Digital Switch Over: EFCC Vs Emeka Mba: More Puzzles

Commentary@ITRealms:  

The continued prosecution of Emeka Mba, erstwhile Director General of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) by the Federal Government through the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), presents several agonizing puzzles. Recently, the Minister of Information, National Orientation and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed admitted that government was grateful for the N34 billion realised by NBC through the special auction of part of the 700Mhz digital dividend broadcast spectrum to MTN Nigeria in June 2015. Minister Mohammed’s feeling of elation and satisfaction stems from the fact that the amount has been critically pivotal in funding the ongoing implementation of the Digital Switch Over [DSO] from analogue transmission.

In effect, government is satisfied that the Management of NBC under Mba applied good sense of creativity and innovativeness in creating that critical resource pool that leapfrogged and escalated implementation of the digital switch over plan. While government has appropriated the outcome of that creative and innovative transaction between NBC and MTN which has given it the impetus to indeed implement the digital switch over along the framework created by Mba’s Management team, the EFCC, an agency of the same government has been seeking grounds to isolate Mba from the high points of the transaction which culminated in the funds realized from the licensing of the spectrum. The same EFCC has been studiously working at the same time to criminalize him for working with NBC’s consultants to achieve the desirable. The same consultants that originated the very idea of auctioning the 700Mhz digital dividend broadcast spectrum. Ever heard of cutting one’s nose to spite the face?

How is EFCC going about this? The Commission literally considers that: “well, maybe after all there’s nothing fishy in the transaction, but how on earth could the legal consultants get paid as much as N2.89 billion? This must be evidence of money laundering.” A lot of ignorance fly around here. Consultants generally and legally negotiate transaction success fees in percentages. Whether the transaction is a Public-Private partnership requiring the services of transaction advisors or an industry specific technical intervention such as the one under review benefits are negotiated in percentages. 

The consultants benchmarked its demand for a transaction success fee on a threshold. Both the board and Management of NBC negotiated this down. It is important that we go through this carefully once more. EFCC has changed its accusations Mba from time to time since this matter was evidently manufactured. And it would appear that the idea is to rope Mba in by hook or crook. Initially, members of the public were told that Mba misappropriated N15 billion. The documents of how the transaction was originated, all the justifications and approvals up till its perfection and the crediting of NBC accounts are clear, open and available. No money was misappropriated.

As a matter of fact no money was even under any threat of misappropriation. The amount in question was lodged with Zenith Bank as collateral for the set top boxes manufacture and government approved rebate for Nigerian households, being a key demand of set top boxes manufacturers, before they could even engage. Never mind that due approvals from the NBC Board, Minister, Federal Executive Council as well as President and Commander-in-Chief are all in place. Puzzles!

The puzzles continue.  For example one of the charges against Mr. Mba is: while being director general of the NBC on or about the 31st day of August 2015, “awarded contracts for the supply of set top boxes in the sum of N1,237,400 ( one billion two hundred and thirty seven million, four hundred thousand naira) for the digital switch over for the National Broadcasting Commission to Gospell Digital Technology, Trefoil  Global Investment Limited, Zinox Technology, Media Concept International Limited, Digitune Media Technology Limited, SMK Engineering & Construction Limited, I-Box Engineering Limited, Innosson Communications Limited, African Cable Television Limited, Trendcorp Africa Limited, TV Enterprises, STB Manufacturing Co Ltd, and Design Build Concept Limited without seeking approval of the Bureau of Public Procurement contrary to section 40 of the Public Procurement Act No. 65, 2007, and punishable under section 58 of the same Act.” 

But why, if all 13 companies got manufacturing contracts illegally, are they still being used to manufacture the set top boxes? Is it possible that the fact they are manufacturing the set top boxes as spelt out in the contracts has vitiated the “illegality” of the contract as contended by the EFCC? And if that were to be the case why is Mba’s status never viewed by the same EFCC through the prism of the successful outcome in every department of the entire framework, engagement, implementation and deployment of the digital switch over? The reality however is that all the set top boxes currently being used for the DSO pilot flag off in Jos, and the DTT signal distribution service recently launched in Abuja by the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osibajo, are totally and fully the proceeds of what the EFCC contends are illegal transactions, for which Mba is now being prosecuted. Think about this puzzle.

For over a decade, Nigeria despite several vows by government could not meet its international obligation to transition from analogue to digital broadcasting, as mandated by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU). The recurring challenge over government’s inability to meet this obligation had always been blamed on unavailability of funds. Successive governments failed to appropriate necessary funding for this very crucial national development program. In 2014, the NBC’s legal consultant Basil Udotai submitted a proposal to the Commission to help raise funds through a special auction for the DSO project.

