The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested twenty suspected internet fraudsters. The arrest, which was carried out in a joint operation with officers of the 4 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Benin, followed intelligence report on their activities. They were nabbed in a surprise raid on their Cyber office tucked in an old building located on Siluko Road, Benin City.

At the point of arrest, the fraudsters had in their possession forty five (45) laptops of different make, twenty eight (28) telephone sets, eight (8) internet mobile modems and one Nissan car with registration number USL 375 AG.

The suspected fraudsters are mostly in their twenties.

The suspects have made useful statements. Most of them confessed to be engaged in online dating of foreigners particularly widows. They also confessed to using different pseudo names and faces to deceive their prospective victims. They will be charged to court as soon as investigation is concluded.

DO YOU THINK CAN WE EVER GET RID OF THIS MENACE IN OUR SOCIETY?

WHAT DO YOU THINK ?

SaharaReporters has just received information from students living in Birnin Gwari town in Kaduna State to the effect that heavily armed bandits took over the Police Station in the area and burnt it down after about two hours of gun battle with troops.

The police station was completely razed in an attack that started at midnight, according to the source.

Banks and other public buildings were reportedly bombed along with the Police Station.

The source who claimed to have witnessed the attack said the bandits also planted Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) that exploded simultaneously in addition to sporadic gun shots.

The source also said that the whole area was sealed by the unidentified gunmen whose number could not be ascertained because of they came in the dark. Several police officers and some of the bandits are believed to have died in the attack which lasted about two hours.

“We are trapped, and under fear, we need military support to, if not there is no certainty on our lives. As I speak, they are still firing”, he said.

In October, 2012, bandits invaded the town k***ling some 20 worshippers leaving a Mosque in an early morning raid in the area.

Calls made to spokespersons of the army and police were not returned as at the time of this report. 

Please pals,

I need your advice. I married 2003 with 3kids now, my problem is that I love s**x too much, I hate to stay up to 3 days without s***x, though my wife do satisfy me if am with her.

 But my business don’t allow me to be with my family, I now cheat on my wife anytime am alone, I will either pick a girl from a hotel or invite some from social network sites, some times I will even sleep with two girls at a time.

 I know very well that my wife does’nt cheat on me and what am doing is bad but don’t know how to stop it.

YES, the more things change, the more they remain the same. Nigeria has moved, sometimes, forward and sometimes backward.

The children of today may have an ugly experience with the pit latrine but they can never imagine that a few decades ago, our cities thrived on the pail system where the night soil men carried buckets of human excrement on their heads to designated centres for onward transportation for disposal at nearby rivers. When the bucket leaked, it leaked on them.

Once upon a time, many public buildings in Benin City had elevators and escalators. Over time, they all packed up. Children born in Benin City who  may eventually spend their entire lives  here may never know about the elevator or escalator.

Like President Goodluck Jonathan, our hearts bleed for Nigeria for this lack of maintenance culture. We have picked up a lot of the President’s sentiments from his recent actions. Our fuel depots  nationwide are beginning to wear new looks. The airports are getting brighter and better.

Undoubtedly, refurbishment of existing structures is a good idea but it is hardly the stuff of which great Presidents are made. Yes, maintenance culture is good but a President cannot hinge his total transformation agenda on it.

If the President were to go about repairing all existing airports and fuel depots, it would not be quite the same as a bold attempt to initiate his own structures, which will provide lasting legacies.

Every existing airport already has a name. For instance, no amount of refurbishment and consequent commissioning and re-commissioning of the Abuja airport will change its  name from NNAMDI AZIKIWE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.

What is really delaying the East-West highway? Has a curse been placed on it? This would be a good legacy to leave behind for the people. Of what use would a thousand years in power be if not spent in furtherance of the cause of humanity?

From biblical times, it has been established that it is not the number of years one spends on earth that matters but the good things he does. The book of Ecclesiastes 6:3 clearly sets out conditions under which even a still- birth would be better than living up to 120 years.

In the end, no one will be judged by his struggle for naked power. In fact, if you perform in office, power will seek you out. History remains our best guide.

