₦airaland Forum

@Negro_Ntns,

Well done!!!

back2back:
did US live in the shoes of Iraqis before going to kill them?

did US live in the shoes of Vietnam before going to kill them?

Excellent posers!

I hope the person these questions were directed at will become bold enough to answer them even though we all know the answers.

ElRazur:
The number one man and most powerful man in the world kidnapped by common criminals? Yeah right. The forces guarding him alone can probably take on a quarter of Nigeria army, before back up is called upon.

The content in bold refers, what is the basis of this reckless statement?

korepopo:
please send me your email so we could discuss more about this

Thanks

afam@justwebservices.com

*dhtml:
OP i can recommend afam, based on some of his works i have seen.
* But if he does not do it right just let me know so that i can ban him!*

Thanks for the recommendation. Not to worry, I never accept any project I cannot handle no matter the amount of money on the table. I stick to what I can do all the time. Enjoy the rest of the week.

Tony Montana:
What d diff btw domain registration and web hosting.how can i host my website

Domain name registration is a process of registering a unique name just like a house address that points to your house (the server) where the files like text, audio, video etc that make up your website reside.

So, web hosting is the process of hosting those files on a web server.

You can host your site by registering a domain name, paying for web hosting and pointing the domain name you registered to the name servers that resolve to your website on any web server (especially if different companies are providing the 2 services).

A single company can provide the 2 services and in this case you simply pay for the domain name and web hosting plan and leave the service provider to have everything up and running.

Of course, you will still need to build your website or pay someone to do it for you.

You may learn more here - http://justwebservices.com/web/index.php

ElRazur:
What is this doing here? Another FAILURE on Richy's part. Why the heck is he a moderator?

@RichyBlack,

I guess you need to momentarily handover your moderator privileges to ElRazur at least for 2 weeks for us to see how wonderful a moderator he is.

@topic,

This post may not have anything to do with Foreign Affairs but using the post to attack someone is not fair.

Hello,

Just redesigned abi na redeveloped the Just Alternative Power website to serve the public and customers better.

I have read a lot about the web design review wars going on this section. I do not intend to wage war with anyone based on any comment no matter how negative.

So, feel free and comment on this website. Will appreciate it if more attention is given to usability, functionality and logical navigation.

The address is http://www.justalternativepower.com

I can develop a database driven web application with result checking capability.

Confirm you are talking about programming and development of the software and not design as in strictly front end.

ElRazur:
There is an anti-spam bot plug-in being used. It is indiscriminate.It may be worth clearing your cache and cookies - I did and it appeared worked for me.

Many thanks for the advice. Hope it works for me too.



+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

How EFCC can effectively tackle online scam (419)

He who pays the piper dictates the tune, so goes a popular proverb. The EFCC seems not to have any clue as to the state of online scams in the world, no verifiable statistics to back up claims made by foreign agencies and no effort made to gather and analyze data based on facts.

Otherwise, why would Nigeria and Nigerians be targeted as if majority of the online scams come from Nigerians and the EFCC cannot correct such position?

Defending or promoting ideas or positions of Western agencies or nations sometimes to the detriment of Nigeria and Nigerians is wrong and must be stopped immediately.

Good enough the Ministry of Information is embarking on Rebranding Nigeria Project, maybe this is a good time for the EFCC to evaluate its position on online scam as it relates to Nigeria and Nigerians.

I wish to state here that I have met dedicated Nigerians working in the EFCC who in my opinion know what the problems are and are ready to make sacrifices for this country but unfortunately cannot do much as long as EFCC continues to do what the Western agencies and nations wants it to do.

If there is one thing that has damaged the image of Nigeria worldwide it is the issue of online scams and the very wrong notion that online scam is synonymous with Nigeria.

Online scam refers to any scam that is planned, aided by, assisted by, carried out using a computer or network of computers that are connected to the internet.

What percentage of Nigerians have access to the internet? What is the internet penetration in Africa not just Nigeria when compared to Asian countries or the West?