The NBC Management, headed by Mba thought the proposal was brilliant. He got the board of the agency involved and the board gave its nod. All necessary due diligence were done, and transaction success fee requested by the consultants was cut down from 20% to 10% by the board. It is the cumulative value of that 10% transaction success fee that the EFCC is now holding unto and dressing it up with the bizarre but annoying toga of the “crime” of money laundering. The straight forward and intelligent thing to do you would imagine is examine records of transaction success fees for consultants in similar or related transactions in Nigeria and show graphically how the one in question differs injuriously to NBC from national industry rates. But by gosh no, just hold Mba, subject him to media trial and wear him out, even if unjustly. Things do rapidly lose their meanings these days, but this remains yet a puzzle.

Strikingly, for the first time in the history of alleged corruption cases brought up by the Commission, the EFCC has been unable in the charges leveled against Mr. Mba to trace any money to Mba or establish any ground on which Mba may have directly benefited by the transactions or indeed even by its own standards of money laundering. 

*Contributed by Oladapo Soneye <psnmedia.os@gmail.com>

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Fero mobile unveils Royale A1, other series in Lagos

ITRealms:

The Royale A1 range of Fero mobiles among other series, have been unveiled in the commercial centre of Nigeria, Lagos, reports ITRealms.

Making the launch on Friday at Sheraton in Ikeja-Lagos, the Business Head for Nigeria and Emerging Markets, Mr. Kunal Bhardwaj, described the Royale A1 as a mobile device to behold which comes with 5,000 mAh.

This, he said, is indispensable in a country like Nigeria due to its current electricity power challenges.

In addition, Bhardwaj said, Royale A1 has voice recognition and has 1 Giga Byte as Random Access Memory (RAM), Quad-Core processor with 8.0 Mega Pixel (MP) camera plus 5.0 MP front camera, which he said is very attractive for selfie lovers and taking of pictures in a dark environment.

He listed other ranges of Royale to include Y1, J1, and X1 series respectively.

According to him, there are additional ranges which comes as Pace and IRIS, Power 2 and L100 whilst all have free back covers, stressing that end users will have the ability to share, express themselves whist exploring the Fero mobile brand.

Nenye Dom/GEE

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Bock, Udsen, Marby, Crocker lead speakers @ICANN58

ITRealms:

The Danish Minister of Culture, Mette Bock, and board chair of Dansk Internet Forum (DIFO), Professor Henrik Udsen, would be joining the President and CEO of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), Mr. Göran Marby and chair of the board of directors, Dr. Stephen Crocker, to address the opening ceremony at the forthcoming ICANN58 in Copenhagen, Denmark, reports ITRealms.

ICANN’s 58th Public Meeting, ITRealms gathered is coming six months after the historic Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) Stewardship Transition, which was a milestone in the history of ICANN’s multistakeholder community. 

ITRealms also gathered stakeholders from around the world, including people from businesses, governments, academia, and civil society, would be convening in Denmark to discuss various topics such as next steps after the IANA Stewardship Transition, enhancements to ICANN’s accountability and the new generic Top Level Domain (gTLD) programme.

The meeting scheduled for Bella Center in Copenhagen, Denmark, would take place between March 11 and 16, 2017, would be hosted by both the Danish Business Authority and the Danish Internet Forum.

ITRealms recalls that ICANN’s public meetings are held three times a year, and convene members of the global, multistakeholder Internet community, made up of individual users, businesses, civil society, governments, research institutions and non-government organizations, to discuss issues impacting the Domain Name System (DNS) and develop relevant policies.

Chuks Egbune/GEE

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Zinox v Ben Joseph: Police to continue prosecution of alleged blackmailer

ITRealms:

The Nigerian Police is to continue the prosecution of a case involving one Benjamin Joseph, an Enugu indigene and acclaimed Managing Director of an Ibadan-based company, Citadel Oracle Concepts Ltd, reports ITRealms.

Joseph, ITRealms gathered, allegedly resorted to blackmail and threats against the Chairman, Zinox Technologies, Leo Stan Ekeh and other senior management staff, including Mrs. Chioma Ekeh, Barr. Chris Eze Ozims and Mrs. Folashade Oyebode – of sister company, Technology Distributions Ltd (TD).

According to the verdict delivered by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Apo, Abuja at the resumed hearing on February 28^th, 2017.

ITRealms recalls that Joseph is currently standing trial before the court on a one-count charge of “false petitioning” with intention of misleading the Police over a case of identity theft, impersonation and criminal conversion of contract after accusing Technology Distributions of conspiring with the other officials to hijack a contract for the supply of HP laptops awarded by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and defrauding the Federal Government.

Interestingly, detailed investigations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) which conducted searches at the FIRS office, and the Special Fraud Unit (SFU) of the Nigerian Police confirmed that the laptops were indeed supplied and receipted by the FIRS and their serial numbers and actual users noted.

Joseph had subsequently embarked on a solo media campaign on sensational online platform, Premium Times, after several credible print and online media who investigated his claims and found them to be unfounded refused to publish.