For good or evil, Obasanjo knew when to grind Odi and Mubi like a quid of tobacco; none of these came without criticism. What will Jonathan be remembered for?

We remember Franklin D. Roosevelt FDR (1882-1945). The rule in America had always been a maximum of two four-year tenures but FDR remains the only President who was re-elected three times. He came to power at a time when the nation was faced with the Great Depression.

He pulled America out of it by bringing about sweeping economic reforms – The New Deal: reliefs, loans, social security, social welfare and jobs through a variety of Federal Government programmes. The Americans were not going to bother themselves if a performer remained in power for life. Despite his declining health, FDR was already enjoying a fourth term before he died on 12 April 1945.

Hon Farouk Muhammad Lawan (Bagwai/Shanono Federal Constituency, Kano State) was making history until he became history. It was not by accident that people in the remotest part of Southern Nigeria wept profusely when he was “accidented” over the fuel subsidy probe.

He had endeared himself to everyone. He did not achieve his feat by being a seat warmer. He performed his legislative functions to perfection, so much that his people were not going to concern themselves with how many times he returned to the House of Representatives. He has remained in that House since 1999.

The President occupies a peculiar position. When Lawan was consumed by history, he drew the President along. How the President clears the Lawan mess and what he does about the Lawan scandal and the oil subsidy reports, all will enter into the equation when finally judging the President.

See what Comrade Adams Oshiomhole is doing in Edo State. Any wonder that at the gubernatorial election, he won in all the 192 Wards and virtually in all the polling booths throughout the State? People are already developing headaches over what becomes of Edo State when Oshiomhole leaves in 2016.

Before now, Ondo State probably had a silent understanding that no Governor goes back for a second tenure. With Gov. Olusegun Mimiko’s excellent performance, Ondo people were just too happy to break the jinx. These heights were not attained by commissioning and re-commissioning repainted buildings but by concrete achievements.

The Federal Government must do less of politicking, in-fighting and witch hunting; and do more of quality governance. With so many policy issues begging for attention, the Federal Government must lift itself above these menial renovation jobs.

No one has ever thought of looking into the whole area of our vagrancy laws. These vagrants who come from a particular part of the country have effectively taken over our cities. It is worrisome that on worship days, whether in churches or mosques, these beggars and their children outside far outnumber the worshippers inside! There must be a way of saving ourselves the embarrassment!

We could be afraid to deport them to their places of origin for fear of losing their people’s votes. But how about establishing colonies for them in our major cities? In this way, we can attempt to harvest at least their children while milking thousands of voters out of their parents.

Past leaders realized the importance of leaving their foot prints in the sands of time. The Shagari administration provided houses for the people, some in the middle of nowhere. Buhari brought about the queue culture and discipline.

Babangida provided a secretariat for each of the two political parties of his time in every Local Government Headquarter. For good or evil, Obasanjo knew when to grind Odi and Mubi like a quid of tobacco. None of these came without criticism. What will Jonathan be remembered for?

PUNCH Metro learnt that the toddlers were playing in front of the compound when suddenly, no one saw them again.

The parents of the children told our correspondent that no headway had been made since  they  reported the mysterious disappearance of their children  to the police five days ago.

Narrating what occurred on the fateful day, Toheeb’s father, Rasaq Adedokun, said, “I was at work and at about 9pm, my wife called me that she could not find Toheeb, who is the youngest of my three children. She also said people had been looking for him and Falilu since  6pm.

“I went back  home and we began a renewed search for them all over the place. He (Toheeb) does not go out of our compound, so I don’t know what happened that day.

“We were told that a woman selling alcoholic drinks close to our street claimed that she saw the two kids. On getting to her, we met  a man who promised to bring the kids to us by 1am and he spoke with so much confidence.

“When we called him at the said time, he told us to call again in an hour. When he was not forthcoming, we reported the matter to the police at Ketu division.”

Razaq, a commercial driver, said policemen at the Ketu Police Division, advised them to also make a report at Alapere Division and Mile 12 Police Post.

Falilu’s father, Moshood, said he had been living in the compound for over eight years, adding that no child had ever gone missing  even though many families live in the house.

