Headlines
Nigerians lose over N200 billion to Ponzi scheme

—-as EFCC says Diezani’s diamond bra was social media creation
Eyewitness reporter
The Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Abdulrasheed Bawa, has revealed that innocent but gullible Nigerians have lost over N200 billion to investment and employment scams in the country.
In a television interview monitored by our reporter in Lagos, Mr Bawa, who also used the platform to dismiss the rumoured diamond bra seized from the former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, as “social media creation”, stated that the Ponzi scheme scam has become a huge problem that the commission was grappling with for which the anti-graft agency is being inundated with complaints by the victims.
“This issue of investment scam is something that has been observed and we are working on that. In fact, as of the last briefing when we aggregated all the complaints involving investment scam and employment scam, Nigerians have complained to us to have lost over N200 billion in complaints. It’s a huge problem”, the anti-corruption czar declared. “Ponzi schemes are going on left, right and centre and Nigerians have to be wary about anybody that is promising you some money- doubling interest. How can you invest N500,000 and somebody is promising you N50,000 every month and at the end of that, you collect your N500,000 back”, Bawa observed. He also used the opportunity to make clarification on the seized properties from Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, said to contain expensive diamond bra listed among to be auctioned by the Federal government. According to Bawa, there was no diamond bra as the fictitious claim was the creation of the social media, saying he ought to know if there was anything of such as the lead investigator who investigated the former minister.
”The government has not sold a single property recovered. We are working towards that. You have accused us several times of media trials but I think it is good to be fair to everybody at all times.“This case is a two-way thing, there was nothing like diamond bra; it is just a creation of social media. I can tell you that for free because I am the lead investigator. I am not aware of it. “If there is something like that, I should know because I led the search and all of that. It is one of the things I mentioned to you that is one of the biggest problems we have is our attitude, we need to change for the better,” Bawa said.
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Headlines
Traffic gridlock returns to Apapa port as Federal government closes Total bridge for maintainance works

“Given the impact the closure will have on Port users, the Authority in partnership with LASTMA, Police, FRSC, and the Nigerian Navy have worked out alternative routes and are on the ground to manage the traffic situation in the affected areas.
“The Authority wishes to solicit the understanding and cooperation of all stakeholders as we continue to support measures to mitigate the temporary disruptions, the NPA pleaded.
Headlines
NIMASA collaborates with NCC to regulate submarine cable operation for enhanced navigational safety on Nigerian waters

The eyewitness reporter
Apparently alarmed by the indiscriminate laying of communication cables and pipelines underneath the Nigerian waters by telecommunications operators and other allied professionals which has the potential of harming the safe navigation of ships, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, (NIMASA) has engaged the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in a strategic discussion to forge a formidable synergy with other relevant stakeholders with a view to developing a regulatory framework to provide operational guidelines for submarine Cable and Pipeline Operators in Nigeria.
Officials of both organs of Government in Lagos reached this agreement at a pre Audit meeting on submarine cable regulation.
The Director General of NIMASA Dr. Bashir Jamoh, who chaired the meeting, which also had the Director General of the Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR) Mr. Dasuki Arabi in attendance, noted that the Agency is committed to the Ease of Doing Business while implementing International Conventions which Nigeria has ratified and domesticated.
He noted that with Nigeria now a destination for global communication players, the time has come to prevent unregulated underwater cable laying, which might become hazardous to shipping.
According to him, “It is worthy to note that marine cable laying has been ongoing for over two decades in Nigerian waters.
“Our focus is to ensure the safety of navigation of shipping in Nigerian waters with all these underwater cables being laid.
“NIMASA is actually developing the guidelines to regulate submarine cable operators in line with the provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, UNCLOS; which we have ratified and NIMASA is the Agency of Government in Nigeria responsible for its implementation.
“Collaboration is a key component of ease of doing business in the best interest of the country and we will work closely with the NCC to achieve this”.
On his part, the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Professor Umar Garba Danbatta, who was represented by the Director, Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement, Efosa Idehen, noted that the stakeholders’ dialogue strategy adopted by NIMASA in developing the guidelines would ensure a win-win situation, urging NIMASA management to include the Ministry of Justice, a request NIMASA DG immediately granted.
Also speaking at the meeting was the Director General of the Bureau of Public Service Reforms Mr. Dasuki Arabi, who commended NIMASA and NCC for adopting effective Inter-Agency collaboration to avert a potential challenge for the country in the future.
NIMASA had notified submarine and cable operators in Nigeria of a soon-to-be-implemented regulatory guideline for submarine cables and pipelines in Nigeria, in line with the provisions of UNCLOS.
NIMASA and the NCC agreed to identify and resolve areas of likely regulatory overlaps, ensuring a regulatory framework based on consultation to engender the attainment of Nigeria’s digital economy transformation.
Officials of the Federal Ministry of Environment and representatives of Submarine Cable operators in Nigeria were also at the meeting.
Customs
Comptroller Nnadi mourns death of retired customs officer, DCG Sanusi

“He passed on about an hour ago at a private hospital in Abuja. The Janaza prayers hold after the Zuhr prayers (1 pm) at the National Mosque, Abuja In Shaa Allah,”
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