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NCC will raise the bar for gains in terms of digital inclusion – Danbatta

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NCC will raise the bar for gains in terms of digital inclusion - Danbatta

The Executive Vice-Chairman (EVC), Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Danbatta says it will raise the bar in the area of digital inclusion, enhanced security of cyberspace and innovation.

 

Danbatta said this at the ongoing Parliamentarian Africa Internet Governance Forum (AFIGF) hosted by NCC in Abuja, with the theme: “Transforming Africa’s Digital Landscape: Empowering Inclusion, Security and Innovation”.

 

He said that in today’s Nigeria, the financial inclusion strategy of Federal Government was telco-driven. According to him, the idea behind leveraging the telecommunications infrastructure strategy is because of the perverseness nature of telecommunications infrastructure.

 

Danbatta said: “Before, the mobile money penetration was 1%, but not anymore because after the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), gave licences to four of our network operators.

 

“As we speak today, the Payment Service Bank (PSB), the digital financial inclusion index had risen to about 70%.”

 

He reiterated that the Unsupplementary Structured Service Data (USSD) code, which drives transactions in the banking sector today was made available by NCC. Danbatta added: “Nowadays, Nigerians do transfer without having to go to the banking halls to fill tellers which used to be the way we were doing it before.

 

“This important intervention was provided in all the six geopolitical zones of the country. It is a continuous exercise and intervention.”

 

According to the EVC, the commission has a number of initiatives driving the national system of innovation. He said that NCC empowered the younger ones, the middle ages and mature Nigerians outside these bracket to innovate by providing Interventions of computer systems and mifi.

 

About the enhanced security of the cyberspace, Danbatta said that NCC had the Nigerian Computer Emergency Response Team (NCERT). The EVC said that this provided an advisory on how telecommunication companies can take measures to protect themselves from malicious attack within the cyberspace.

 

He continued: “We even grade the nature of attack to malicious, light, heavy.” The Secretary General (AFIGF), Hon. Samuel George, member, Ghanaian Parliament, said it was important to have a unified African cybersecurity approach to an African problem.

 

George said that the African Union (AU) data and policy framework had the synchronised ability to share information with the Nigerians and other African countries. He said: “Our military and security intelligence that just deal with security, intelligence gathering and all of that should be able to share critical information with the Nigerian military sector.

 

“If there is a risk that covers both Ghana, Togo, Benin and Nigeria and they do not have similar protocols, then it affects this conversation.

 

“And that’s why as an African continent we need to ratify this convention because the things that were topical eight years ago in 2015 are mundane now, technology has moved on. “So we will need to catch up with it.”

 

On her path, the Chairperson, (AFIGF), Lillian Nalwoga said at the regional level, there had been the Africa cyber security conventions, adding that more countries were needed to be able to ascend. Nalwoga said: “Without determination, it will be a little bit difficult to be able to address cyber crimes at a regional level.”

 

She also said that African countries needed to have some sort of harmonisation of cybersecurity laws in their various countries to aid fight cyber crimes.

 

“We need countries that have not been able to ratify this convention to be able to resolve this and also for countries that are still lagging behind in terms of coming up with the right cybersecurity laws.

 

“It is not just about cybersecurity. We also need to have countries adopting data protection and privacy laws because it allows the government to do some level of surveillance.

 

“We need to have cybersecurity laws come up in the same framework as data protection for the rights of the citizens.

 

“Cybersecurity is important because it protects the citizen from non state actors themselves, expose citizens to risk and then from the state itself from surveillance,” she added.

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Nigerian Navy arrests Motor Tanker VINNALARIS 1 Lagos for crude oil theft

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The Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base, IGBOKODA in Ondo State, has arrested 77-meter-long Motor Tanker (MT) VINNALARIS 1 LAGOS in the early hours of Thursday 7 December 2023 at about 3.00am.