The carpenter lamented that no headway had been made in police investigation as a  woman who was  arrested had been released.

Meanwhile, PUNCH Metro gathered  that there was an attempted kidnapping in the same Ketu area about two weeks ago.

It was learnt that about two weeks ago, a five-year-old boy, Dayo Olubajo, escaped being kidnapped on Ogunkoya Street.  A suspect was caught.

Dayo’s mother, Olawunmi, said, “On January 15, 2012, Dayo, who had measles at the time, came to see me where I sell rice. On his way back, a man kidnapped him.

“The man was apprehended by a young man . The  suspect was later taken to Ketu Police Division  .

The spokesperson for the state police command, Ngozi Braide, said Dayo’s kidnapper had been paraded.

She  confirmed the kidnapping of the minors.

She said, “We are making efforts to ensure that the children are returned to their parents safe and sound.

“So far, two people have been arrested and they are at Ketu Police Station. However, they will soon be transferred to SARS for further investigation. One of the suspects had told the parents that he would get the children back and claimed to have information as to their whereabouts last Friday.”

Culled from Punch

Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, yesterday, passed vote of confidence on Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor led administration, saying it is well satisfied with the way he handled its affairs.
The christian national Body had in the recent time been rocked with internal crisis, climaxed with the withdrawal of membership by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria, CBCN, on the allegation that CAN was being too close to the government.
Arising from its emergency meeting in Abuja, the President-in-Council said it had set in motion the process of resolving its issue
In a statement, CAN Vice President, Most Rev. Daniel Okoh said: “Some of the recent issues in CAN were discussed and it was resolved as follows: that CAN is a family. As a family, it has its own internal mechanism for resolving its issues. CAN has therefore set in motion the process for resolving these issues.”
“The President-in-Council re-affirms its implicit and explicit confidence in the CAN President, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor in all his public statements on behalf of CAN.
“We appeal to the well known sense of social responsibility of the press in handling the current situation”.

Christian pastor Saeed Abedini, an American imprisoned in Iran on charges of evangelizing, was sentenced this morning to eight years in prison.

According to the American Center for Law and Justice, Abedini was verbally sentenced in Tehran by Judge Pir-Abassi, known as the “hanging judge,” to eight years in prison for threatening the national security of Iran through his leadership in Christian house churches. He will serve the time in Iran’s notorious Evin Prison, known as one of the most brutal.

The evidence, the ACLJ reports, was based on Abedini’s activities primarily during the early 2000s, when house churches were not considered a threat in Iran.

“This is a real travesty – a mockery of justice,” Jordan Sekulow, Executive Director of the ACLJ, who represents Pastor Saeed’s wife and children living in the U.S., said in a statement. “From the very beginning, Iranian authorities have lied about all aspects of this case, even releasing rumors of his expected release. Iran has not only abused its own laws, it has trampled on the fundamentals of human rights. We call on the citizens of the world to rise up in protest. We call on governments around the world to stand and defend Pastor Saeed.”

Although the U.S. does not have diplomatic relations with Iran, National Security Council spokesperson Bernadette Meehan said in a statement Sunday the administration is "deeply disappointed that Saeed Abedini has been sentenced to eight years in prison in Iran on a charge related to his religious beliefs. 

"We condemn Iran's continued violation of the universal right of freedom of religion and we call on the Iranian authorities to release Mr. Abedini."

Meehan added that the State Department remains in close contact with Abedini.

The State Department also called for Abedini's release.

"Mr. Abedini's attorney had only one day (January 21) to present his defense, so we remain deeply concerned about the fairness and transparency of Mr. Abedini's trial," spokesman Darby Holladay said in a statement.

Iran's state news agency reported last Monday that Abedini, who was born in Iran but now lives in Idaho, would soon be free. But the report, which came on the first day of Abedini's trial, was seen by Abedini's wife, Naghmeh, as just another cruel manipulation.

“This is all a lie by the Iranian media," Naghmeh Abedini said. "This has been a repeated promise by the Iranian regime since Saeed was first thrown in prison on Sept. 26, 2012. We have presented bail. After the judge told Saeed’s lawyer that bail was back on the table, the family in Tehran ran around in circles today to make sure Saeed was let out on bail. But again the bail officer rejected bail."