At the resumed hearing, Joseph’s defence team led by K.S. Olutekumi had opposed the appearance of the Prosecution counsel Simon Lough on the ground that the Attorney General’s office had taken over the prosecution at the last adjourned date of December 7^th 2016.

The Prosecution Counsel, citing the Supreme Court decision in Marcel Nnakwe Vs. The State (2013) 18 NWLR, argued that a party has the absolute right to choose the counsel to represent it and that, since the case was instituted by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), the IGP can choose its counsel. The prosecutor further informed the court that he was in possession of a letter by the Attorney General to the IGP informing the police to continue with the prosecution of the accused person, Mr. Joseph. 

In a brief ruling, the Judge, U.P. Kekemeke of Court 14 FCT, upheld the submissions of the Police Prosecutor, especially on the strength of the letter of the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice of the Federation  to the Inspector-General of Police to continue with the prosecution. The honourable judge stated that the accused person cannot choose his prosecutor. He finally ordered a continuation of trial.

Mr. Joseph’s prosecution had risen from a business transaction between Citadel Oracle Concept Limited and their appointed representatives, Princess Kama and Chief Onny Igbokwe, when they won a contract like several companies for the supply of HP laptops to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).

Having no funds to execute the contract, his representatives had approached TD, an authorized HP distributor and the biggest ICT distributor in Sub-Saharan Africa, to supply them the laptops on credit pending payment by FIRS. In view of previous bad experience and in order to avoid exposing the business to bad loans, TD had nominated its staff – Mr. Chris Eze Ozims and Mrs. Shade Oyebode – to be signatories to an account opened for the purpose of disbursement of funds as regards the contract, solely as security for the laptops supplied on credit.  Upon payment of the sum for the contract, TD had gone ahead to deduct the invoiced sum of the supplied laptops and had its staff resign as signatories to the account.

After a disagreement between Joseph and his representatives over the sharing of the proceeds and having allegedly failed with threats and blackmail attempts against the officials of Zinox and TD, with a view to extortion, Mr. Joseph had petitioned the Police authorities that his signature was forged to execute the contract.

Since the crux of the matter was the denial by Mr. Joseph of not signing the Board Resolution to open the account with which the FIRS remitted payment for the supplied HP laptops, of which Mr. Ozims and Mrs. Oyebode were signatories on behalf of TD, the Police sent the documents for forensic analysis to determine its veracity. The evidence proved that the documents were not forged, and were actually signed by him. Hence, the warrants of arrest the Police had issued against Mr. Ozims (a First Class lawyer and Company Secretary of TD) and Mrs. Oyebode (a Chartered Accountant and Executive Director of TD) based on Joseph’s complaints were made on misleading information and ought not to have been issued.

Based on the discovery that the said documents were not forged and the computers were duly delivered to FIRS, the Police charged Mr. Joseph to court with Charge Number CR/216/16 before the FCT High Court, Abuja.

Under cross examination at the resumed hearing, the Prosecution Witness 1, Princess Kama, reaffirmed that the defendant accompanied her to submit the account opening package including the board resolution at the Garki II branch of Access Bank Plc. She stated that the defendant was to have the benefit of one lot which is N5.7m but later insisted on the profits and capital of the entire contract award as against their earlier agreement. She informed the court that she is not a director or shareholder of Citadel Oracle Concepts Ltd but had an authority letter to act for the company in respect of the award with FIRS.

In an earlier hearing of the case before the Court, Princess who said she refused to marry Joseph over 12 years ago when he proposed to her when they were worshipping in same church, also confirmed that she has been helping Joseph bid for contracts because of her expertise. She had, therefore, expressed her pain and disappointment about Joseph’s continued blackmail of the officers of Technology Distributions, knowing very well that without the support of TD, they wouldn’t have executed the contract. More bewildering is his continued media campaign against Zinox Technologies Limited and its Chairman, Leo Stan Ekeh, neither of whom was in any way connected with the transaction leading to the proceedings.

The trial has been adjourned to the April 27th 2017 for continuation.

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Scientists reveal super-fast computer that ‘grows as it computes’

ITRealms:

Latest findings by researchers from The University of Manchester have shown it is possible to build a new super-fast form of computer that “grows as it computes” reports ITRealms.

Professor Ross D King and his team, ITRealms gathered, demonstrated for the first time the feasibility of engineering a Nondeterministic Universal Turing Machine (NUTM), and their research is to be published in the prestigious Journal of the Royal Society Interface.

The theoretical properties of such a computing machine, Prof. King said, include its exponential boost in speed over electronic and quantum computers, in addition to having been well understood for many years. Stressing that the Manchester breakthrough demonstrates that it is actually possible to physically create a NUTM using DNA molecules.  

“Imagine a computer is searching a maze and comes to a choice point, one path leading left, the other right. Electronic computers need to choose which path to follow first,” explained Professor King of Manchester’s School of Computer Science.

King pointed out that the new computer doesn’t need to choose, for it could replicate itself and follow both paths at the same time, thus finding the answer faster.

