Multichoice On Xenophobia: Attacks On Foreigners Are Against Africa’s Unity

MultiChoice Africa, a multinational video entertainment company,
has condemned the attacks on foreign nationals in South Africa.

On Sunday, three people were reported killed and property
destroyed in an attack on foreign nationals in the country,
including those owned by Nigerians.

The latest attack on Nigerians has sparked nationwide outrage
with the federal government summoning Bobby Moroe, South Africa’s
high commissioner to Nigeria.

In a statement, John Ugbe, chief executive officer of
MultiChoice, condemned the attack on foreigners in South Africa,
saying it is against the decades of the work done by African
leaders to unite the continent.

He urged customers of MultiChoice and stakeholders to shun
violence, saying it is committed to uniting Africans through its
programming and cultural initiatives.

“We advocate equality and condemn all forms of discrimination.
The ongoing violence in South Africa against foreign nationals is
against the spirit of Africa and counter-productive to the decades
of work done by African leaders and well-meaning organisations to
unite the continent,” the statement read.

“We embrace and celebrate the diversity of varied nationalities,
traditions, cultures, and religions from across the continent and
beyond.

“This is demonstrated through our multinational staff
complement, our multicultural supply chain, as well as the local
and international content that we showcase on both our DSTV and
GOtv platforms.

“We believe Africa’s full potential can only be realised through
dialogue, peace, and unity.

“This is a sombre period for every African on the continent and
beyond, and we urge all our customers, followers, and stakeholders
to shun violence.”

EFCC Nabs Facebook Hackers in Uyo, Recovers N423mn in
Abuja

EFCC Nabs 6 Facebook Hackers in Uyo
The Uyo Zonal Office of the Eonomic and Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC), on Monday September 2, 2019, arrested six suspected
internet fraudsters, who specialize in hacking into Facebook
accounts of unsuspecting victims and defraud persons in the
compromised accounts’ contact list.

They were arrested in a two-bedroom apartment, located on No. 54
Church Road, Off Calabar Itu Expressway, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State,
following intelligence report on their nefarious activities.
The all-male suspects are: Lawrence Nnamdi-Mba Ebesike; Prince E.
Udeh; Chijioke Victor; Promise Odimba; Ugbor Ifeanyi and Prince
Anthony, all within 22 and 29 years age bracket.

During interrogation, the suspects said the apartment which
serve as their home and office was rented by their leader, Ebesike.
They stated that they have only made about $4,000,00 (Four thousand
United States Dollars) from cyber fraud.

Ebesike who claimed to be a musician with the stage name “Lawre
Blue” confessed to the crime and gave a detailed account of how
they carry out their operations on Facebook.

“I am into internet fraud. Part of how I operate is that I edit
Facebook accounts, go to Google and search for pictures of United
State military personnel. I download some of these pictures and put
them on my fake Facebook accounts. After doing that, I target
foreigners, mostly old white women who are in need of men. I stay
online all day trying to befriend them. After convincing them, I
will make them apply for my leave so that I can see them,” Ebesike
confessed.

He further revealed that the syndicate has a US-based partner,
named Benjamin Best, whom he said provides them with the account
where their victims make payments into.

“After convincing my victims, Benjamin will provide an account
for me to give them to pay the money into. He usually takes his
commission before sending mine to me,” he said.

Ifeanyi, who was caught inside a wardrobe with his laptop is an
undergraduate of Abia State University, said he was introduced to
Ebesike by Udeh, who is one of the arrested suspects.

According to Ifeanyi, “After hacking a Facebook account, I edit
it to a white military man’s account and start adding many white
women and gradually make them fall in love with me.

“After two weeks, I will tell them to apply for a vacation for
me so that I can leave the camp and visit them. I also make them
send me money. I have hacked one A. Harifat’s account and
impersonated one T. Jesus,” he said.

Udeh, Victor, Odimba and Anthony equally gave similar accounts
and that they were all trained by Ebesike. Anthony was caught while
attempting to hide his laptop in the water cistern of their
toilet.

Items recovered from them are: six laptops, 12 sophisticated
mobile phones, one International Passport, four Airtel Sim packs,
three MTN Sim packs, two Glo Sim packs and one Smile router and two
internet modems.

They will be charged to court as soon as investigations are
concluded.

Wilson Uwujaren
Head, Media and Publicity
………………..

EFCC Abuja Office Recovers N423, 006,987.92; $39,253; €2,330
….Suspect on FBI list awaiting arraignment

The Abuja Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC) has recovered the sum of Four hundred and twenty
three million, six thousand nine hundred and eighty seven naira,
ninety two kobo (N423, 006,987.92); Thirty nine thousand, two
hundred and fifty three US dollars ($39,253); Two thousand, three
hundred and thirty thousand euro (€2330) between January and August
2019.

This was disclosed by the Acting Chairman of the Commission,
Ibrahim Mustapha Magu who spoke through the Head of the Abuja
Office, Aminu Ado Aliyu, at a press briefing in Abuja today,
September 3, 2019.

Aliyu disclosed that the zone was also focusing on cybercrime
through intelligence gathering and collaboration with other
agencies across the world. “Prior to the release of the FBI list,
we had in collaboration with the FBI, cases under investigation of
which 2 suspects indicted in the list released by the FBI are in
our custody. On the other hand, another suspect on the list is
being investigated independently on a different case and his case
is pending arraignment”.

Two of the suspects, Chika Augustine and Godspower Nwachukwu,
were arrested in Abuja and $35,000 has been recovered from one of
them ( Chika Augustine).

The Zonal Head disclosed that 33 convictions have been secured
from January 2019 till date; 293 arrests have made and over 465
cases are currently under investigation.

He further warned that the modus operandi of these criminals
include and not limited to Love scams, Email Phishing, Identity
theft and Fraudulent Bitcoin and crypto currency sales.

Aminu also cautioned the public against the prevalence of
Fraudulent Bitcoin sales seeing that it is on the rise.

Wilson Uwujaren
Head, Media and Publicity