She said her husband's attorney in Iran, Nasser Sarbazi, cautioned her that the report, first carried by the state-controlled ISNA news agency and picked up by The Associated Press, did not mean her husband was closer to freedom.

The 34-year-old father of two denied evangelizing in Iran and claims he had only returned to his native land to help establish an orphanage. Authorities pulled him off a bus last August and threw him into the notorious Evin Prison in Tehran.

The exact crimes he is accused of only became public on Monday, when the prosecutor outlined charges that Abedini undermined the Iranian government by creating a network of Christian house churches and that he was attempting to sway Iranian youth away from Islam.

"This trial apparently is focused on 13 years ago, when Pastor Saeed converted from Islam to Christianity,” Sekulow said in a statement to FoxNews.com last week.

According to the ACLJ, upon hearing the news of her husband's sentence, Naghmeh Abedini said: “The promise of his release was a lie. We should not trust the empty words or promises put out by the Iranian government. These false hopes amount to psychological torture. You don’t want to trust them, but they build a glimmer hope before the crushing blow. With today’s development I am devastated for my husband and my family. We must now pursue every effort, turn every rock, and not stop until Saeed is safely on American soil.”

My girlfriend and i have been dating for almost 1 year and a half now and we have never stopped loving each other and we are in our early 20's but she's got some major issues which i'm scared might lead to me leaving her some day.

She has had some family issues in the past and has faced lot of problems and pains in life and is still facing them while i have been lucky not to have gone through so much pain and problems in life so you will understand why i dont know how to handle her situation..but the thing is she is letting her problems get in the way of our relationship.Here are some things she's been doing a lot the past couple of months and sometimes i get angry rather than console her or even shout at her

1) She almost always depressed and worries too much.Always keeps reminding herself of all the bad things she has gone through in life

2) She's too emotional..she cries way too much and it pisses me off...these days i don't console her anymore,i just get angry and i show it

3) She falls sick almost every week and i feel like she exaggerates it sometimes and at some point i stopped caring too much..cos i've spent too much money on drugs already..she's already shivering at the slightest cold or rolling on the floor crying when she has a headache or her usual stomach ulcer.

4) she's too negative and complains a lot about everything and waits for me to tell her what to do and how to do it...sometimes i feel like i'm dating a baby

5) She's too clingy,always wants me to be around her,hardly gives me space,even when i tell her i need space and i go to my own house,she is calling me all the time,always wants to talk to me.

So this are the major problems i am facing with my girlfriend and i'm scared that if she continues this way i might just call it quit..every other thing is great...i love her so much and i'm scared of losing her..thats why i hope you guys can offer me and her a solution..thanks."

Iran successfully launched a live monkey into space last week, the Fars news agency reported today.

There is no independent confirmation of the achievement and there have been no announcements by Western powers of any Iranian launch late last week.

The monkey was said to have returned 'intact', an achievement the Iranians celebrated as an advance in a missile and space programme that has given the West and Israel cause for concern.

The monkey was said to have been sent up in a Kavoshgar rocket that climbed to a height of more than 75 miles before returning.

In 2011, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad unveiled the space capsule designed to carry the live monkey into space but that attempt was reported to have failed.

At the time, Fazeli touted the launch of a large animal into space as the first step towards sending a man into space, which Tehran says is scheduled for 2020.

Iran sent small animals into space - a rat, turtles and worms - aboard its Kavoshgar-3 rocket in 2010

Iran's decade-long space programme has raised alarms in the West because the same technology that allows missiles to launch satellites can be used to fire warheads.

Israel, the US and others claims that Iran is trying to develop nuclear weapons but the country's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, denies that.

Tehran maintains that its nuclear work is nothing but peaceful.

Fruit flies were the first animals be sent into space when they were put on board a U.S.-launched V-2 rocket on February 20, 1947.

Two years later, Albert II, a Rhesus Monkey, became the first monkey to go into space.

The space race really gathered speed in November 1957 when Russia sent Laika the dog into orbit aboard the Soviet Sputnik 2 spacecraft.