The Senator representing Kogi Central senatorial district, Senator Natasha Akpoti – Uduaghan has sponsored a motion in the Senate, asking the federal government of Nigeria to immortalise late Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, Alhaji, Dr. Ado Ibrahim by naming the Federal College of Education (FCE), Okene after him.
In moving the motion today, November 8, Senator Natasha briefed her colleagues on the demise of Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, Dr. Abdulrahman Ado Ibrahim, on Sunday, 29th October, 2023 at an Abuja Hospital at the age of 94.
She said that the late King, who until he became Ohinoyi on June 2, 1997, was an industrialist of international repute, succeeded Ohinoyi Sanni Omolori who died in 1996 after being on the throne for 40 years and 40 days.
Late Ado Ibrahim, according to Senator Natasha, was one of the sons of the first paramount ruler of Ebiraland, late Ibrahim Onoruoiza.
In the motion, Senator Natasha described late Ohinoyi Ado Ibrahim as a bridge-builder, peacemaker and a social scientist who was more at home with analysis and actions.
She told the Senate that the late paramount ruler of Ebiraland, until his death, always dismissed the acrimonious exchanges between the contending parties in the overall political contestation of Ebiraland.
“Even when the Supreme Court in August 2015 affirmed his appointment as the Paramount Traditional Ruler of Ebira people, he chose
to remain magnanimous in victory.
“Recalls that since he ascended the throne on 2nd June, 1997 as Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, His Royal Majesty proved to be a veritable bridge-builder, peacemaker and a social scientist who was more at home with analysis and actions.
“In several private conversations with illustrious sons of Ebira, he always dismissed the acrimonious exchanges between the contending parties in the overall political contestation of Ebira land.”
Senator Natasha described the demise of Ohinoyi Ado Ibrahim as a great loss to his family, the people of Ebiraland, Kogi State and Nigeria in general.
She said that the late Ohinoyi Ado Ibrahim will be remembered for his vast business empire, which provided employment opportunities to several thousands of Nigerians.
She requested the senate to observe a minute silence in honour of the late king, send a letter to commiserate with the family and the good people of Ebiraland and that the federal government of Nigeria should immortalize him by naming the Federal College of Education Okene after him.

Publisher and Editor of Realnews magazine, Maureen Chigbo, has expressed worry over Nigeria’s annual loss of $18 billion to illicit financial flows (IFF), through the banking sector, despite the efforts of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and other regulating institutions in the sector.
Speaking at the Realnews 11th Anniversary Lecture yesterday, November 7, in Lagos, Chigbo, who is also the President of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP), said that Nigeria is one of the 23 countries that have been tagged as non-co-operative in the combined efforts to fight money laundering globally, since its establishment in 2003.
According to her, Realnews has developed zero tolerance to the Threats of Illicit funds flow to the African Economy.
This, she sai, has caused “our deep concern about the nefarious effect of illicit funds flow on the economy, resulting in dwindling revenue for Africa governments.”
Chigbo recalled that the executive director, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, (CISLAC), Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, on October 22, painted a gory picture of impact of illicit funds flow.
She quoted him as saying that Nigeria lost $18 billion yearly to illicit financial flows (IFFs) through the banking sector despite the effort of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and other regulating institution in the sector to curb it.
“Rafsanjani also the head of Transparency International (TI) Nigeria said that Nigeria was one of the 23 countries ranked as non-co-operative in the combined efforts to fight money laundering globally, since its establishment in 2003.
“According to Rafsanjani, The banking sector has been largely implicated in money laundering where they have been instrumental in the initial entry or placement phase that involves the initial movement of an amount of money earned from criminal activity into some legitimate financial network or institution.”
Chigbo said that this illicit act embedded into a legal trade has pervaded both the national and international business and banking industry with unabated vigor. She said that Rafsanjani is of the view that adequate measures is needed to sanitize the nation’s financial system by helping to prevent money laundering and illicit financial flows (IFFs) through which terrorism is largely funded, to effectively tax bank executives, and to expose illegal financial transactions by full disclosures.
