The capitals of some of the proposed 19 states have been identified.
This was contained in the documents obtained by our correspondent in Abuja, on Saturday.
For the proposed Edu State, which will be created out of the present Niger State, it will be made up of Agagie, Bida North, Edati, Agbakoba, Katcha, Lapai, Labun and Mokwa Local Governments with its capital in Bida.
Apa State will be carved out of the present Benue State and made up of Agatu, Apa, Otukpo, Oju, Obi, Obi, Ohimini, Okpokwu and Ofbadigbo Local Government Areas with capital in Otukpo.
If Kainji State is created, it will be created from the present Kebbi and Niger states and it will be made up of Danko/Wasagu, Fakai, Zuru, Shanga, Sakaba, Nhaski, Yauri, Rijau, Mariga, Magama, Kontagora, Agwara, Borgo and Mashefu Local Governments. Its capital is proposed to be in Zuru.
For the proposed Katagun State, which is recommended to be created out of Bauchi State, it will be made up of Gamasa, Dam-an, Misau, Giade, Shira, Jama’re, Itas/Gadau, Zaki with the capital in Azare.
If Savanna State is created as recommended, it will be from the present Borno State and it will be made up of Gwoza, Chibok, Askira/Uba, Biu, Hawul, Shani, Kwaya-Kusar, Bayo and Damboa Local Governments with its capital in Biu.
Amana State is expected to be created from Adamawa State from Maiha, Mubi North, Mubi South, Hong, Michika and Madagali Local Government Areas with capital in Mubi.
The conference also recommended that Gurara State be created out of Kaduna State, with Sanga, Jama’a, Jaba, Kargako, Kaura, Zango Kataf, Kachia, Kajuru, Chikun, Lere Local Governments as constituent parts. Its capital will be Kachia.
If Ghari is created from Kano State, it will be made up of the following local governments:Bagwai, Bixhi, Dawakin Tofa, Dambatta, Gwarzo, Kabo, Kunchi, Makoda, Rimin Gado, Shanono, Tofa and Tsanyawa. Its capital has not been decided.
Also, the capital of the proposed Etiti State has not been decided, but it will consist of Orumba North, Orumba South, Agwu, Animi, Oji River, Ivo, Afikpo North/South, Okigwe, Onuimo, Ehime Mbano, Umunneochi and Isiukwuato Local Government Areas.
The proposed Aba State will have its capital in Aba town, which is part of the present Abia State. It is expected to be made up of Isiala, Isiala Ngwa South, Obingwa, Aba South, Ugwunagbo, Aba North, Ukwa West, Ukwa East and Osisioma Ngwa Local Governments.
Adada State, which is expected to be created from the present Enugu State, will have its capital in Nsukka. It will consist of Igbo-Etiti, Igbo-Eze North, Igbo-Eze South, Isibor-Uzochukwu, Nsukka, Udenu and Uzo-Uwani.
Njaba/Anim State is recommended to be created from Imo and Anambra states with the capital in Orlu. Local governments expected to be under it are Orlu, Orau, Oru East, Oru West, Ohaji/Egbema, Ogut! Njaba, Isu, Nwangele, Mkwere, Ideato Nirth, Ideato South and Ihiala.
The New Oyo State has no capital yet, but local governments that are expected to be part of it from the present Oyo State are Irepo, Olorunsogo, Oorelope, Saki East, Saki West, Atisbo, Itesiwaju, Iwajowa, Kajola, Iseyin, Afijio, Oyo East, Atiba, Ogoja Oluwa, Surulere, Ogbomosho North, Ogbomosho South and Orire.
The proposed Ijebu State from the present Ogun State will have its capital in Ijebu-Ode, and made up of such Local Government Areas like Ijebu-Ode, Ijebu-North East, Ogun Waterside, Odogbolu, Ijebu East, Shagamu, Ikenne and Remo North.
Ogoja State, which is expected to be carved out of the present Cross River State, will have its capital in Ogoja. It will be made up of Bekwarra, Bokki, Etung, Ikom, Obanliku, Obubra, Obudu, Ogoja and Yala Local Government Areas.
The expected Anioma State to be created from Delta State will also have its capital in Asaba, if the proposal scales through. Local Government areas expected to be under it are Aniocha North, Aniocha South, Ika North-East, Ika South, Ndokwa East, Ndokwa West, Oshimili North, Oshimili South and Ukwaani.
Sunday, 6 July 2014
Saturday, 31 May 2014
Making love or having sex BY FUNMI AKINGBADE
Making love or having sex, are they the same thing? How do I differentiate love making from just having sex? This nature of questions comes up frequently from spouses and proffering answers to them may sometimes get confusing.
Basically, making love is when two lovers are deeply in love with each other and indulge in all form of passionate sex, while having sex may just be about experiencing erotic pleasure down there. But oddly enough, both are very necessary in any marital relationship.
Almost always, ladies say they like making love simply because it involves lots of touching, long sensual foreplay and the like; while many men can’t help but say they like having sex. However, gender generalisation may really not be true because many men prefer love making to having sex.
Although, making love and having sex may sound similar, there’s a big emotional difference. While making love involves the feeling of love, the spouse connection, love doesn’t really have to enter the equation when it comes to having sex. When couples have been in a relationship with each other for few months or years and they are deeply attracted to each other, such partners are probably making sweet love every time both of them get into bed. Making love is far more relaxed and slow paced than just having sex. It brings with it all the hot pleasure of sex and each time these two emotions come together, the pleasure would definitely be more intensified. And the best part about making love is that there is more room for communication, deep sharing and prolonged foreplay. Both partners would not only be comfortable with each other, they will be aware of each other’s moves and deepest desires, that naturally may not surface when having sex. In one word, sex is just a perfect fusion.
