News
Presidency Makes Tough Call against Vandals
The federal government is to make a tough call with a special executive administrative directive to protect the nation’s ICT infrastructure currently subjected to attacks from all angles, Nigeria CommunicationsWeek can now reveal.
The special executive administrative directive with strong political backing from the presidency is in lieu of an Act which protects ICT infrastructure, the same way railway and electricity infrastructures are protected by law.
Checks at the ministry of Communications Technology at the weekend revealed that directive is a short term measure to arrest the growing targeted attacks on ICT infrastructures and workers.
On the long run, the ministry also expects to muster the same political will for the early passage of the Critical Infrastructure Protection bill being packaged by Banwo & Ighodalo, a first class law firm reputed for its innovation and outstanding in the provision of efficient legal solutions.
A top official at the ministry who not want to be named said “we cannot just wait till a law is enacted to begin to protect these infrastructures. This directive is riding on existing laws. For instance, the existing laws do not allow you to destroy a base station; you are not allowed to damage other people property. The only difference is that this carries the weight of the highest authority in the land, the president”
According to the source, the wanton destruction of ICT infrastructure has far reaching consequences including; security, safety, quality of service and return on investment.
The directive will involve some kind of special marking for critical national infrastructures and would require security agencies to work closely with the industry to secure the facilities.
Nigeria CommunicationsWeek gathered that attacks on ICT infrastructure affect the delicate tripod on which the telecom industry stands: the regulator; operators; and the subscribers.
Though figures are hard to come by, this senseless crime is believed to be costing the industry billions of naira annually and denying Nigerians of better quality of service from the operators.
Attacks on ICT infrastructure come in forms of vandalisation; demands for right of way from various tiers of governments; multiple regulation and taxation and so on.
Apart from theft of generators and vandalisation of telecommunications equipment, the industry has also been plagued by the rising incidence of damage to their fibre-optic networks.
Cuts on the fibre-optic networks are as a result of poor road construction practices; willful damage perpetrated by criminal elements and sabotage.
But Lack of awareness of the critical nature of the infrastructure; and attitudes are at the root of most of the attacks.
ICT Infrastructure is the Central Nervous System of communications. Any minor errors (technical faults, accidents, vandalisation, data recording errors,) can alter, disrupt or block the system processes unintentionally.
These disruptions not only disconnect subscribers, but could cause embarrassment to businesses and national security.
ICT infrastructures are easy preys to vandals who are exploiting the lax security situation and absence of stiff punishment for offenders.
“That is why we have to do something fast because nobody knows how long it will take to enact an Act to protect these infrastructures. If we hesitate a little longer, the consequences may dire and this is what we want to avoid” our source at the ministry said.
Nigeria CommunicationsWeek had in its past editions pointed to the clear and present danger posed by the ruthless attacks on ICT infrastructures and urged the government to declare ICT equipment, critical national infrastructure that must be protected by law.
Most state and local governments in the country have notoriety for unfriendliness to the telecommunications infrastructures.
Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem, president of Teledom Group and former president, Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (Atcon) said the vandalisation of telecom infrastructure has negative impact in further investment in the sector with the attendant ripple effects on the economy including job losses, poor quality of service, reduced taxation to the government and so on.
These disruptions not only disconnect subscribers, but could cause embarrassment to businesses and national security.
Ola Olukoyede, chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has disclosed that the commission recovered more than N7.2 million stolen from the bank account of a serving judge by suspected internet fraudsters in a midnight cyberattack.
Ola Olukoyede, Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Olukoyede made the disclosure at the public presentation of two books authored by retired High Court judge, Justice Alaba Omolaye-Ajileye.
He said the serving judge, who is from a South-South state, contacted him around 1:00 a.m. after receiving multiple debit alerts indicating that funds had been withdrawn from her account.
According to him, the stolen money represented savings the judge had accumulated over six years to finance her child’s education.
Olukoyede said the EFCC immediately swung into action and successfully recovered the entire sum before 6:00 p.m. on the same day.
He said the incident underscored the increasing sophistication of cybercriminals and the urgent need for stronger collaboration among law enforcement agencies, the judiciary and members of the public in tackling financial crimes.
The EFCC chairman also called for amendments to Nigeria’s legal framework to accommodate the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in criminal investigations and prosecutions.
