Ict/Telecom
Facebook Lover Nabbed For Defrauding Friend
The Police in Lagos last Monday arrested a Facebook lover for defrauding his lover of N200,000.
The Police said in Lagos that the suspect posed as a medical doctor to enable him to swindle his unsuspected facebook girl- friend.
The suspect claimed he would use the amount to secure a job for her with the Nigerian Customs Service. Parading the suspect (name withheld), the Police spokesperson, Lagos state Police Command, Ms Ngozi Briaide, said the accused was arrested and charged to court about three years ago for a similar offence.
Ngozi stated that the police could not immediately explain how he was freed in court without being convicted, noting that the suspect had become a serial fraudster who was in the habit of defrauding young girls.
According to her, the 36-year- old suspect was arrested after one out of the latest five victims complained to the Police on November 15, adding that the suspect was thereafter arrested on December 23 by detectives from Ogudu Division.
The spokesperson alleged that the first victim, Mrs Adebiyi Adenike, a graduate became his friend on Facebook after being attracted by the suspect as a Surgeon.
“He requested for the sum of N200,000 as PR and with her original certificate to enable him secure employment for her into the Customs and that he had a slot at the service,” she said. Ngozi stated that both the suspect and the victim met and set out for the journey to Abuja, but along the way to Air Port, the suspect pretended as if his vehicle had fault and asked her to come down and push the car.
“As soon as the victim pushed the car, he zoomed off with the victim’s credentials, ATM and PHCN cards,” she said. Ngozi gave the names of other victims defrauded by the suspect as Miss Okunola Folashade, Miss Ibrahim Bukola and Miss Adefemi Mercy.
She said that they were all NYSC members who were defrauded by the same suspect on their way to Ibadan for community assignment.
The spokesperson alleged that they boarded his car to Ibadan on December 20, but on getting to the Tollgate, the suspected diverted to the old Lagos/Ibadan road where he pretended as if the car developed fault and asked them to push thereafter he zoomed off with all their belongings.
Ngozi said that the items stolen from the victims included a Laptop, unspecified cash, certificates, ATM card, Toaster Machine, cell phones and clothes.
The fifth victim, Miss Akinbo Atinuke, also boarded the suspect’s vehicle at Berger on December 11, on her way to Ibadan, where the accused branched to a filling station and pretended the car could not start again, adding that the victim also pushed the car and he zoomed off.
The spokesperson said that the victim also lost her Laptop, Phone, SSCE Certificate, ATM card, NYSC discharged certificate, the sum of N104,000 which she withdrew from a bank with her ATM card. Ngozi said that the suspect would be charged to court since all the witnesses were available with some exhibits, adding that the suspect has also made confessional statement.
The Managing Director, Shell Nigeria Exploration and Company Limited (SNEPCo), Elohor Aiboni, said Bonga, Nigeria’s first deep-water asset, has recorded major milestones, due to effective leadership, cutting-edge technology, continuous improvement and collaboration with stakeholders.
She noted that since coming on stream in November 2005, Bonga has maintained a track record of production that saw it achieve one-billion-barrel export on February 13, last year.
In her presentation, titled “The Bonga Journey to a Billion Barrels”, at the ongoing 2024 Offshore Technology Conference in Houston, Texas, United States, Aiboni, said: “SNEPCo is grateful for the contributions of all the parties to the Bonga story and we can all be proud of the milestones.
“Bonga has been consistent. In 2014, nine years after coming onstream, it achieved half a billion barrels of crude and doubled it in 2023. We have worked relentlessly to ensure excellent asset management, project and wells delivery and deployment of technology and innovations in our operations”.
According to her, these factors, “coupled with the supportive partnership of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited and our co-venturers – TotalEnergies, EP Nigeria Limited; Nigerian Agip Exploration; and Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited, make Bonga stand out as a world-class investment case”.
She continued that, “SNEPCo also enjoyed the support of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) in the success of Bonga operations”.
Aiboni also listed the challenges of keeping the Bonga Floating Production, Storage and Offloading vessel full as the asset ages and dealing with unexpected developments with subsea wells and equipment.
She said: “SNEPCo responded with a campaign of operational excellence, which among other initiatives, led to the creation of a programme known as the Bonga Business Improvement Plan that continually reviews and identifies improvement initiatives and drives sustainability in operations and upskilling of staff.
“The Bonga success story has been led by Nigerians who have been managing directors of SNEPCo since it was established in 1993, in a deliberate policy by Shell to develop indigenous manpower for deep-water operations in Nigeria.
“Today, some 97percent of the SNEPCo workforce is Nigerian and overall, Bonga has helped to create a new generation of Nigerian deep-water professionals.
“Our vision at SNEPCo remains to be the best deep-water business, powering growth and achieving net zero emissions in line with Shell’s Powering Progress strategy”.
Banks’ borrowings from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) fell month-on-month, (MoM) by 44 percent to N12.16 trillion in April from N21.7 trillion in March.
Analysis of latest data from the CBN shows that the 44percent drop represents the first MoM decline in banks borrowing from since January when it increased by 268.7 percent to N3.6 trillion from N976.29 billion in December 2023.
However, further analysis showed that banks’ deposits in the CBN SDF grew MoM by 118.4 percent to N428.97 billion in April from N196.37 billion in March 2024.
Banks make use of the SLF to access liquidity to run their day-to-day business operations while the Standing Deposit Facility window (SDF) on the other hand, is an overnight deposit facility that allows banks to lodge excess liquidity (money) with the CBN and earn interest.
The decline in banks’ borrowing from SLF may reflect an increase in banking system liquidity and also the decision of the apex bank last year to remove the limit on the remunerable daily placements by banks at the SDF.
According to the CBN Governor, Mr. Olayemi Cardoso, the CBN removed the cap on the remunerable SDF to increase activity in the SDF window and manage liquidity.
A Financial technology expert, Olatunji Akinrinola, has highlighted the exponential growth of the FinTech industry, which according to him, was driven by technological advancements.
Akinrinola made this assertion in a press release recently, where he stressed that the role of technology in driving this exponential growth in the FinTech sector was very outstanding.
According to him, Technology has revolutionised the way financial services are delivered, making them more accessible, efficient, and inclusive.
“Through innovations such as mobile banking, digital payments, and blockchain technology, FinTech companies have been able to reach a larger population and provided them with access to financial services”, he stated.
Akinrinola emphasised the role of technology in enabling financial inclusion, adding: “Technology has democratised access to financial services, particularly in regions with limited banking infrastructure.
“Mobile money platforms and digital wallets have empowered individuals to conduct financial transactions conveniently and securely, without the need for traditional banking services”.
He also underscored the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and data analytics in driving innovation within the FinTech industry, noting: “AI-powered algorithms and predictive analytics have revolutionised risk assessment, fraud detection, and customer personalisation in financial services.
“These technologies enable FinTech companies to provide tailored solutions and mitigate risks more effectively, ultimately enhancing the overall customer experience”.
Akinrinola stressed the importance of regulatory frameworks in fostering the growth of the FinTech industry.
“While technology has accelerated the growth of FinTech, it is essential to establish robust regulatory frameworks to ensure consumer protection and maintain market stability. Regulators play a crucial role in balancing innovation with risk management, thereby creating a conducive environment for the sustainable growth of the FinTech sector”, he stated.
Akinrinola underscored the role of technology in driving the exponential growth of the FinTech industry, saying, “Technology has been a game-changer for the FinTech sector, enabling innovation, expanding access to financial services, and driving economic growth.
“As technology continues to evolve, the FinTech industry will undoubtedly play a significant role in shaping the future of financial services ecosystem”.
Corlins Walter