King noted that this ‘magical’ property is possible because the computer’s processors are made of DNA rather than silicon chips, as all electronic computers have a fixed number of chips.

“Our computer’s ability to grow as it computes makes it faster than any other form of computer, and enables the solution of many computational problems previously considered impossible. Quantum computers are an exciting other form of computer, and they can also follow both paths in a maze, but only if the maze has certain symmetries, which greatly limits their use,” King said.

“As DNA molecules are very small a desktop computer could potentially utilize more processors than all the electronic computers in the world combined - and therefore outperform the world’s current fastest supercomputer, while consuming a tiny fraction of its energy.”

The University of Manchester is famous for its connection with Alan Turing - the founder of computer science - and for creating the first stored memory electronic computer.

“This new research builds on both these pioneering foundations,” added Professor King.

Alan Turing’s greatest achievement was inventing the concept of a universal Turing machine (UTM) - a computer that can be programmed to compute anything any other computer can compute.  Electronic computers are a form of UTM, but no quantum UTM has yet been built.

ITRealms gathered that other members of the Prof. King team include Currin, A., Korovin, K., Ababi, M., Roper, K., Kell, D.B., Day.

Nonye Dom/GEE 

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Swift unveils free wifi, Red Cheetah @MMA2

ITRealms:

Swift Network has unveiled a free Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) code named Red Cheetah at the Murtala Mohammed Airport terminal 2 (MMA2), reports ITRealms.

Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Chuma Okoye disclosed this to ITRealms, saying the first deployment of the Red Cheetah service went live Wednesday at MMA2.

He said, Red Cheetah is a free broadband Wi-Fi service being piloted by Swift Network for esteemed customers and the traveling public. 

Red Cheetah, Okoye said, will be completely free of charge to the subscriber and will have no download limits.

“It will require no modem to be accessed in public spaces and can be accessed via any Wi-Fi-enabled device like smartphones, tablets, laptops, et cetera,” he assured.

According to him, Red Cheetah is supported by some corporate sponsors to keep Nigerians connected to the fastest and highest quality broadband access that will enable them to continue to achieve more, wherever they are.

“Subscribers to this service will periodically be required to view advertisement messages from the various sponsors who have made this service free,” he said.

Okoye, therefore encouraged customers to share the good news with their family members, friends and associates who use this terminal to login via into the "Red Cheeta" signal, complete the simple registration process and get online in seconds.

“Other locations are already being planned and will be communicated to you as they become available,” he said.

Chuks Egbune/GEE

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Akin Akingbade emerges ICTLOCA president

ITRealms:

The former governorship aspirant in Ondo State and incumbent president of Association of Software Testing and Quality management, Barrister Akinwaale Akingbade, has emerged the pioneer president of local content industry interest group, the Information and Communication Technology Local Content Association (ICTLOCA), reports ITRealms.

This ITRealms gathered follows a meeting of the group held recently in Lagos, which also saw the emergence of Ms. Olubusayo Atoki as Vice President, Mr. Adebunmi Akinbo – Secretary, Mr. Gbolahan Awonuga – Treasurer and Mrs. Abibat Olatunji - Legal Adviser to work with Mr. Akingbade, who is the chief executive officer, TCQA.

According to the Treasurer of association is to ensure that ICT practitioners are allowed to benefit from the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act, which has provided them the right and platform to participate in the provisions of ICT goods and services in the oil and gas sector.

He also said ICTLOCA would afford players to tap into the over $190 billion local content market following the creation of the Nigerian Content Consultative Forum ICT (NCCF-ICT) sectoral working group by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB).

The body represents the interest of ICT practitioners in the oil and gas sector, based on the Local Content Act, which allows Nigerian ICT players to provide 75 per cent rental of communication lines, 85 per cent telecommunication subscription services; 95 percent of public address system services as well as 75 percent of other information system/ IT services.

The Act, ICTLOCA explained allows Nigerian IT practitioners to provide up to 45 per cent of network installation/support services.  

“51 per cent of software development and support services, 51 per cent of computer-based modeling services, 51 per cent of computer-based simulation/training programmes services and 51 per cent of CAL/CAP services,” the group explained.

Others include 50 per cent of hardware installation support services, 50 per cent of operating system installation/support services, 60 per cent of user support/help desk services, 70 per cent of library service, 50 per cent of IT management consultancy services, 50 per cent of data management services, 60 per cent of telecommunication installation/support services and 60 per cent of data and message transmitting services. 

There is lack of awareness/information about the provisions of the NOGICD Act. The Act, in recognizing the importance of IT/ICT to the oil and gas sector specifically in section 58(f) of the Act, directed the NCDMB to set up the NCCF- ICT required to consist of stakeholders, government and regulatory agencies in the ICT.

ICTLOCA insisted that Section 12 of the NOGICD Act, Nigerians are to be given first consideration for the provisions of goods and services in the sector.