Maureen Chigbo said that the anniversary lecture series is one way Realnews contributes to nation-building and development by providing a forum for policy change-oriented discussions by professionals, scholars, technocrats and decision-makers on the way forward for our great nation and Africa in general.
According to her, the lecture series since 2014 have focused on elections, economy, security, challenges of Leadership in Africa, Africa’s political transitions oil and gas, unfolding integration of the African Market, and drug abuse among youths in Africa.
“Based on these facts, we began a search for the best brain to deal with the theme.
“We narrowed it down on our Guest Lecturer today, because of his pedigree. I have no doubt that he will do justice to the topic of this lecture.
“We have also a carefully selected panel of discussants with relevant expertise, knowledge and experience to shed more lights on the topic,” she said.
Chigbo appealed to her colleagues to ensure that the message from the lecture today is heard in Africa and beyond, assuring that Realnews will ensure that it will do its part by giving the widest publicity to this important lecture and the discussions.
“Realnews boasts a crop of seasoned journalists who believe strongly in the tenets and ethics of the profession. We are convinced that journalism as the Fourth Estate of the Realm can contribute to building a free, fair and just society where fundamental human rights are respected and where citizens enjoy the freedom to pursue their interests without let or hindrance. Our motto at Realnews is: “For God and Humanity”, she added.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has announced that some candidates in the November 11 Governship election in Imo, Kogi and Bayelsa States did not submit their agents at the end of the deadline it gave them.
In a statement today, November 8, the INEC’s National Commissioner & Chairman
Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun said that the detailed breakdown shows that not all the parties nominated agents for the polling and collation centres across the States.

“Indeed, some political parties have no polling unit or collation agents in some States despite having candidates in the election.”
He said that a publication that contains infographic summary of registered voters and Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) has since been distributed to Local Government Areas, including the distribution of registered voters by gender, age group, occupation and disability.
“The publication also includes the list of candidates and detailed information on the two polling units in Bayelsa and 38 in Imo State without registered voters.
“The Commission has repeatedly said that elections will not hold in these polling units. No materials have been produced for these locations and no officials will be deployed to them.”
Sam Olumekun said that 16 political parties are sponsoring candidates for the election in Bayelsa State and 18 in both Imo and Kogi States.
“The elections will be held in 10,470 polling units (excluding the 40 polling units without registered voters).
“Each political party is expected to nominate polling agents for all the polling units as well as 649 Ward, 56 LGA and three State collation centres.
“However, at the close of the deadline for uploading the list of agents to the INEC dedicated portal by political parties, 34,704 agents were uploaded for Bayelsa State, 65,274 for Imo State and 37,995 for Kogi State, making a total of 137,973 polling and collation agents for the three States.
“The information booklet as well as the comprehensive summary of the agents and their distribution by polling units as well the Ward, LGA and State collation centres have been uploaded to our website and social media platforms for public information.”

The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Aminu Maida has stressed the critical role the ICT is playing in efforts to combat financial crimes in Nigeria and the world.
“Continued investment in ICT solutions, as well as a multidisciplinary and multi-stakeholder strategy, combining technology specialists, legal professionals, and legislators, are critical in keeping up with emerging criminal methods.”
Dr. Maida, who delivered a keynote address at the annual Realnews Magazines Lecture in Lagos today, November 7, stressed that ICT plays a critical role in combating financial crimes by enabling real-time surveillance, regulatory compliance, and secure data processing.
“It provides advanced analytics, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning to law enforcement organizations for better crime detection. “Furthermore, hard technologies such as CCTV cameras and security systems supplement physical security measures.”
He said that as technology advances, new avenues for illegal conduct emerges, adding that cybercrime, deepfakes, and the exploitation of IoT devices all represent substantial concerns.
“It is critical to strike a balance between using ICT to prevent crime and protecting data privacy. “Collaboration and international cooperation are required to effectively tackle financial crime. “Financial crimes frequently cross borders, necessitating a collaborative effort by States to track down and capture culprits.
“Conferences/lectures such as the Realnews Magazines Lecture Series allow worldwide stakeholders to share knowledge and best practices.
“Public education and understanding of internet safety are also important in limiting the risks linked with the spread of criminality via technology.”