But when it comes to having sex, sex is usually triggered off more from object of attraction, boiling arousal, sexual famishment, long abstinence, and prolonged denial. Foreplay is usually skipped; this type of sex is usually fast and furiously done in the car, under the shower, on a road trip, in a private office, at a friend’s place… anywhere secure and at least semi-comfortable! In this type of sex, you just want to have sex to quench your arousal-hunger and endless torture and you wouldn’t care about awkward positions or cramps and sprains until the deed is done. While having sex is more of a pure carnal satisfaction, yet both make sexual intimacy in marriage spicy.
Sometimes, just having sex with your husband or wife can be more fun than making love. At the start of a marital relationship, it’s the sexual attraction that makes making love feel so sexy. But when couples make love all the time and avoid having fast, quickie and furious sex, the hot rush of passion may start to drop because neither of the partners is focusing on sexual attractiveness and triggers.
It is not uncommon that both may be deeply in love with each other yet sexually unsatisfied due to lack of sexual attraction. Sometimes, this may even lead to loss of libido, lack of sexual desire, weak erection and some orgasms challenges.
You can still experience the best love making in sex and even stay loyal to each other while both of you exchange hot quick ideas and sexual thoughts while having sex.
Time of love making helps sexual romance to bloom; it gives room to communion well and also helps activate the mind while creating fantasies and imagination together. Spouses can even create new and exciting sexual memories.
Time of lovemaking is time of pure openness; it allows you to say what you are thinking and also makes you to talk like you’re having an affair. The sexiest way to talk freely with your partner is when you are most relaxed; it helps you to fantasise about passionate moments. In any successful relationship, couples need a perfect blending and balance of making love and having sex. So therefore, when a spouse feels like his or her partner is not emotionally connected in bed, that is not the moment to fret. At times, just having sex can be a good thing too, just as long as you look for ways to bring lovemaking back into the bedroom now and then. So, balance the equation; make love and have sex. The combination can be super.
Basically, making love is when two lovers are deeply in love with each other and indulge in all form of passionate sex, while having sex may just be about experiencing erotic pleasure down there. But oddly enough, both are very necessary in any marital relationship.
Almost always, ladies say they like making love simply because it involves lots of touching, long sensual foreplay and the like; while many men can’t help but say they like having sex. However, gender generalisation may really not be true because many men prefer love making to having sex.
Although, making love and having sex may sound similar, there’s a big emotional difference. While making love involves the feeling of love, the spouse connection, love doesn’t really have to enter the equation when it comes to having sex. When couples have been in a relationship with each other for few months or years and they are deeply attracted to each other, such partners are probably making sweet love every time both of them get into bed. Making love is far more relaxed and slow paced than just having sex. It brings with it all the hot pleasure of sex and each time these two emotions come together, the pleasure would definitely be more intensified. And the best part about making love is that there is more room for communication, deep sharing and prolonged foreplay. Both partners would not only be comfortable with each other, they will be aware of each other’s moves and deepest desires, that naturally may not surface when having sex. In one word, sex is just a perfect fusion.
But when it comes to having sex, sex is usually triggered off more from object of attraction, boiling arousal, sexual famishment, long abstinence, and prolonged denial. Foreplay is usually skipped; this type of sex is usually fast and furiously done in the car, under the shower, on a road trip, in a private office, at a friend’s place… anywhere secure and at least semi-comfortable! In this type of sex, you just want to have sex to quench your arousal-hunger and endless torture and you wouldn’t care about awkward positions or cramps and sprains until the deed is done. While having sex is more of a pure carnal satisfaction, yet both make sexual intimacy in marriage spicy.
Sometimes, just having sex with your husband or wife can be more fun than making love. At the start of a marital relationship, it’s the sexual attraction that makes making love feel so sexy. But when couples make love all the time and avoid having fast, quickie and furious sex, the hot rush of passion may start to drop because neither of the partners is focusing on sexual attractiveness and triggers.
It is not uncommon that both may be deeply in love with each other yet sexually unsatisfied due to lack of sexual attraction. Sometimes, this may even lead to loss of libido, lack of sexual desire, weak erection and some orgasms challenges.
You can still experience the best love making in sex and even stay loyal to each other while both of you exchange hot quick ideas and sexual thoughts while having sex.
Time of love making helps sexual romance to bloom; it gives room to communion well and also helps activate the mind while creating fantasies and imagination together. Spouses can even create new and exciting sexual memories.
Time of lovemaking is time of pure openness; it allows you to say what you are thinking and also makes you to talk like you’re having an affair. The sexiest way to talk freely with your partner is when you are most relaxed; it helps you to fantasise about passionate moments. In any successful relationship, couples need a perfect blending and balance of making love and having sex. So therefore, when a spouse feels like his or her partner is not emotionally connected in bed, that is not the moment to fret. At times, just having sex can be a good thing too, just as long as you look for ways to bring lovemaking back into the bedroom now and then. So, balance the equation; make love and have sex. The combination can be super.
Thursday, 29 May 2014
Why Android users pay more for data – NCC
The Nigerian Communications Commission says it is not turning a deaf ear to the lamentations of Nigerian users of Android smart phones and tablets over the high cost of data.
It notes that the differences in data allowance for Android and Blackberry users have been generating a lot of controversy among consumers of late.
The apex regulatory agency in the telecoms sector says it is still committed to protecting Nigerians against unfair practices by telecoms service providers in the country.
According to the NCC, Internet subscribers using BlackBerry smart phones pay far less than their counterparts making use of Android devices because BlackBerry Limited (Formerly Research in Motion) utilises a special algorithm to serve its users better.
Writing on its Facebook page, the NCC argues that BlackBerry indirectly subsidises bandwidth for its users by compressing the content downloaded by subscribers.