Chuks Egbune/GEE

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Pix: Akinwale Akingbade, ICTLOCA president

Omni, Nigerian software engineer took written test @US border office

ITRealms:

A Lagos-based software engineer, Celestine Omin, has taken a written test at the United States boarder office in New York on arrival in the country, reports ITRealms.

According to BBC.com, Omin was at the weekend, made to sit for a written test by US airport immigration officers because they were unconvinced he was telling the truth about his skills.

Omin, 28, and employee of Andela, reportedly landed in New York's John F. Kennedy (JFK) airport last Sunday after a 24-hour flight from Nigeria.

Andela, ITRealms gathered, is a technology start-up with offices in New York, Lagos, Nairobi and San Francisco.

Equally, BBC.com reports that the firm specializes on recruiting "the most talented developers on the African continent" and connects same, with technology employers in US for potential job vacancies.

ITRealms recalls that Facebook founder, Mark Zuckerberg while on visit to Nigeria, took time to visit Andela's office in Lagos, last year.

Further, Omin was reportedly granted a short-term visa to work with First Access, a financial technology company in New York's Manhattan district.

After being asked a series of questions by a US Customs and Border Protection officer, he was taken into a room for further checks.

Omin recalled that immigration officer had told him, "Your visa says you are a software engineer. Is that correct?" before he was handed over a piece of paper, a pen and told to answer these two questions to prove he is actually a software engineer:

"Write a function to check if a Binary Search Tree is balanced."

"What is an abstract class, and why do you need it?"

Chuks Egbune with additional report from BBC/GEE

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NCC declares 2017 year of the consumer

ITRealms:

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has declared 2017 the Year of the Consumer, just as it has set to flag off this strategic campaign on Wednesday, March 15, 2017 in Abuja, reports ITRealms.

Director, Public Affairs at NCC Tony Ojobo, said the Commission will use the flag off to unveil the strategy and series of activities aimed at empowering and protecting the consumers of telecommunications services in Nigeria.

Throughout the year, he also said, improving the experience of the consumer will be the major focus of the Commission working with other key stakeholders vital to the success of the campaign. 

The Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission, Professor Umar Garba Danbatta, was quoted as saying in Abuja that consumer protection and empowerment is one of the eight pillars of the 8- Point Agenda of his administration, revealed that the Commission is dedicating the year to the welfare of telecom consumers.

“The flag off for the year round programme, which will hold at the NCC headquarters in Abuja, is expected to attract consumers across the country, top government officials and key stakeholders in the industry. The Abuja event coincides with the commemoration of the World Consumer Rights Day (WCRD), 2017, whose theme is ‘Building a Digital World Consumers Can Trust’” he said.

In addition, Ojobo noted that key components of the Year of the Consumer include creation of greater awareness on Quality of Service, Electromagnetic Fields (EMF), Do Not Disturb (DND), and NCCs 622 complaint line. The campaign hopes to secure the support of network operators towards meeting set targets and key performance indicators, KPIs on quality of services especially as it affects drop calls.

The year will also witness a massive awareness drive to make consumers take advantage of the Commission’s unique programmes such as the Do-Not-Disturb Code, 2442, which consumers can use to stop unsolicited text messages; and toll free number 622 with which consumers can reach the Commission in cases where the service providers fail to resolve their complaints. 

The Year of the Telecom Consumer 2017, will also witness a new programme tagged “NCC Consumer Conversations” also called NCC which the Commission plans for different locations across the geopolitical zones for stakeholders’ interaction and consumer information empowerment.

Chuks Egbune/GEE

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2016: Kaspersky says 8.5m malicious installation on mobiles

ITRealms:

Latest Kaspersky Lab mobile security report has disclosed that 2016 saw a near-threefold rise in mobile malware detections compared to 2015 to the tune of 8.5 million malicious installations identified led by mobile Trojans, reports ITRealms.

Kaspersky in its annual Mobile Virusology report made available to ITRealms, noted that in the space of just one year, a volume equivalent to 50 per cent of all the malware detected in the previous 11 years (15.77 million in 2004 – 2015) was released.

According to Kaspersky officials, leading the way were mobile advertising Trojans which now make up 16 of the top 20 malicious programmes, up from 12 in 2015, highlighting the evolution of mobile banking Trojans.

The report pointed out that specialist officers from INTERPOL’s Global Complex for Innovation have contributed an analysis of mobile malware on the Dark Web to the report.

In 2016, ITRealms reports that Kaspersky Lab mobile security products reported that nearly 40 million attacks attempts by mobile malware, with over 4 million users of Android-based devices protected (vs 2.6 million in 2015).

In addition, Kaspersky report showed that over 260,000 detections of installation packages for mobile ransomware Trojans (an increase of almost 8.5 times, year-on-year).

“More than 153,000 unique users targeted by mobile ransomware (an increase of 1.6 times compared with 2015); Over 128,000 mobile banking Trojans detected (nearly 1.6 times more than in 2015),” part of the report read.

