.

Girei also warned against night travel, alcohol consumption by operators, and disregard for weather advisories.

“No overload, wearing of life jackets is mandatory, no night travel, no alcohol, and operators must ensure proper weather checks before embarking on any journey,” he stated.

The NIWA Acting MD further disclosed that enforcement teams, in collaboration with relevant security agencies, would be deployed across jetties nationwide to ensure strict compliance with safety regulations.

He warned that violators risk arrest, seizure of vessels, and prosecution.

Girei also urged passengers to avoid boarding overloaded boats, vessels without adequate life jackets, or boats attempting to operate at night.

While extending Eid-el-Kabir greetings to Muslim faithfuls, he appealed to community and religious leaders to help amplify waterways safety awareness during sermons and public gatherings.

Meanwhile, the NIWA boss advised stakeholders and clients of the Authority not to panic over the recent Supreme Court judgment concerning aspects of the NIWA Act.

He explained that the apex court upheld the Authority’s statutory responsibilities relating to inland waterways navigation, safety regulation, channel management, river infrastructure development, and the promotion of inland waterways transportation as contained in Sections 10 and 11 of the NIWA Act.

According to him, Sections 12 and 13 of the Act, which deal with land matters unrelated to maritime activities, were voided by the Supreme Court only to the extent of their inconsistency with the Constitution.

Girei therefore urged all stakeholders to remain calm, law-abiding, and await an official statement from NIWA after the Authority obtains the Certified True Copy of the judgment from the Supreme Court.