Unfortunately, the NCC adds, downloads and consumption was not compressed for Android phones. The result is that Internet surfing on such operating devices will require more bandwidth.
The NCC says, “The manufacturer of BlackBerry utilises a special compression algorithm to serve users of Blackberry handsets who have subscribed for the Blackberry Internet Service. Whenever such a subscriber browses the Internet and opens a webpage, a request is sent via the handset’s browser requesting for the page to be downloaded to the phone.
“This request is channelled to BlackBerry Limited’s gateway in Canada, which fetches the webpage, compresses it and sends the compressed data back to the BlackBerry phone as a download.
“On an Android phone, the request to open a webpage by telephone subscribers is sent to the gateway of the network operator, which then processes the information and sends back the page to the Android phone as a download. But the data is not compressed – thereby requiring more bandwidth.”
As a way out of the current predicament of Internet subscribers on Android devices, the NCC notes that there is a need to make bandwidth cheaper and more accessible for Nigerians. This, it argues, requires the successful implementation of the Broadband Roadmap of the Federal Government.
The Broadband Roadmap aims at achieving a fivefold increase in broadband penetration over the 2012 penetration rate by the end of 2017. Traditionally, broadband refers to high-speed communications networks that connects end-users at a data transfer speed greater than 256 Kbit/s.
In the Nigerian context, the Ministry of Communications Technology defines broadband as an Internet experience where the user can access the most demanding content in real time at a minimum speed of 1.5 Mbit/s.
Noting that bandwidth in Nigeria continues to be “an expensive resource,” the NCC blames the development on the dearth of wired infrastructure.
“Most data are transferred wirelessly. This is the reason why the NCC is promoting wired infrastructure around the country through such projects as WIN (Wire Nigeria) as well promoting a Broadband Roadmap for the country which will greatly reduce the cost of bandwidth, thereby reducing the cost of browsing the Internet on smart phones,” it explains.
The commission states that as the regulator responsible for promotion of fair competition in the communications industry, it will continue to protect consumers’ interests against anti-competitive and unfair practices.
Noting that the services of its Consumer Affairs Bureau are rendered free-of-charge, the commission explains that its offices across the country, alongside its online platforms, are available to receive complaints on telecoms services.
Dissatisfied consumers, the commission says, may lodge complaints by calling its Contact Centre toll-free number, 622, to present the facts of the matter for onward resolution.
Such details, it says, should include the name, address, phone number(s) and e-mail of the dissatisfied customer; a statement of the problem and the duration; as well as a brief explanation of the circumstances that led to the complaint and name of service provider.
“Telecoms consumers have the right to be informed, the right to safety, the right to choice, the right to be heard and the right to good quality of service. We protect the rights of Nigerian telecoms users by mediating between the consumer and the operators and protecting consumers against fraudulent and unscrupulous dealings,” the NCC says.
Copyright PUNCH.
It notes that the differences in data allowance for Android and Blackberry users have been generating a lot of controversy among consumers of late.
The apex regulatory agency in the telecoms sector says it is still committed to protecting Nigerians against unfair practices by telecoms service providers in the country.
According to the NCC, Internet subscribers using BlackBerry smart phones pay far less than their counterparts making use of Android devices because BlackBerry Limited (Formerly Research in Motion) utilises a special algorithm to serve its users better.
Writing on its Facebook page, the NCC argues that BlackBerry indirectly subsidises bandwidth for its users by compressing the content downloaded by subscribers.
Unfortunately, the NCC adds, downloads and consumption was not compressed for Android phones. The result is that Internet surfing on such operating devices will require more bandwidth.
The NCC says, “The manufacturer of BlackBerry utilises a special compression algorithm to serve users of Blackberry handsets who have subscribed for the Blackberry Internet Service. Whenever such a subscriber browses the Internet and opens a webpage, a request is sent via the handset’s browser requesting for the page to be downloaded to the phone.
“This request is channelled to BlackBerry Limited’s gateway in Canada, which fetches the webpage, compresses it and sends the compressed data back to the BlackBerry phone as a download.
“On an Android phone, the request to open a webpage by telephone subscribers is sent to the gateway of the network operator, which then processes the information and sends back the page to the Android phone as a download. But the data is not compressed – thereby requiring more bandwidth.”
As a way out of the current predicament of Internet subscribers on Android devices, the NCC notes that there is a need to make bandwidth cheaper and more accessible for Nigerians. This, it argues, requires the successful implementation of the Broadband Roadmap of the Federal Government.
The Broadband Roadmap aims at achieving a fivefold increase in broadband penetration over the 2012 penetration rate by the end of 2017. Traditionally, broadband refers to high-speed communications networks that connects end-users at a data transfer speed greater than 256 Kbit/s.
In the Nigerian context, the Ministry of Communications Technology defines broadband as an Internet experience where the user can access the most demanding content in real time at a minimum speed of 1.5 Mbit/s.
Noting that bandwidth in Nigeria continues to be “an expensive resource,” the NCC blames the development on the dearth of wired infrastructure.
“Most data are transferred wirelessly. This is the reason why the NCC is promoting wired infrastructure around the country through such projects as WIN (Wire Nigeria) as well promoting a Broadband Roadmap for the country which will greatly reduce the cost of bandwidth, thereby reducing the cost of browsing the Internet on smart phones,” it explains.
The commission states that as the regulator responsible for promotion of fair competition in the communications industry, it will continue to protect consumers’ interests against anti-competitive and unfair practices.
Noting that the services of its Consumer Affairs Bureau are rendered free-of-charge, the commission explains that its offices across the country, alongside its online platforms, are available to receive complaints on telecoms services.
Dissatisfied consumers, the commission says, may lodge complaints by calling its Contact Centre toll-free number, 622, to present the facts of the matter for onward resolution.