Full text of the speech is reproduced hereunder:
I am delighted to be in your midst today, and most especially, to discuss this topic which has become very important in our ecosystem: The Use of ICT in Curbing Financial Crimes.
Financial crimes refer to criminal activities that involve transactions, abuse, misuse, deception, or manipulation of financial systems for personal gain. They include a wide range of offenses such as Insider abuse, Money Laundering, Terrorism Financing, Proliferation Financing, embezzlement, Fraud (E-fraud, Banking, securities, corporate, Intellectual Property) etc. These crimes do not only have a huge economic and social impact but can also be linked to violent crimes that lead to loss of lives. These crimes threaten the integrity, trustworthiness, stability, security, safety, and future of an entity (Country, enterprise, individual).
With the increasing adoption of digital technologies, the emergence of new technologies, and the often-transnational nature of these crimes, the scope of financial crimes has broadened and created further concerns.
The Role of ICT in Curbing Financial Crimes
Robust information and communication technology (ICT) systems are critical for preventing/investigating financial crimes or mitigating the risks associated with virtual assets in financial markets. These systems facilitate compliance with established standards or regulations, they also provide a platform that allows the monitoring, tracing, and analyzing of digital transactions in real-time. ICT systems support secure data storage and encryption technologies, which are critical for safeguarding sensitive financial data.
Technological advancements have significantly aided crime prevention and law enforcement agency performance. Large datasets have been analyzed using advanced data analytics, artificial intelligence, and machine learning algorithms to look for trends that indicate criminal activity. Based on historical data and real-time intelligence, predictive police programs have arisen to foresee and prevent crimes. Digital forensics techniques have also proven useful in criminal investigations.
Historically, a variety of legacy technologies have been used to combat crime; however, in more recent times, novel computer softwares and hardwares are being utilized to monitor individual transactions and communications for suspicious activity. For instance, anti-money laundering (AML) software uses algorithms to detect anomalous patterns in financial transactions that could suggest money laundering or other illegal activity. Law enforcement agencies are increasingly employing communication monitoring softwares to follow and analyze digital communications, such as emails, social media interactions, and instant messaging, in order to discover potential threats or illegal behaviour. These technologies improve the ability to detect and prevent illegal digital activity.
Nigeria’s telecoms sector has grown significantly, resulting in massive amounts of data being generated on a daily basis. The advent of advanced data analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) provides a gateway to identify suspicious digital patterns indicative of crime. Through partnerships with financial institutions data can be filtered to identify these suspicious patterns and nip them in the bud. These technologies provide real-time transaction monitoring, allowing for a proactive approach to crime prevention.
Specific Applications of ICT in Curbing Financial Crimes
To combat financial crimes, innovative solutions such as blockchain, instant payments, artificial intelligence, machine learning, data analytics, regulatory technology solutions, and automated procedures are being deployed. The use of technological tools has made it significantly easier to deal with financial crime while building a long term strategy for combating it.
Computer Security Incident Response Team (CSIRT): is a group of experts, (of which the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is part of) that handles security incidents that can affect the operations of organisations.
Digital forensics is a branch of forensic science that focuses on identifying, acquiring, processing, analysing, and reporting on data stored electronically. Electronic evidence is related to criminal activities and can be admitted in the process of prosecuting offenders in law courts.
Verification of Biometrics: The incorporation of biometric authentication into financial transactions represents a big step forward in fraud prevention. The NCC makes certain that telecom carriers follow strict biometric registration rules, which improves the accuracy and security of customer data and in turn financial transactions.
Palantir Technologies Solution: Law enforcement agencies and financial institutions have used Palantir’s data analytics platform to examine massive volumes of data for patterns indicative of financial crimes. It permits the integration of many data sources, allowing for more thorough investigations.
Chainalysis Solution Case Study: Chainalysis specializes in blockchain analysis and provides tools for tracking cryptocurrency transactions. This platform supports law enforcement in tracing illicit blockchain activity such as money laundering, ransomware payments, and illegal transactions.
Concerning the significance of data security and privacy in the use of ICT for crime prevention, strong encryption and access controls ensure the security of critical information. Strict respect for data privacy standards, such as the GDPR (General Data Privacy Regulation) in the European Union and the (NDPA) Nigerian Data Protection Act, aids in the preservation of trust in the use of ICT solutions for crime prevention.