According to him, existing evidence laws should be reviewed to recognise AI-generated evidence as technology continues to reshape crime detection and investigation.
Also speaking at the event, former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN), urged anti-corruption agencies to intensify efforts to trace and recover public funds allegedly stolen and stashed in foreign countries.
Agabi stressed the need for sustained collaboration among relevant institutions to strengthen Nigeria’s anti-corruption efforts and improve accountability in public service.
In his remarks, a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), called for stricter enforcement of the country’s cybercrime laws to curb the growing menace of internet fraud.
Olanipekun said effective implementation of existing laws, alongside stronger institutional cooperation, would help address the increasing threat posed by cybercriminals to individuals and the nation’s financial system.
Federal Government has cleared nearly N39 billion in outstanding pension liabilities owed to retirees under the Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS), including former employees of the defunct Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL), Mobile Telecommunications Limited (MTEL), the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) and other federal government agencies.
The Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) disclosed this in a statement, saying the payments were in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises the settlement of inherited pension liabilities and improved welfare for retired public servants.
According to the directorate, the largest component of the payment, amounting to N25 billion, covered about 35 months of outstanding pension arrears owed to nearly 10,000 eligible retirees of the defunct NITEL and MTEL.
PTAD also said it disbursed about N9.5 billion as the first tranche of Back End Computation (BEC) arrears to eligible pensioners of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria.
The Executive Secretary of PTAD, Mrs Tolulope Odunaiya, described the payments as a significant milestone in the Federal Government’s efforts to clear inherited pension obligations and strengthen confidence in the Defined Benefit Scheme.
Odunaiya said the settlement was made possible following presidential approval granted in 2025 and funding provided under the 2026 Appropriation Act.
She noted that the intervention had enabled the directorate to resolve long-standing pension liabilities affecting thousands of retirees.
“The successful settlement reflects the Federal Government’s commitment to sustaining pension reforms and ensuring that retirees receive their entitlements promptly in line with the objectives of the Renewed Hope Agenda,” she said.
Odunaiya thanked the affected pensioners for their patience while the liabilities remained outstanding and reaffirmed PTAD’s commitment to transparent, efficient and pensioner-focused service delivery.
She added that the directorate would continue to work towards improving pension administration and ensuring timely payment of retirees’ benefits.
A Federal High Court, Lagos has declared Mrs. Ebele Okpala, a female banker with Keystone Bank, wanted over alleged N35 million fraud.
Apart from declaring the banker who is said to be outside the country wanted, Justice deinde Dipeolu, trial judge in the matter, also directed the Department of State Security (DSS), Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), and Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), to arrest her upon arriving the country.
Justice Dipeolu made the above order while granting a motion ex-parte marked FHC/L/530C/2024, filed and moved by M. Bello, on behalf of the Nigeria Police.
In the motion, Ebele Okpala and one Perpetual Onyeto, also a banker were listed as first and second defendants/respondents in the suit, while DSS, NIS and NCS were listed as cited parties/respondents.
In urging the court to make the above orders, Bello, informed the court that the application was pursuant to several sections of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, and under the court’s inherent jurisdiction. Adding that the application was supported by an affidavit deposed to by Inspector Tope Akerele of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), Special Fraud Unit (SFU), Ikoyi, Lagos.
In granting the application, Justice Dipeolu held, “After considering the application and the supporting affidavit, the request had merit and granted all the reliefs sought by the prosecution.
“That an order is hereby made that the 1st defendant/despondent be declared wanted and placed on the wanted list of the Nigeria Police Special Fraud Unit, 13, Milverton Road, Ikoyi, Lagos until she is arrested.
“That an order is hereby made compelling cited parties/respondents to assist in apprehending 1st defendant/Respondent once he enters into the country.
“That an order is hereby made permitting the Publication of the name of the 1st defendant/despondent in the National Daily Newspapers and Social Media handles by the Nigeria Police Special Fraud Unity Ikoyi, Lagos for the purpose of fulfilling the requirement of the Order 1 above.”
Recall that both the wanted banker and the second defendant/respondent were previously arraigned before the court by the operatives of the police Special Fraud Unit, PSFU.
Specifically, the two bankers were arraigned before the court sometimes in September 2024, on alleged conspiracy, theft, money laundering, fraudulent lift of lien placed on bank’s customer’s account and obtaining the sum of N35 million by false presence.
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