Such details, it says, should include the name, address, phone number(s) and e-mail of the dissatisfied customer; a statement of the problem and the duration; as well as a brief explanation of the circumstances that led to the complaint and name of service provider.
“Telecoms consumers have the right to be informed, the right to safety, the right to choice, the right to be heard and the right to good quality of service. We protect the rights of Nigerian telecoms users by mediating between the consumer and the operators and protecting consumers against fraudulent and unscrupulous dealings,” the NCC says.
Copyright PUNCH.
Tuesday, 27 May 2014
Scams every bank customer should know BY DEOLA KAYODE
Making money is not easy. It’s even harder if you have to work 5am to 9pm (though your employment letter said 9am to 5pm). It’s therefore devastating when you receive an alert saying you just withdrew some money from an Automated Teller Machine thousands of miles away from your place of abode.
This might have happened while you sat in your office with your ATM card carefully nested in your pocket. It was difficult to prove to the bank it wasn’t you since all the details were supplied to the banking payment system tallied with yours.
This was the story that prevailed when magnetic swipe cards became compromised and banking customers were being scammed.
Though the percentage of scams were reduced by 85 per cent through the introduction of the token-text authentication system and chip-pin cards, scammers have new systems to ensure you either make the payments or willingly ‘share’ your banking details.
With new technology comes a new set of crooks who seek to exploit the system as they are more knowledgeable than the average ATM card holder.
With technology getting more and more advanced, banks are outdoing each other in adding banking services that can be accessed across various platforms and applications.
Although banks are investing heavily in technology and cyber-security in order to beat the best of hackers, they also have to tackle customer ignorance. As with all types of frauds, the best way bank customers can counter this is to have more information and be fully aware of the possible dangers that lurk in cyberspace.
Here are the most common online banking scams that consumers should be aware of:
Advanced text fraud
This is one of the crude form of the advanced fee fraud. With the emergence of text messaging systems which allow users to send bulk SMS while customising the name of the sender, there have been reported cases of advanced text fraud. In this case, customers who base their business transactions on receiving alerts systems (email or text) from their banks can get duped easily.
Akin (not real name) is a car dealer who told a customer to go on and make payment at the bank while he waited patiently for a text message. No sooner had he received the text message from the ‘bank’ than he released the car only to realize later that the text message from the ‘bank’ was fake. He had clearly fallen victim of advanced text fraud.
While most bulk texting gateways are already taking precautions to vet messages before they go out, it is important for everyone to be suspicious enough to identify threats. This is especially so when you are conducting transactions that may expose you to risk, confirm payment independently from your account officer, your bank balance on your ATM, online banking channel or through systems created by the bank to help you confirm your transactions.
Stolen chips, cheap passwords
With the emergence of the chip and pin passwords, frauds need to have both your ATM and password to get anything done. Customers make this easy and simple by using obvious passwords like your date of birth. If your purse or bag gets stolen, chances are that your ATM will be close to your ID card and fraudsters looking for information like this might try that to see if they are lucky.
The best way to prevent this is to use more secure passwords. In case you lose your card, don’t wait till you begin to receive alerts, report to the bank immediately.
Phishing – Some ‘fake’ banks need your password to upgrade
Sounds like fishing, but it is actually used when an online scammer ‘fishes’ on the Internet for data from gullible users. While pretending to come from an original bank, they send out emails designed to lure you into revealing your banking/personal password, token pins or text codes which is then used to access your bank accounts online. Upgrading software and banking applications are not simple tasks; it can shut down entire banking operations so banks do not embark on it as often as those ‘we are upgrading’ emails suggest. While so many people know about this already, the fact that it is still being used means it is working for them. You receive an email purportedly from your bank requesting that you update your account information for a reason that sounds official. Click on the link directs you to the bank’s website but instead directs you to a cloned site which receives your data.
It doesn’t matter the phrase; “Verify your account”, “If you don’t respond within 24 hours, your account will be deleted”, “Click the link below to update your account information”, “Please provide your username and password”. No bank will need your password details to complete upgrade. Ignore any email requesting such. Avoid clicking on and avoid using public computers for personal banking transactions.
Withdraw at gun point
Since some are not that tech-savvy, the next thing to do is to waylay customers trying to use ATMs. This especially occurs at night when human traffic is low and risk of them being caught is very low. Another trend within the Nigerian space includes robbers who force their victims to go to an ATM to withdraw cash.
Use only bank ATM machines in well-lit, high-traffic areas. ATMs inside busy supermarkets are considered safer. Don’t use ATM machines that are remote or hidden, such as being located behind buildings, behind pillars, walls, or away from public view. Beware of obvious hiding places like shrubbery or overgrown trees.
Avoid ATMs where people are lurking around. Since you cannot return the money to the ATM, don’t waste time counting money at night.
Report to your bank’s watch-list
Most times when you receive those emails, most conscious customers already know this and they avoid trouble. However others still fall for the scam because they do not report it. When you spot a scam or phishing, report it to the bank immediately. This allows the bank to take the necessary actions that get the website blacklisted, banned or taken down.
All across the world the battle to secure online and technology transactions is becoming more complex and technical. We banking customers can also improve the banking system by taking the necessary precautions that makes your financial transactions secure
This might have happened while you sat in your office with your ATM card carefully nested in your pocket. It was difficult to prove to the bank it wasn’t you since all the details were supplied to the banking payment system tallied with yours.
This was the story that prevailed when magnetic swipe cards became compromised and banking customers were being scammed.
Though the percentage of scams were reduced by 85 per cent through the introduction of the token-text authentication system and chip-pin cards, scammers have new systems to ensure you either make the payments or willingly ‘share’ your banking details.
With new technology comes a new set of crooks who seek to exploit the system as they are more knowledgeable than the average ATM card holder.
