Unmasked Lagosians to face prosecution from Monday

The period of grace is over. The Lagos State Government said it will from next week, start prosecuting unmasked residents.

Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu said this while briefing newsmen on the update of the COVID-19 management in the state on Friday.

Sanwo-Olu said that at this phase in the evolution of the coronavirus pandemic, taking personal responsibility is now more important than ever.

He said that such personal responsibility was not only for self-protection but also for protecting other people, including loved ones.

According to him, mask usage is mandatory in public places as a strategy to curb the spread of the virus.

”We are asking offices, business and commercial premises to refuse entry to any persons not wearing masks in line with the Presidential Task Force directive on ”No mask, no entry”.

”No mask, no service enforcement agencies will from this week charge defaulters to court, as the period of grace is now over.

”Dear Lagosians, please continue to wash your hands regularly. As much as possible, maintain social distancing, especially in public places.

”On our part as a government, we will continue to do everything possible to protect and uphold the health and wellbeing of the people of the state,” the governor said.

Sanwo-Olu further said that the state government was committed to scaling up testing and isolation capacity and enforcing the guidelines issued.

”With regards to enforcement, we are increasing our focus and efforts in this area. As you all know, guidelines and directives are effective only to the extent to which they are complied with by the citizenry.

”The best laws and guidelines are of no use if they are disregarded by the people for whom they have been issued.

”Lagos State belongs to all of us. We must join hands to ensure that we defeat this virus,” he said.

The governor noted that the state’s COVID-19 hotline remained 08000CORONA.

He added that the hotline was available round the clock for people to make reports, seek testing and for infected persons to gain access to counselling and psychological support during the period of isolation and treatment.

- PM NEWS

How Hushpuppi tried to scam EPL club

The United States Department for Justice has claimed that Ramon Olorunwa Abbas aka Hushpuppi, tried to defraud an English Premier League club.

In a statement posted on its website on Friday, the US Attorney’s Office also confirmed that Hushpuppi has arrived in Chicago from Dubai, UAE.

He has also made his first court appearance in the US and is expected to be transferred to Los Angeles in some weeks.

“A Dubai resident who flaunted his extravagant lifestyle on social media has arrived in the United States to face criminal charges alleging he conspired to launder hundreds of millions of dollars from business email compromise (BEC) frauds and other scams, including schemes targeting a U.S. law firm, a foreign bank and an English Premier League soccer club.

“Ramon Olorunwa Abbas, 37, a.k.a. “Ray Hushpuppi” and “Hush,” a Nigerian national, arrived in Chicago Thursday evening after being expelled from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Abbas made his initial U.S. court appearance this morning in Chicago, and he is expected to be transferred to Los Angeles in the coming weeks,” part of the statement read.

Hushpuppi and Olakekan Jacob known as Woodberry, were extradited to the United States, after they were apprehended by Dubai Police, following investigations in several online fraud targeting individuals and companies.

- DAILY POST

DIVINE-CLEANSING !! NCDC: Ages 20-40 spreading COVID-19 but those bearing the brunt are above 50

Chikwe Ihekweazu, director-general of Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), says young persons between the ages of 20 and 40 are accelerating the spread COVID-19.

Speaking at the briefing of the presidential task force briefing on COVID-19 in Abuja on Thursday, Ihekweazu said although younger persons are spreading the virus, patients above 50 years are the highest fatality victims.

As of Wednesday, Nigeria had recorded 26,484 COVID-19 cases with 603 deaths.

“As more people are infected across the world as you might have seen, ten million. It is increasingly obvious that there is high transmission among younger people, not children but people aged between 20 and 40 are really driving the spread of this virus. But those that are bearing the brunt of it are people aged 50 and above,” he said.

“Three out of five people who die from COVID-19 are 50 years above. So we have to work harder. All of us, collectively to protect our elderly.”

Ihekweazu warned Nigerians against non-essential travels to families in other states in order to curb the spread of the virus.

Also speaking at the PTF briefing, Osagie Enahire, minister of health, said 138,462 samples have been tested so far.

He said more males are infected with the virus than females, with a ratio of 70:30.