Potential concerns linked with the use of Information and Communication Technology to combat financial crime:
Threats to Cybersecurity: As ICT systems get more complex, so do cybercriminal activities. Criminal actors take advantage of the inherent and emerging flaws identified in the ICT systems exploiting these flaws and causing harm.
False Positives and Algorithmic Bias: Relying too much on automated systems for crime detection might result in false positives, in which innocent people or transactions are identified as suspects. Based on the data on which they are taught, algorithms may exhibit biases, potentially leading to biased conclusions.
Human Capacity issue: Compliance officers continuously need to be kept abreast of emerging technologies and innovations, and develop requisite competences required to use these solutions.
Regulatory Compliance: Navigating the complicated world of data protection and privacy rules as well as financial regulation compliance, can be difficult. It is critical to ensure that ICT solutions adhere to legal regulations.
Technological Obsolescence: As technology advances, ICT solutions must be constantly updated and adapted in order to tackle evolving financial crimes.
Funding issue: Due to the evolving nature of technologies, investing in ICT solutions can become a challenge especially where there is paucity of funds. Adequate funding is required to ensure that the latest solutions are deployed, up to date and remain relevant.
Other Areas of consideration: While ICT has transformed the fight against financial crime, there are still difficulties that must be addressed collaboratively:
Inclusion and the Digital Divide
Access to ICT services is not equal for all parts of the population. The NCC is actively working to close the digital gap by pushing projects aimed at providing inexpensive and accessible ICT services to underprivileged communities. This inclusion is critical in ensuring that all citizens have the tools they need to conduct financial transactions safely.
Harmonization of Regulations
Collaboration among multiple regulatory authorities is critical for developing a united approach to addressing financial crime. The NCC actively collaborates with other regulatory authorities to share best practices, thereby guaranteeing a coordinated effort to protect Nigeria’s financial sector.
Continuous Improvement and Adaptation
Criminals adapt quickly to new technologies and strategies. To keep ahead of developing dangers, the NCC understands the importance of ongoing innovation in ICT solutions. The Commission invests hugely in both Research and Development and in training its manpower on emerging innovations in the tech space. The NCC is also cultivating beneficial relationships with technology companies in this regard.
Collaboration and International Cooperation
Financial Crimes often occur across territorial borders. Criminals take advantage of loopholes in rules and enforcement systems across jurisdictions. Collaboration between countries is thus critical for tracking down and apprehending these criminals. Some strategies for international collaboration and cooperation include:
Sharing Intelligence and Expertise: Each country has its own set of insights, intelligence, data and skills when it comes to tackling various types of financial crime. By pooling these resources, we can gain a better grasp of emerging criminal techniques and methods.
Leveraging Resources: Combating financial crimes requires enormous financial, technological, and human resources. Collaboration allows for the sharing of resources, making participating nations reduce the burdens of the huge associated cost while maintaining effective and efficient results.
International conferences and gatherings where important players gather to debate and share best practices in preventing financial crime are crucial as well. The purpose of these fora are to provide a platform for worldwide law enforcement agencies, cybersecurity specialists, and financial institutions to discuss insights and tactics for countering cyber-enabled financial crimes.
Conclusion
ICT plays a critical role in combating financial crimes by enabling real-time surveillance, regulatory compliance, and secure data processing. It provides advanced analytics, AI, and machine learning to law enforcement organizations for better crime detection. Furthermore, hard technologies such as CCTV cameras and security systems supplement physical security measures.
However, as technology advances, new avenues for illegal conduct emerges. Cybercrime, deepfakes, and the exploitation of IoT devices all represent substantial concerns. It is critical to strike a balance between using ICT to prevent crime and protecting data privacy. Collaboration and international cooperation are required to effectively tackle financial crime. Financial crimes frequently cross borders, necessitating a collaborative effort by States to track down and capture culprits. Conferences/lectures such as the Realnews Magazines Lecture Series allow worldwide stakeholders to share knowledge and best practices.