With technology getting more and more advanced, banks are outdoing each other in adding banking services that can be accessed across various platforms and applications.
Although banks are investing heavily in technology and cyber-security in order to beat the best of hackers, they also have to tackle customer ignorance. As with all types of frauds, the best way bank customers can counter this is to have more information and be fully aware of the possible dangers that lurk in cyberspace.
Here are the most common online banking scams that consumers should be aware of:
Advanced text fraud
This is one of the crude form of the advanced fee fraud. With the emergence of text messaging systems which allow users to send bulk SMS while customising the name of the sender, there have been reported cases of advanced text fraud. In this case, customers who base their business transactions on receiving alerts systems (email or text) from their banks can get duped easily.
Akin (not real name) is a car dealer who told a customer to go on and make payment at the bank while he waited patiently for a text message. No sooner had he received the text message from the ‘bank’ than he released the car only to realize later that the text message from the ‘bank’ was fake. He had clearly fallen victim of advanced text fraud.
While most bulk texting gateways are already taking precautions to vet messages before they go out, it is important for everyone to be suspicious enough to identify threats. This is especially so when you are conducting transactions that may expose you to risk, confirm payment independently from your account officer, your bank balance on your ATM, online banking channel or through systems created by the bank to help you confirm your transactions.
Stolen chips, cheap passwords
With the emergence of the chip and pin passwords, frauds need to have both your ATM and password to get anything done. Customers make this easy and simple by using obvious passwords like your date of birth. If your purse or bag gets stolen, chances are that your ATM will be close to your ID card and fraudsters looking for information like this might try that to see if they are lucky.
The best way to prevent this is to use more secure passwords. In case you lose your card, don’t wait till you begin to receive alerts, report to the bank immediately.
Phishing – Some ‘fake’ banks need your password to upgrade
Sounds like fishing, but it is actually used when an online scammer ‘fishes’ on the Internet for data from gullible users. While pretending to come from an original bank, they send out emails designed to lure you into revealing your banking/personal password, token pins or text codes which is then used to access your bank accounts online. Upgrading software and banking applications are not simple tasks; it can shut down entire banking operations so banks do not embark on it as often as those ‘we are upgrading’ emails suggest. While so many people know about this already, the fact that it is still being used means it is working for them. You receive an email purportedly from your bank requesting that you update your account information for a reason that sounds official. Click on the link directs you to the bank’s website but instead directs you to a cloned site which receives your data.
It doesn’t matter the phrase; “Verify your account”, “If you don’t respond within 24 hours, your account will be deleted”, “Click the link below to update your account information”, “Please provide your username and password”. No bank will need your password details to complete upgrade. Ignore any email requesting such. Avoid clicking on and avoid using public computers for personal banking transactions.
Withdraw at gun point
Since some are not that tech-savvy, the next thing to do is to waylay customers trying to use ATMs. This especially occurs at night when human traffic is low and risk of them being caught is very low. Another trend within the Nigerian space includes robbers who force their victims to go to an ATM to withdraw cash.
Use only bank ATM machines in well-lit, high-traffic areas. ATMs inside busy supermarkets are considered safer. Don’t use ATM machines that are remote or hidden, such as being located behind buildings, behind pillars, walls, or away from public view. Beware of obvious hiding places like shrubbery or overgrown trees.
Avoid ATMs where people are lurking around. Since you cannot return the money to the ATM, don’t waste time counting money at night.
Report to your bank’s watch-list
Most times when you receive those emails, most conscious customers already know this and they avoid trouble. However others still fall for the scam because they do not report it. When you spot a scam or phishing, report it to the bank immediately. This allows the bank to take the necessary actions that get the website blacklisted, banned or taken down.
All across the world the battle to secure online and technology transactions is becoming more complex and technical. We banking customers can also improve the banking system by taking the necessary precautions that makes your financial transactions secure
Monday, 26 May 2014
The making of Boko Haram BY TOLU OGUNLESI
How the failings of the Nigerian state, over the years, have conspired to create the conditions for the transformation of Boko Haram from just one of several fundamentalist sects in Northern Nigeria, into the irredeemably violent organisation it is today; one that now appears to lie well beyond the capacity of the country to confront and defeat.
The turning point in the drawn-out evolution of Boko Haram was the 2009 killing, under police custody, of the sect’s founder, Yusuf Muhammed, hours after soldiers arrested and handed him over. His capture followed five days of clashes between sect members and the military, ordered in by President Umaru Yar’Adua when it became clear that the police could not contain it.
If the authorities got any warnings – and there are suggestions they did – nothing pre-emptive was done, until the sect struck. Five years after the events of July 2009, not much seems to have changed; regarding the abduction of more than 200 schoolgirls in Chibok. Amnesty International says: “Nigerian security forces knew about Boko Haram’s impending raid, but failed to take the immediate action needed to stop it.”
In February, the Governor of Borno State, Kashim Shettima, told journalists that, “Boko Haram (insurgents) are better armed and are better motivated than our own troops.” The recent mutiny by soldiers on the frontlines against Boko Haram provides strong evidence of the level of frustration within the military. A culture of corruption deprives fighting personnel of weapons, equipment and welfare, resulting in a demoralised force. Rumours abound of Nigerian soldiers stealing and selling arms to criminals.
There have also been suggestions that Nigeria’s military bosses are interested in preserving the stalemate with Boko Haram to justify the continued allocation of billions of dollars to security in the federal budget.
The first violent uprising associated with the sect that has come to be known as Boko Haram, took place in December 2003. About 200 armed youths who styled themselves Al Sunna Wal Jamma (“Followers of the Prophet”) attacked police stations in two border towns in Yobe State, near Nigeria’s border with Chad. The attack on the police stations is now believed to have been in retaliation for what the sect perceived as maltreatment of its members by the police.