- THECABLE

ASSOCIATION OF PAST CRIMINALS !! Probe Atiku, Saraki, Dino Melaye over links with Hushpuppi – APC tells EFCC

The All Progressives Congress, APC, on Saturday called for the probe of some Peoples Democratic Party leaders over their links to arrested fraudster Ramon Abbas popularly known as Hushpuppi.

APC’s Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena said Atiku Abubakar, former PDP’s Presidential candidate, Bukola Saraki; ex-Senate President and PDP National Leader, former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara; and ex-Kogi West Senator, Dino Melaye should be probed over their association with Hushpuppi.

Nabena recalled that the PDP chieftains had met with the alleged fraudster in Dubai, prior to the 109 presidential elections.

In a statement he signed, Nabena urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) to investigate the connection between PDP chieftains and Hushpuppi.

According to Nabena: “Reports of the criminal conspiracy linking the top echelon of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with Ramon Olorunwa Abbas also known as “Ray Hushpuppi” who was recently arrested along with associate(s) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates and extradited to the United States of America to face trial over cyber-enabled fraud and Business Email Compromise (BEC) schemes should be a matter of serious interest to relevant authorities in Nig

“We note that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has already declared the arraigned Instagram celebrity wanted over fraud allegations.

“However, the EFCC, the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) and other sister agencies must investigate money laundering reports linking some PDP leaders and financiers to the Dubai-based international criminal ring.

“That the PDP leadership turned Dubai into their “Strategic” meeting place ahead of the 2019 general elections in Nigeria and “Hushpuppi’s” affinity with the PDP leadership is not mere coincidence.

“At different times, “Hushpuppi” was photographed in a Dubai meeting with the PDP’s 2019 presidential candidate, Alh. Atiku Abubakar; former Senate President, Bukola Saraki; former Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara; Senator Dino Melaye among other PDP stalwarts.

“While relevant authorities investigate the nature of their relationship and business partnership, we also challenge the PDP leadership to do the same by opening up on the nature of the relationship, particularly the kind of services the arrested “Hushpuppi” provided them.

''In the leadup to the Edo and Ondo governorship elections, we renewed our call against monetised elections and vote-buying schemes which the PDP serially deployed in elections.

“We call on relevant authorities to up their guard to prevent these practices that threaten the sanctity of our elections. The people’s will and votes should determine elections, not illicit money used to buy votes.”

- DAILY POST

Arsenal striker Martinelli signs long-term deal

Arsenal’s Brazil Under-23 striker, Gabriel Martinelli, has signed a new long-term contract at the Premier League club.

The news comes 48 hours after a fellow teenager, Bukayo Saka, 18, also agreed a new long-term deal with the Gunners.

The 19 year old Martinelli, who penned his new contract exactly a year after joining Arsenal, has scored 10 goals in 26 games for the club since moving from Brazilian side Ituano last year.

He has been sidelined for the rest of the season after suffering a knee injury in training which required surgery.

“I am very happy that Gabi has signed a new contract with us.

“He is a very talented young player and he has impressed us with his performances, attitude and work-rate.

“We are looking forward to getting him back to full fitness and to watching his development at our club,’’ Manager Mikel Arteta told the club website

Martinelli is the first teenager to score 10 goals in a season for Arsenal since Nicolas Anelka over 20 years ago.

- PM NEWS

Hushpuppi arraigned in Chicago, faces another charge in Los Angeles

Nigerian international fraudster, Raymond Hushpuppi faces many years in American jail after he was charged in Chicago today with conspiracy to launder hundreds of millions of dollars from business email compromise (BEC) frauds and other scams.

He was also charged with executing schemes targeting a U.S. law firm, a foreign bank and an English Premier League soccer club.

Chicago is Hushpuppi’s first court appearance. Next, he will be charged in Los Angeles California for similar crimes.

Ramon Olorunwa Abbas, 37, a.k.a. “Ray Hushpuppi” and “Hush,” arrived in Chicago Thursday evening after being expelled from the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Abbas made his initial U.S. court appearance this morning in Chicago, and he is expected to be transferred to Los Angeles in the coming weeks.

The affidavit alleges that Abbas and others committed a BEC scheme that defrauded a client of a New York-based law firm out of approximately $922,857 in October 2019.

Abbas and co-conspirators allegedly tricked one of the law firm’s paralegals into wiring money intended for the client’s real estate refinancing to a bank account that was controlled by Abbas and the co-conspirators.