Nenye Dom/GEE

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Ikeja Electric wants customers to report unethical practices

ITRealms:

The electricity distribution company, Ikeja Electric (IE), has launched a concerted effort aimed at curbing unethical practices across its network and also encouraging customers to report such practices, reports ITRealms.

Speaking on the launch of the sensitization program, the company’s Head of Corporate Communication, Felix Ofulue, noted that such practices, which included cases of payment fraud among others, is responsible for a sizeable percentage of the collection loss for the business.

He explained that the focus of the campaign was to provide the much-needed awareness and enlightenment to ensure that customers do not fall victims of any of these unwholesome practices.

“It is our responsibility to ensure that our customers are protected so that they do not lose any of their hard earned resources. Internally, we are strengthening our enlightenment campaign to staff and customers across our network, while we have also provided payment platforms to ease the convenience of payment of their bills,” he said.

He further pointed out that even though IE has a company policy that discourages customers from making payments to staff on the field, many customers still persuade the field staff to assist them to make the payments. Mostly, the monies are remitted, however there are instances when reconciliation of these payments becomes an issue especially where no receipts are provided to the paying customer.

Ofulue, then, called on customers to explore the several payment platforms available to them, urging them to always collect their receipt which is the only eligible proof of payment in reconciliation dispute cases.

“We have provided many robust options for our customers to pay their electricity bills so there really is no need to part with cash to people in the field, especially as we have noticed an increase in recent times of fraudsters impersonating our staff. Customers will save themselves from the inconvenience of being defrauded if they always make payments through our approved channels and collect their receipts”, he concluded.

Ofulue encouraged customers who had legitimate complaints and grievances relating to unethical practices to report such matters, by sending an email to expressyourself@ikejaelectric.com, a dedicated whistle-blowing email channel where all the reports are confidentially managed at the very highest levels.

Ikeja Electric continues to strengthen and improve its payment platforms even as it has deployed Do-It-Yourself POS devices in all of her Business Units.

Ayo Midele/GEE 

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OSFON counsels MNOs on OTT: Look elsewhere to balance books

ITRealms:

The Open Source Foundation for Nigeria (OSFON) has counselled the Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) in the country to look elsewhere in effort to balance their books, instead of tinkering of how to block Nigerian telecom consumers from usage of Over-The Top (OTT) platforms, reports ITRealms.

OTT is one of the value added services (VAS) accessible over a given network service provider. OTT includes audio, video, and other media content delivered over the Internet without the involvement of a multiple-system operator (MSO) in the control or distribution of the content, which include WhatsApp, Skype and other Instant Messaging services as well as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). OTT refers to content from a third party that is delivered to an end-user, with the Internet Service Provider (ISP) basically transporting Internet Protocol (IP) packets.

Reacting to this development, OSFON through its National President, Mr. Dele Ajisomo, called for caution, noting that the news reports that MNOs are lobbying the government through the regulator the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in efforts to block the usage of OTT platforms among Nigerians, negates the values embedded in openness of technologies which paves the way for network neutrality.

According to him, the principle of network neutrality is that Internet service providers should enable access to all content and applications regardless of the source, and without favouring or blocking particular products or websites.

OSFON emphasized that OTT cannot work comfortably without data, which are sold by the Internet Service Providers (ISPs), urging MNOs to be innovative and not limit their service offerings to data alone.

The group noted that the issue involves open and free Internet, freedom of the Internet, freedom of speech and information, in addition to access to free and open source technologies and/or software among others.

The MNOs, OSFON said, should look for other ways to balance their books and not by restricting Nigerians and their freedom to open, affordable and innovative technologies.

OSFON pointed out that access to the Internet is a human right and Nigerians will fight to keep this access, insisting that “It is actually inhumane for the MNOs to suggest blocking subscribers from any free and open technical and innovative products on the Internet.”

For the regulators and Nigeria Government, OSFON said, it is an unthinkable idea, because for some Nigerians “it’s the only means of communication with their loved ones.”

“OTT is the only way to communicate to their old age parents in the village. Nigerians in the diaspora also depend on Skype and WhatsApp to talk or see their families in Nigeria,” OSFON president said.

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Travelling along my path

ForTheRecords@ITRealms:

Permit me to stand on the already existing protocol. Good day to you all. It is a privilege that I stand before this assembly of great men and women of great accomplishments. I thank DigitalSENSE Africa Media and Etisalat Nigeria for giving me this rare opportunity to stand before you and make this presentation.

As I was gearing up for my 2^nd semester examinations in first year, in the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, I was informed by my elder brother that DigitalSENSE is organizing an essay contest in partnership with Etisalat Nigeria. The essay competition, he said, is for Nigerian undergraduates. We were a bit hesitant about writing for the contest because of the impending examinations. I needed a laptop and that was enough reason to make an entry. Then, I had no laptop and no hope of affording any soon. As a student of the Electronic Engineering, I needed a laptop. I made out time and wrote an essay on the topic “Net Neutrality and Nigerian Internet Users”.