For six years, there were no other attacks on the scale of the 2003 uprisings. And then the events of July 2009 took place, in which the sect launched a series of brazen, coordinated attacks on police stations and government buildings in four states, in retaliation for an encounter weeks earlier with a team of “Operation Flush”, a special security unit under the control of then Governor Ali Modu Sherriff.
That earlier incident, in which sect members were reportedly challenged by “Operation Flush” operatives for defying a state law and riding motorcycles without helmets, took place in June 2009, and resulted in gunshot injuries to several sect members. After that incident, Yusuf reportedly wrote and circulated an “Open letter” to President Yar’Adua, threatening violence (a vow that was fulfilled weeks later).
The deaths of Yusuf, his father-in-law (who provided the land on which his mosque in Maiduguri was built), and alleged financier, Buji Foi, all in controversial circumstances at the hands of the police, and after the violence had already subsided, marked the beginning of a new phase of the campaign waged by Boko Haram. (Also, at that time, the local media reported that Muslim men in Maiduguri were shaving their beards to avoid being rounded up for summary execution by the military).
In an audio message released to the media in April 2013, following reports that the government was planning to extend amnesty to repentant militants, sect leader, Abu Shekau, was reported as saying: “We are the ones to grant them pardon. Have you forgotten their atrocities against us?”
Human rights groups have continued to document accounts of abuses perpetrated by the Nigerian military, which end up alienating local communities and further radicalising Boko Haram sympathisers.
Yusuf’s charismatic preaching and his philanthropy quickly ensured that he was in control of a large and deeply devoted youth population, drawn to his attacks on Western education and on a decadent political system whose legacy was corruption and poverty. Multitudes left their families or quit education to follow him. And these were not always poor youths; it has been reported that many of his followers were from wealthy families.
With this youth army, it is easy to see the attraction it held for politicians on a desperate quest to gain or retain political office. It is a pattern across Nigeria that politicians cultivate, for the purposes of winning elections, armies of youths whose job it is to intimidate opponents, and create the kind of chaos that makes rigging easy on election days. These political links may explain the initial reluctance to decisively deal with the issue of Boko Haram in its early days.
Today, Nigeria’s main political parties continue to exploit Boko Haram for their own ends, by using it as a basis for trading accusations aimed at undermining opponents. The ruling Peoples Democratic Party and the President’s advisers have long struggled to portray the opposition All Progressives Congress as a Nigerian version “Muslim Brotherhood” or “Janjaweed” bent on “Islamising” Nigeria, while the APC suspects that the reluctance of the Federal Government to clamp down decisively on the insurgency is connected to its plan to keep the region – an APC stronghold – unstable and undermine chances of elections holding there in 2015.
Amid the frenzy of baseless accusations and counter-accusations, the protection of hapless citizens, like the Chibok schoolgirls, is not a priority.
One noticeable trend in Nigeria from the early 2000s is the proliferation of arms in the country, smuggled in across Nigeria’s porous 4,000-mile-stretch of borders with Benin, Niger, Chad and Cameroon.
In response, President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2005 set up a Presidential Action Committee on Control of Violent Crimes and Illegal Weapons, which reportedly raised fears that extremist sects were gaining ground in the country. There is no evidence any action was taken at that time, to address what were very credible threats.
It is now also known that funds have flowed into Northern Nigeria from abroad, to support an array of disruptive Muslim sects, since the turn of the century. Writing in 2011, Mai Yamani, author of Cradle of Islam noted, “Despite the decade of the West’s war on terror, and Saudi Arabia’s longer-term alliance with the US, the Kingdom’s Wahhabi religious establishment has continued to bankroll Islamic extremist ideologies around the world.”
In 2002, a Nigerian associate of Osama bin Laden reportedly received N300m ($3m at that time) from him to donate to several Islamist sects across Northern Nigeria, including Boko Haram. Bin Laden had himself broadcast a message around that time in which he cited Nigeria as one of six countries “ready for liberation.”
This is a condensed version of a piece that will appear in full shortly.
Follow me on Twitter @toluogunlesi
The turning point in the drawn-out evolution of Boko Haram was the 2009 killing, under police custody, of the sect’s founder, Yusuf Muhammed, hours after soldiers arrested and handed him over. His capture followed five days of clashes between sect members and the military, ordered in by President Umaru Yar’Adua when it became clear that the police could not contain it.
If the authorities got any warnings – and there are suggestions they did – nothing pre-emptive was done, until the sect struck. Five years after the events of July 2009, not much seems to have changed; regarding the abduction of more than 200 schoolgirls in Chibok. Amnesty International says: “Nigerian security forces knew about Boko Haram’s impending raid, but failed to take the immediate action needed to stop it.”
In February, the Governor of Borno State, Kashim Shettima, told journalists that, “Boko Haram (insurgents) are better armed and are better motivated than our own troops.” The recent mutiny by soldiers on the frontlines against Boko Haram provides strong evidence of the level of frustration within the military. A culture of corruption deprives fighting personnel of weapons, equipment and welfare, resulting in a demoralised force. Rumours abound of Nigerian soldiers stealing and selling arms to criminals.
There have also been suggestions that Nigeria’s military bosses are interested in preserving the stalemate with Boko Haram to justify the continued allocation of billions of dollars to security in the federal budget.
The first violent uprising associated with the sect that has come to be known as Boko Haram, took place in December 2003. About 200 armed youths who styled themselves Al Sunna Wal Jamma (“Followers of the Prophet”) attacked police stations in two border towns in Yobe State, near Nigeria’s border with Chad. The attack on the police stations is now believed to have been in retaliation for what the sect perceived as maltreatment of its members by the police.