The affidavit also alleges that Abbas conspired to launder funds stolen in a $14.7 million cyber-heist from a foreign financial institution in February 2019, in which the stolen money was sent to bank accounts around the world.

Abbas allegedly provided a co-conspirator with two bank accounts in Europe that Abbas anticipated each would receive €5 million (about $5.6 million) of the fraudulently obtained funds.

Abbas and others further conspired to launder hundreds of millions of dollars from other fraudulent schemes and computer intrusions, including one scheme to steal £100 million (approximately $124 million) from an English Premier League soccer club, the complaint alleges.

Here is the statement by California Department of Justice:

Abbas was arrested last month by UAE law enforcement officials. FBI special agents earlier this week obtained custody of Abbas and brought him to the United States to face a charge of conspiring to engage in money laundering that is alleged in a criminal complaint filed on June 25 by federal prosecutors in Los Angeles.

According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, Abbas maintains social media accounts that frequently showed him in designer clothes, wearing expensive watches, and posing in or with luxury cars and charter jets. “The FBI’s investigation has revealed that Abbas finances this opulent lifestyle through crime, and that he is one of the leaders of a transnational network that facilitates computer intrusions, fraudulent schemes (including BEC schemes), and money laundering, targeting victims around the world in schemes designed to steal hundreds of millions of dollars,” according to the affidavit.

The affidavit describes BEC schemes as often involving a computer hacker gaining unauthorized access to a business’ email account, blocking or redirecting communications to and/or from that email account, and then using the compromised email account or a separate fraudulent email account to communicate with personnel from a victim company and to attempt to trick them into making an unauthorized wire transfer.

“BEC schemes are one of the most difficult cybercrimes we encounter as they typically involve a coordinated group of con artists scattered around the world who have experience with computer hacking and exploiting the international financial system,” said United States Attorney Nick Hanna. “This case targets a key player in a large, transnational conspiracy who was living an opulent lifestyle in another country while allegedly providing safe havens for stolen money around the world. As this case demonstrates, my office will continue to hold such criminals accountable, no matter where they live.”

“In 2019 alone, the FBI recorded $1.7 billion in losses by companies and individuals victimized through business email compromise scams, the type of scheme Mr. Abbas is charged with conducting from abroad,” said Paul Delacourt, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “While this arrest has effectively taken a major alleged BEC player offline, BEC scams represent the most financially costly type of scheme reported to the FBI. I urge anyone who transfers funds personally or on behalf of a company to educate themselves about BEC so they can identify this insidious scheme before losing sizable amounts of money.”

“This was a challenging case, one that spanned international boundaries, traditional financial systems and the digital sphere,” said Jesse Baker, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service, Los Angles Field Office. “Technology has essentially erased geographic boundaries leaving trans-national criminal syndicates to believe that they are beyond the reach of law enforcement. The success in this case was the direct result of our trusted partnerships between the Department of Justice and our federal law enforcement colleagues. These partnerships helped dismantle a sophisticated organized crime group who preyed upon unsuspecting businesses. It is thanks to these partnerships that the American people can feel a bit more secure today.”

The affidavit alleges that Abbas and others committed a BEC scheme that defrauded a client of a New York-based law firm out of approximately $922,857 in October 2019. Abbas and co-conspirators allegedly tricked one of the law firm’s paralegals into wiring money intended for the client’s real estate refinancing to a bank account that was controlled by Abbas and the co-conspirators.

The affidavit also alleges that Abbas conspired to launder funds stolen in a $14.7 million cyber-heist from a foreign financial institution in February 2019, in which the stolen money was sent to bank accounts around the world. Abbas allegedly provided a co-conspirator with two bank accounts in Europe that Abbas anticipated each would receive €5 million (about $5.6 million) of the fraudulently obtained funds.

Abbas and others further conspired to launder hundreds of millions of dollars from other fraudulent schemes and computer intrusions, including one scheme to steal £100 million (approximately $124 million) from an English Premier League soccer club, the complaint alleges.

A criminal complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

If convicted of conspiracy to engage in money laundering, Abbas would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.