In the wee hours of July 17, 2015, I woke up to the news that I have been adjudged the best entrant and therefore awarded the star prize. It was the laptop I needed plus a full year internet access provided by Etisalat. It was unbelievable! My first prize as an undergraduate. My siblings (two elder brothers and a younger sister) are seasoned essayists and have won several awards. I couldn’t wait to open my own record! It’s a realization of my hard work since 2011, when I ventured into writing. Even though I was shortlisted as one of the finalists in the 2012 UBA national essay competition, clinching this star prize was a dream come true. 

We have grasped the opportunities that internet has given us. We owe the internet a whole lot. When I was interviewed on my position about internet governance last year, I decried the below average level of awareness on internet governance. Fast forward to 2016 and if you ask me the same question, my answer still remains the same. This makes this forum a very vital one. I thank DigitalSENSE for organizing such event with far reaching results. And I want to commend and urge Etisalat Nigeria to continue her partnership with DigitalSENSE Media Africa; it is a working partnership. We need to know who governs the internet and how it is governed. Does its governance take a hit on the founding philosophy of the internet which is open access to all? The questions are unending.

As part of my recognition as the star prize winner of this highly Etisalat sponsored prize last year, I was scheduled to attend the 2015 NIGF conference in Abuja where I was to represent the DigitalSENSE Media Africa and Etisalat. Part of my presentation today therefore, is to highlight my experience in that conference, and that’s what I will narrate now.

 Having been registered for the 2015 NIGF conference scheduled to hold at the NAF Conference Centre and Suites, Kado, Abuja, I had to attend both the youth workshop on the 20^th of July, and the plenary sessions on the 21^st of July as a DigitalSENSE-Etisalat Student Ambassador. This particular opportunity was mouth-watering and I lack words to express my feelings. The youth workshop was fully packed with educative and inspiring topics aimed at redirecting the mind-sets of our youth and help propel them to a greater height—an enviable one. The youth workshop was tagged “Internet of Everything & Your Business Opportunity”. The entire session was directed at exposing the youth to the endless and unceasing opportunities that abound with the right use of the internet. And yesterday we were here to have a discourse on “Internet Governance: Creating Opportunities for all Nigerians”. Such discourse has an infinite end.

The joy of the internet is optimized when the internet is totally freed of this thieves that have besieged it. Have you been redirected for once to any unintended website? Our internet sphere is very porous. And that is why DigitalSENSE role as the front burner and leader in the call for a better secured internet protocol is highly commendable. Nigerian addresses are very suspicious in the global community, no thanks to our internet burglars—the notorious yahoo yahoo boys. I was privileged to join the track that deliberated extensively on the issue of cybersecurity and trust in Nigeria, during the NIGF conference. We made different recommendations that when put in place, our cyberspace would be a safe haven. But IPv6 holds the key, our continued use of IPv4 is just an exhibit of our backwardness in the ICT world. We will be exposed to why IPv6 is the only way forward during today’s event.

Ladies and gentlemen, you need no soothsayer to tell you that I have benefitted from the partnership of DigitalSENSE and Etisalat. I have roamed the internet with great ease with the monthly 3GB Etisalat data that I receive monthly. Roaming the internet has also afforded me several opportunities that I have been able to grip. Suffice it to say that I am a testimony of the efficacy of this partnership. Giving more opportunities to young minds like me might just be the beginning of a better Nigeria that we wish. I have a great ambition of being an Etisalat intern in two years’ time, and I hope that this partnership which I have enjoyed will facilitate the actualisation of this well coveted dream.

Well, I flew to Lagos on the 22^nd of July, 2015, for the prize presentation scheduled to hold on 24^th July, 2015. That of course was after the two-day conference in Abuja. It was to hold at Etisalat office in Victoria Island, Lagos.

Let me introduce you to another interesting development in the competition. My immediate elder brother who is a seasoned essayist was the first runners up in the competition. Join me in thanking him for bringing the essay competition to my knowledge and allowing me to beat him. He and other winners were to join me in Lagos for the prize presentation. There, we were given Etisalat T-shirts and were even called to the high table. It was exciting, seeing myself sitting with men of high calibre. It was inspiring! I received a Lenovo laptop with Etisalat-Easyblaze Mifi with one full year of internet subscription; I departed Lagos on 25^th July, 2015, with a life changed for good—an experience that changed my life forever! My classmates call me 20M, please Etisalat what does the M signify, million or metres? I have failed to give any answer to that question since July 2015.