For six years, there were no other attacks on the scale of the 2003 uprisings. And then the events of July 2009 took place, in which the sect launched a series of brazen, coordinated attacks on police stations and government buildings in four states, in retaliation for an encounter weeks earlier with a team of “Operation Flush”, a special security unit under the control of then Governor Ali Modu Sherriff.
That earlier incident, in which sect members were reportedly challenged by “Operation Flush” operatives for defying a state law and riding motorcycles without helmets, took place in June 2009, and resulted in gunshot injuries to several sect members. After that incident, Yusuf reportedly wrote and circulated an “Open letter” to President Yar’Adua, threatening violence (a vow that was fulfilled weeks later).
The deaths of Yusuf, his father-in-law (who provided the land on which his mosque in Maiduguri was built), and alleged financier, Buji Foi, all in controversial circumstances at the hands of the police, and after the violence had already subsided, marked the beginning of a new phase of the campaign waged by Boko Haram. (Also, at that time, the local media reported that Muslim men in Maiduguri were shaving their beards to avoid being rounded up for summary execution by the military).
In an audio message released to the media in April 2013, following reports that the government was planning to extend amnesty to repentant militants, sect leader, Abu Shekau, was reported as saying: “We are the ones to grant them pardon. Have you forgotten their atrocities against us?”
Human rights groups have continued to document accounts of abuses perpetrated by the Nigerian military, which end up alienating local communities and further radicalising Boko Haram sympathisers.
Yusuf’s charismatic preaching and his philanthropy quickly ensured that he was in control of a large and deeply devoted youth population, drawn to his attacks on Western education and on a decadent political system whose legacy was corruption and poverty. Multitudes left their families or quit education to follow him. And these were not always poor youths; it has been reported that many of his followers were from wealthy families.
With this youth army, it is easy to see the attraction it held for politicians on a desperate quest to gain or retain political office. It is a pattern across Nigeria that politicians cultivate, for the purposes of winning elections, armies of youths whose job it is to intimidate opponents, and create the kind of chaos that makes rigging easy on election days. These political links may explain the initial reluctance to decisively deal with the issue of Boko Haram in its early days.
Today, Nigeria’s main political parties continue to exploit Boko Haram for their own ends, by using it as a basis for trading accusations aimed at undermining opponents. The ruling Peoples Democratic Party and the President’s advisers have long struggled to portray the opposition All Progressives Congress as a Nigerian version “Muslim Brotherhood” or “Janjaweed” bent on “Islamising” Nigeria, while the APC suspects that the reluctance of the Federal Government to clamp down decisively on the insurgency is connected to its plan to keep the region – an APC stronghold – unstable and undermine chances of elections holding there in 2015.
Amid the frenzy of baseless accusations and counter-accusations, the protection of hapless citizens, like the Chibok schoolgirls, is not a priority.
One noticeable trend in Nigeria from the early 2000s is the proliferation of arms in the country, smuggled in across Nigeria’s porous 4,000-mile-stretch of borders with Benin, Niger, Chad and Cameroon.
In response, President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2005 set up a Presidential Action Committee on Control of Violent Crimes and Illegal Weapons, which reportedly raised fears that extremist sects were gaining ground in the country. There is no evidence any action was taken at that time, to address what were very credible threats.
It is now also known that funds have flowed into Northern Nigeria from abroad, to support an array of disruptive Muslim sects, since the turn of the century. Writing in 2011, Mai Yamani, author of Cradle of Islam noted, “Despite the decade of the West’s war on terror, and Saudi Arabia’s longer-term alliance with the US, the Kingdom’s Wahhabi religious establishment has continued to bankroll Islamic extremist ideologies around the world.”
In 2002, a Nigerian associate of Osama bin Laden reportedly received N300m ($3m at that time) from him to donate to several Islamist sects across Northern Nigeria, including Boko Haram. Bin Laden had himself broadcast a message around that time in which he cited Nigeria as one of six countries “ready for liberation.”
This is a condensed version of a piece that will appear in full shortly.
Follow me on Twitter @toluogunlesi
Saturday, 24 May 2014
Pastor’s Attempt to “Duplicate” Boko Haram In Osun State Flops, Culprits Arrested
The little town of Ikonifin in Ola Oluwa Local government area of Osun State was thrown into an uproar when a church leader’s, Pastor Olatoke’s, ploy to “duplicate” Boko Haram in the vicinity was foiled by some sprightly youths. The ploy would have placed Muslims living in Ikonifin in a very sore light if the attempt by Pastor Olatoke was successful.
The pastor of the Baptist church Ikonifin, who is also the CAN President of Ola Oluwa Local Government, was reported to have conspired with three members of his church, Emmanuel Atanda, Peter Oyedepo and Ogunniyi Babatope to dress like Boko Haram militants and use turban to cover their faces.
When it was around 11-12pm on Sunday, 18th May, 2014, during the church services, the three men stormed the church premises and started throwing knockouts to scare church members away.
Consequent upon this development, the worshippers took to their heels, running helter-skelter for their precious lives. Many were injured in the process. Fortunately, those men were arrested when they were trying to escape with their motorcycle by some agile youths of the community.
During the ensuing severe torture before the arrival of the police, the fake “Boko Haramites” revealed that they are members of the Baptist Church and that it was a planned deal with their pastor.
When the pastor was consulted he said it was just a drama.
The Christian Association reportedly did all possible best to bury the case but it failed as the exploit eventually leaked to the media.
Sheikh Daood Imran Molaasan, the Founder and National President of Jama’at Ta’awunil Muslimeen has called on the state government to bring the perpetrators of such malicious crime to book.
“To bury such a case, is a crime against Muslims because if the plan was successful, Muslims would have been in danger. It’s unjust until the perpetrators are brought to book; and CAN should be warned that any conspiracy against Muslims or attempt to destabilize the State of Osun will be their end, In- Sha- Allah ” he warned.