The FBI led the investigation of Abbas, and the United States Secret Service was also involved and provided substantial assistance. The FBI further thanks the government of the United Arab Emirates and the Dubai Police Department for their substantial assistance.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Anil J. Antony and Joseph B. Woodring of the Cyber and Intellectual Property Crimes Section.  The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance in this matter.

- PM NEWS

COVID-19: How China produced ’70bn face masks’ in three months

On March 3, 2020, in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, the World Health Organisation (WHO) expressed concern about how shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE), including masks, was affecting health workers across the world.

The organisation listed panic buying, rising demand, hoarding and misuse as part of the factors responsible for the non-availability of PPE, and called on governments and industries to endeavour to increase production capacity by 40 percent.

“Without secure supply chains, the risk to healthcare workers around the world is real. Industry and governments must act quickly to boost supply, ease export restrictions and put measures in place to stop speculation and hoarding. We can’t stop COVID-19 without protecting health workers first,” Tedros Ghebreyesus, director-general of the WHO, said.

In its projection, WHO estimated that 89 million masks needed to be produced on a monthly basis on order to meet global demand.

In line with the organisation’s request, China, where coronavirus originated late 2019, worked towards increasing production and in three months, the country exported over 70 billion masks to more than 200 countries and regions across the world.

A white paper published on June 7, 2020, by the state information office of the People’s Republic of China detailed, among other things, the medical intervention provided to foreign countries.

“From March 1 to May 31, China exported protective materials to 200 countries and regions, among which there were more than 70.6 billion masks, 340 million protective suits, 115 million pairs of goggles, 96,700 ventilators, 225 million test kits, and 40.29 million infrared thermometers,” it read.

In the bid to meet demand within and outside its shores, People’s Daily reported how ordinary citizens, a diaper production outfit, an apparel manufacturer, among others, had to work together to boost output, while operating from Fuzhou in East China’s Fujian Province.

However, boosting production came with difficulties, considering the barriers affecting the import of materials needed for the production of masks.

Speaking on the challenges, Zhan Wenfeng, a customs officer in Fuzhou, said “the import-oriented companies cannot import commodities now, the orders for export-oriented enterprises have been cancelled due to the pandemic.”

A report published in July 1 details how DaddyBaby, which specialises in maternal and infant products; E&D Group Corp, an apparel company, and Zhongjing Petrochemical contributed towards increasing China’s capacity to export masks.

While DaddyBaby and and E&D Group Corp converted their facilities to converting the raw materials into masks, Zhongjing Petrochemical specialised in the production of “melt-blown material, a key component for masks, to fill a supply shortage”.

In a four-minute video titled “Behind the Masks”, the companies and individuals shared their experiences on forming “a complete supply chain for making masks, despite encountering difficulties including resource and equipment shortages and tight deadlines”.

“At the beginning of the pandemic, raw materials and equipment were in dire shortage,” Lin Yanting, a manufacturer of maternal and infant products, said.

Speaking on the quality, Jiang Feng, an apparel manufacturer, said the face masks have gained CE certification, and as such, they can be sold in any European Union country.

“At present, there are many face masks exported from our port. The major destinations are South-East Asia, the US, Africa and European countries which are hard hit by the pandemic,” he added.

As of July 3, 2020, more than 11 million infections have been confirmed across the world, out of which over six million people have recovered, while more than 500,000 deaths have been recorded.

- THECABLE

NCDC confirms 454 new cases, 628 COVID-19 deaths

Four hundred and fifty-four,(454), new cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in Nigeria.

The Nigeria Center for Disease Control, NCDC revealed this on Friday night.

The health agency said Lagos had 87 new cases while Edo followed with 63.

It also announced that Nigeria recorded 12 new COVID-19 deaths but confirmed that 11,069 patients have been certified okay and discharged.

“454 new cases of #COVID19Nigeria”.

The distribution of the latest cases include;
Lagos-87
Edo-63
FCT-60
Ondo-41
Benue-32
Abia-31
Ogun-29
Oyo-19
Kaduna-17
Delta-16
Enugu-15
Borno-14
Plateau-9
Nasarawa-8
Kano-5
Bauchi-4
Gombe-2
Katsina-1
Kogi-1

“27,564 confirmed. 11,069 discharged.628 deaths.”

- DAILY POST