Ladies and gentlemen, I am back again in Lagos in June, 2016. I was supposed to make this presentation 24hrs earlier. As I was working on this speech, I received an SMS alert from the Nigerian Universities Engineering Students Association (UNILORIN chapter). Guess what, I have won the first prize of the essay competition they organised for the whole engineering students throughout this federation. I had to attend the award ceremony yesterday. My first time in Ilorin. Who knows whether I will be in Lagos next year? I wish I remain part of this DigitalSENSE/Etisalat partnership.

Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, I am meant to share my experience with you. In sum, what I experienced, is a dream come true! Believing that the next ambassador will not have less an exciting tenure, I pray, not just that ETISALAT continues to sponsor and expand this essay competition, but that corporate bodies in the ICT industry key-into this project, which I am sure will have a multiplier effect on the technological development of this country in the nearest future. Thank you ETISALAT for sponsoring this competition, thank you DigitalSENSE for finding me worthy of this prize, and thank you ladies and gentlemen, for listening to my little story. Thanks.

*Courtesy: Nic Onah, the Star Prize Winner, 2015 Etisalat-DigitalSENSE Students Essay Competition, made this presentation at the 2016 Nigeria DigitalSENSE Forum on Internet Governance for Development (IG4D) and Nigeria IPv6 Roundtable in Lagos.

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Encounter with South African High Commission by Funke Osae-Brown

For the records@ITRealms:

Towards the end of January this year, I got an invitation to be in South Africa on the 1st of March, 2017 to experience the new BMW 5 Series. It was an event I had looked forward to considering my love for fast cars and the kind of beat I cover as a journalist.

As soon as I received the itinerary and other documents needed for my journey, I applied for the South African visa on the 13th of February. Conscious of the many challenges that come with getting a South African visa, I was advised to apply through one of South Africa’s accredited trade partners World ‘N’ Traveland (WONTRA).

The WONTRA staff who assisted me with the application process was very courteous. She guided me through the application requirements. At a point, she advised I get a statement of account from my host BMW in South Africa or their certificate of incorporation. I declined to do this because I felt my statement of account and a letter of introduction from my organisation should be enough. 

She also advised I get a letter of authorisation from my husband. I told her I have that already because the last application I did I was asked for it. This is a letter my husband find ridiculous to write! He argues it is a sexist requirement from an embassy. Why would he authorised a full-grown woman to travel because she is his wife, he reasoned? Anyway, I got him to give him the letter, even though I found it ridiculous too!

Since I was applying through WONTRA, I had to pay a premium price of N70, 000 instead of the official N8, 600 for visa fee and N22, 310 for VFS courier service. The lady at WONTRA told me the visa should be ready within the stipulated 10 to 15 working days by the High Commission. Based on a past experience and what others have told me, I decided to notify the few people I know handling South Africa related travel and tourism matters in Nigeria to use their connection to pull strings at the embassy so that my visa could be ready on or before my travel date. I knew I had about 13 days between my submission and travel dates to get my visa.

After 10 working days, I didn’t receive any news from the VFS. I decided to notify my contacts on the possibility of checking out my application status at the High Commission, they all told me to wait that I will surely get my passport on or before my travel date. As I sat behind my laptop to type this today, March 1st 2017, I am yet to receive my passport from the South African High Commission. I am supposed to travel tonight.

What is most painful about this experience is it seems the South Africa High Commission in Lagos smacks of arrogance and is consumed by a nonchalant attitude. For a country, that is promoting itself as a tourists’ destination in Nigeria, to be so rude to its visa applicants, beats me. In spite of all my efforts and my host’s (BMW) in South Africa effort to reach the High Commission in Lagos, there has been no response from the High Commission to emails sent and calls put through to them. 

It seems to me the High Commission is populated lazy staff who have just refused to understand the importance of their job to the growth of the economy of their country. How can one explain applying for visa and you are yet to receive your passport 12 days or a month after application?

The South African High Commission can never claim to be busier than the United Kingdom or United States of America’s embassies in Nigeria. If you apply for UK or US visa, you can be assured to get your passport within 10 working days or less.  There are people who have applied for the South African visa since February 3rd 2017 who are yet to receive their visas today, March 1st; that is almost a month after submitting their applications.

Delaying the issuance of my visa and that of other four journalists’ I am supposed to travel with means BMW has lost a lot of money on booking business class tickets for us, paying for our accommodation, airport pick up and drop off and food for the number of days we are supposed to spend in South Africa.

You can imagine the loss to those going on personal trips who have paid for their flights, accommodation not to have received their visas days after their travel dates have passed?

If South Africa is truly serious about marketing itself as a tourists’ destination, its High Commission needs to drop its toga of arrogance and emulate countries like Dubai and Kenya where you get your visa within two days as is the case with Dubai or Kenya that issues visa on arrival. Little wonder, Dubai has the largest tourism market share in Nigeria! 

SOUTH AFRICA HIGH COMMISSION RELEASE MY PASSPORT!!!! #SOUTHAFRICAHIGHCOMMISSION #RELEASEMYPASSPORT

*Funke Osae-Brown is the publisher/managing editor, LuxuryReporter

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