Professor O.O Ladipo also called on the state government to arrest the pastor who intended to launch Boko Haram in the State of Osun with the aim of putting Muslims in danger.
The pastor of the Baptist church Ikonifin, who is also the CAN President of Ola Oluwa Local Government, was reported to have conspired with three members of his church, Emmanuel Atanda, Peter Oyedepo and Ogunniyi Babatope to dress like Boko Haram militants and use turban to cover their faces.
When it was around 11-12pm on Sunday, 18th May, 2014, during the church services, the three men stormed the church premises and started throwing knockouts to scare church members away.
Consequent upon this development, the worshippers took to their heels, running helter-skelter for their precious lives. Many were injured in the process. Fortunately, those men were arrested when they were trying to escape with their motorcycle by some agile youths of the community.
During the ensuing severe torture before the arrival of the police, the fake “Boko Haramites” revealed that they are members of the Baptist Church and that it was a planned deal with their pastor.
When the pastor was consulted he said it was just a drama.
The Christian Association reportedly did all possible best to bury the case but it failed as the exploit eventually leaked to the media.
Sheikh Daood Imran Molaasan, the Founder and National President of Jama’at Ta’awunil Muslimeen has called on the state government to bring the perpetrators of such malicious crime to book.
“To bury such a case, is a crime against Muslims because if the plan was successful, Muslims would have been in danger. It’s unjust until the perpetrators are brought to book; and CAN should be warned that any conspiracy against Muslims or attempt to destabilize the State of Osun will be their end, In- Sha- Allah ” he warned.
Professor O.O Ladipo also called on the state government to arrest the pastor who intended to launch Boko Haram in the State of Osun with the aim of putting Muslims in danger.
Antidote for clumsy sex (II) BY FUNMI AKINGBADE
Every husband wants to taste the extra packaging that comes along with well-arranged sex. The aroma of a hygienic, dirt-free vagina fluid is one of the erotic sexual power for many husbands. So keep your vagina inviting, captivating, appealing, tempting and enticing always.
Husbands should know that the woman’s surest gateway to a good sex is through 100 per cent carefulness and tenderness. And when you ignore it, you are cutting real first-class sex out of the relationship. And what most wives want in bed is a man who is not clumsy; someone who knows how to control the timing of his ejaculation while love play is on, so that both spouses will get the maximum pleasure from sex. The longer a husband lasts, the deeper his climax, the sweeter the sex for his wife. Wives by nature need time to be fully aroused whereas husbands get aroused almost immediately. Besides, 87 per cent of women do not climax through penetrative sex alone. Most need some form of extra stimuli, massaging and clitoral caresses. All these help to build a woman’s excitement level before thrusting and prevent clumsiness because the average woman needs around 20 to 28 minutes of connection.
One major reason many wives are not active sexually is that their anticipated sexual escapade is frustrated, cut short and curtailed by their husbands’ inability to control their ejaculation timing. If there is anything that is most clumsy for women, it is this singular act. Remarkably, this can easily be achieved; it is so easy to develop complete self-control to the extent that any husband can actually choose when to ejaculate during sex. When you have this level of control, your sexual self-confidence will be so high that you can confidently satisfy your wife in bed any time.
Most wives love the inner part of their vagina to be caressed with their husbands’ fingers. So, for a supercharged experience, experts recommend the fingering of the vagina or sucking of the nipples [about 1 per cent of women can reach orgasm from breast stimulation alone] and the clitoris which can keep your wife moaning with delight. The husband should fondle his wife’s labia for at least five minutes before touching her clitoris.
So while caressing your wife, it must not be done clumsily in a rush. It is advisable for the wife to take a comfortable position with legs wide apart so that her husband will be able to gently play with her genitals. Sometimes just touching a wife’s breast is enough to bring her to orgasm while other women are almost totally unresponsive. Therefore, husband, if your wife seems indifferent to your advances, there’s no point insisting. It is better to try to discover her other erogenous zones. In addition, wives should not feel guilty if they do not enjoy breast play. Remember it is not unusual and things can change.
Breasts should be handled with care for guaranteed pleasure. Majority of wives love having their breasts fondled. However, there is one important rule: be gentle and handle them with care. Only few wives enjoy having their breasts pinched, or manhandled. Many wives experience strong erotic pleasure having their breasts fondled during foreplay but they often complain that their spouses pay them insufficient attention either because they are in a hurry or are clumsy. There are countless ways to enjoy breasts foreplay! Using your fingertips, trace first the outline of her breast and then the areola. Pressing against the nipple and areola with the tip of your tongue often triggers a strong sexual response. Then you can do whatever you like! You can suck on the nipple, lick the breasts sensually or fondle both breasts at the same time. A drip of honey trickled over the breasts in a cool air-conditioned room can spice things up and really whet your appetite. Breasts are a symbol of femininity and wives love their men to admire their breasts. So, a few well-chosen compliments will not do any harm and should help produce the desired effect.
Try to avoid too much fondling during the build-up to her period as breasts can become heavy and painful at this time. Some husbands may fantasise about a “pearl necklace” sex. This involves the stimulation of the penis by the breasts. Most wives are not aware of this or how to carry it out but with a little practice, it can be a highly erotic sexual act. Men’s nipples are generally considered less sensitive than women’s. However, it is still best to caress them gently, with either your finger or tongue and be prepared to stop if your husband does not seem to enjoy it. On the other hand, a man’s chest is much more sensitive than a woman’s, particularly the ridge defining the bottom of the pectoral muscles. Kiss your husband repeatedly in this area, tickle him gently with your tongue, caress him with your fingertips or lightly scratch him. He may be surprised to discover just how sensitive his chest is!
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