 

A Statement by the Nigerian Navy spokeperson Commodore Ayo Vaughn said the vessel had 17 crew members onboard at the time of arrest and was caught engaging in illegal siphoning of crude oil from one of the well heads at EBESAN oil field about 7 nautical miles off the coast of Awoye riverine community in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State.

 

He said the apprehension of the vessel was based on credible intelligence received by the Base on the illegal activities of crude oil thieves at the location which informed the swift deployment of FOB IGBOKODA personnel to enforce the arrest of the vessel and her crew.

 

The vessel, MT VINNALARIS 1 LAGOS, has a storage capacity of about 15,000 metric tonnes and as at the time of arrest had loaded about 500 Metric tonnes of crude oil.

 

The statement further added, “it is believed that Tantita Security Service TSS is involved in the illegalities because Awoye riverine area which is close to the place of arrest is covered by TSS.” Vaughan noted that it was upon the arrest of the vessel by the Nigerian Navy that TSS began to raise false alarm, which the Navy described as totally unfounded and mischievous.

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NJC RECOMENDS ELEVEN SUPREME COURT JUSTICES, ONE COURT OF APPEAL JUSTICE, HEADS OF COURT 

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The National Judicial Commision has recommended the appointment of 11 Supreme Court Justices, one Justice of Court of Appeal, 6 Heads of Courts and 26 other Judicial Officers.

 

This was the consencus at the Councils 104 Meeting after considering the list of candidates presented by its Interview Committee

 

 

According to a statement signed by the Director Of Information, Soji Oye, the council after much deliberations, recommended Justice Hannatu Sankey, Justice Chidiebere Uwa, Justice Chioma Nwosu-Iheme, Justice Haruna Tsammani and

Justice Aseimo Adumein as Supreme court Justices.

 

Others are Justice Obande Ogbuinya, Justice Stephen Adah, Justice Habeeb Abiru, Justice Jamilu Tukur, Justice Abubakar Umar, and Justice Mohammed Idris.

 

The NJC also recommended Justice Mohammed Ramat as a Justice of the Court of Appeal.

 

Some heads of court nominated are Justice Joel Agya, as the Chief Judge Taraba State,

Justice Umar Abubakar, Chief Judge of Taraba State amongst others.

 

The Council has said that all recommended candidates to the Supreme Court Bench would be sworn-in after the approval of their recommendation by President Bola Tinubu and the subsequent confirmation of their appointment by the Senate.

 

NJC has also noted that the various Heads of Court recommended would also be sworn-in upon the approval of their appointment by their various State Governors and subsequent confirmation of same by their respective State Houses of Assembly.

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EFCC denies comments on 70 percent Nigerian Youths involvement in internet fraud

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EFCC denies comments on 70 percent Nigerian Youths involvement in internet fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has denied comments by it’s Executive Chairman, Ola Olukoyede which labelled seventy percent of Nigerian Students as internet fraudsters.

 

 

 

While stating this in a Statement by the Head, Media and Publicity Dele Oyewale, the Commission says it is a misrepresentation of the concerns of the Chairman of the EFCC to the rising incidences of internet- related crimes involving Youths across the Country.

 

 

 

It explains that its Chairman had called for wider media enlightenment of youths as a counter- measure against the menace of internet fraud at a meeting with Representatives of the Civil Society Organizations, CSOs that paid him a visit in Abuja.

 

 

 

Olukoyede says that reports and intelligence available to him indicated that, unless the trajectory of youth involvement in internet fraud is addressed and reversed, the future of their leadership of Nigeria may be threatened and if it continues in the next ten years, seven out ten of the youths may be getting involved in cybercrimes.

 

 

The EFCC says that at no time did its Chairman mentioned that “seven out of ten” Nigerian students are criminals” as widely reported.

 

 

 

The Commission assures the public that its Chairman is doubly committed to the progress of Nigerian Youths and underscores his calls for collaborative interventions in offering them more productive and sustainable alternatives.

 

 

The Statement added that the concerns of the EFCC Chairman bothers on breaking the jinx of mass indulgence of youths in cybercrimes.

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