Continued investment in ICT solutions, as well as a multidisciplinary and multi-stakeholder strategy, combining technology specialists, legal professionals, and legislators, are critical in keeping up with emerging criminal methods. Public education and understanding of internet safety are also important in limiting the risks linked with the spread of criminality via technology.
Dr. Aminu Maida
Executive Vice Chairman/CEO
Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC.
7th November, 2023

References
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Conferences on “financial crimes” 2023, 2024, 2025 | Conference Locate (Clocate). (n.d.). https://www.clocate.com/conferences-on+financial-crimes/eHMtMTc=/
Consequences of money laundering and financial crime | Office of Justice Programs. (n.d.). https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/consequences-money-laundering-and-financial-crime
Dow Jones. (2023a, March 30). What is the Threat of Financial Crime? | Dow Jones. Dow Jones Professional. https://www.dowjones.com/professional/risk/glossary/financial-crime/threats/
Exadel Financial Services Team. (2023a, August 15). 5 Technologies for Financial Crime Prevention | ExADEL. Exadel. https://exadel.com/news/financial-crime-prevention/
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Former member of the Federal House of Representatives, Hon. Eseme Eyiboh has said that National Assembly members, made up of 109 senators and 360 House of Representatives members, are not involved in the procurement of the controversial Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs).
According to him, the procurement has been the responsibility of the National Assembly Service Commission and other relevant bodies, even as he stressed that the vehicles are the properties of the National Assembly and not the individual member.
Speaking in a Live programme on TVC, Hon Eyiboh, who is currently the Special Adviser on media and publicity to the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, advised members of the public to raise eyebrow if they observe any sharp practices in the procurement processes, “and stop pointing accusing fingers at wrong people.”
He recalled that since 2003, the national assembly has been running an annual budget of N150 billion, and said that people always viewed the NASS budget as only concerning the 469 federal legislators.
According to him, the National Institute of Legislative and Democratic Studies, the National Institute of Research and the National Assembly Service Commission and other administrative staffers are “the institutes that handle bureau​crat​ic services of the NASS.
“Whenever there’s need, they do requisition and follow their procurement standards.”
“No senator or member of the House of Representatives has ever been given money to buy vehicles and indeed, they have never bought vehicles.”
Eseme Eyiboh said that it is the bureaucratic arm of the the national assembly that does valuation of the vehicles at the expiration of tenures of lawmakers.
“Obviously, they are always given the right of first refusal. In the event that a lawmaker doesn’t have the money to pay at the valued rate, the vehicle is being sold out. “So this shows that it doesn’t belong to the lawmakers.”
He called on Nigerians to allow the federal legislators work unimpeded, encouraging individuals to proceed to doing audit, instead of using a generic approaches to describe what is not true.
“We should be able to encourage the federal lawmakers, just as we encourage the state lawmakers and the members of the federal executive council.
“If anyone feels that there is an infringement or sharp practices in the way the procurement of the vehicles were carried out, then they should take proper steps towards uncovering it. “One must understand that the vehicle issue has never been directly connected to the lawmakers.
“The lawmakers have never participated in the requisition, or the tender, or the qualification or payment.
“No lawmaker participates in each of these processes as it is purely administrative issues within the beaurocratic arms of the legislature.”
Asked why the lawmakers do not go for locally made vehicles to boost Nigeria’s economy, Eyiboh said: “I’m sure you are aware of the Extant Procurement Act. Truth is, in every competitive bidding, there’s no weaver.
“Such biddings have a technical evaluation and a financial evaluation which collectively take so many things into consideration.
“I have said here that one thing about the national assembly is that they have not been able to inform as much as they perform.
“But you can’t blame them because as a beaurocratic mix, there is this civil service mentality that you can only be seen but not heard.”
Hon Eyiboh said that NASS budget include the salaries and wages of the civil servants, such as the permanent secretaries; the director-general, professors and lecturers of the Institute of Legislative and Democratic Studies, and other staffers of the National Assembly Service Commission.
Eseme Eyiboh said that there is hope for a scaling performance of the 10th Senate, adding that the Akpabio-led Senate would deploy enterprise enterprise development initiative to deliver renewed hope to Nigerians.