What is the yardstick used to justify this erroneous position that online scams begin and end with Nigeria and Nigerians.

Even before the internet became common in Nigeria there have been online scams perpetrated by many non Nigerians taking different forms.

We have lived with these online scams that tend to target millions of people using mass emails that were either harvested or paid for offering prizes for non existent contests, winnings for non existent competitions, product or gadget offers, all expenses paid holiday trips etc.

What is common in all these online scams is the amount of money involved. The scammers usually ask for small amounts of money that potential victims would effortlessly part with and in almost all the cases once you part with your money you cannot trace or hold anyone responsible that is if you are not unlucky to have also parted with your credit card information that would be used to launch other online scams.

So, what is the noise about Nigerians being seen as online scammers by even nations that have their citizens sleeping and waking up on online scams?

No doubt, Nigerians are involved in online scams but the percentage is very small when compared to what has been happening in the past and what is still happening today in the cyber world.

Most online scams being perpetrated by Nigeria don't focus on millions of potential victims (even though mass mailing is used) with small transaction costs like $10.00 or $35.00. They focus on extremely greedy people who are usually attracted to the prospect of making millions of dollars (fraudulently I must add) by just becoming active collaborators or willing partners in the economic crime against Nigeria.

For over 5 years now I have made it clear that most online scam victims (especially the 419 type) are greedy, lazy and stupid and this position has been defended even on forums dedicated to tackling 419 scam by foreigners who see nothing wrong in the active collaboration (with hope of striking big money) but see everything wrong in Nigerians that stop communicating with them when they have collected enough processing fees or when they have run out of ideas on how to sustain the scam.

Now, as to the problems facing the EFCC in the fight against online scams as it affects Nigerians.

Can you put a stop to prostitution as long as men (who are willing participants) continue to patronize prostitutes without any consequences? NO.

Likewise, can the EFCC effectively tackle online scams in Nigeria as long as it tends to protect the foreign collaborators (who in my opinion are actively involved in economic crimes against Nigeria) while focusing on Nigerians? NO.

What does it take to initiate an online scam? A computer that is connected to the internet, one or more email addresses and any crazy business proposal that promises maximum returns with very minimal effort especially in terms of processing fees.

These are common variants: Become a beneficiary for some forgotten millions of dollars somewhere in a bank, become a beneficiary for millions of dollars belonging to a dead guy (with links to actual plane crashes), buy crude oil for $10.00 per barrel (even though everyone knows the prevailing international crude oil price), take 40% of say $260M by providing your bank account for the transfer.

Why on earth would a reasonable and honest person want to make money from a fraudulent business transaction and yet have the audacity to turn around to insult Nigeria and Nigerians when the promises don't materialize?

Way forward for the EFCC if it really wants to make an impact in this fight

1. Insist on prosecuting online scammers along with their foreign collaborators. This will more than anything else scare a lot of foreigners away.
2. Seek for an increase in the jail term for online scam convicts, the longer the jail term the better
3. Seek for and secure the right to shut down Nigerian owned fraudulent websites regardless of location.
4. Collect, collate, analyze and make available statistics (even going down 10 years ago) that clearly shows the distribution of online scams based on nationalities of perpetrators, originating countries (server locations), email addresses (domain owners) etc

Put differently, there is an urgent need for a change or an update in the Legislation guiding the operations of EFCC as it concerns online scams. There is a very important need to define the collaborator as a guilty partner in the online scam and not as a victim because truth be told almost all the so called victims are far from victims in these online scams.

I have heard and I know that the EFCC believes that the reason for focusing on Nigerians is the INTENT. Granted, it is ok to consider the intent but certainly not enough considering the fact that one person cannot commit 419. It takes a minimum of 2 people, the originator (with the intent) and the collaborator (active business partner hoping to benefit from the scam).

While we are still on INTENT let me point out 2 major areas where INTENT is ignored by the Nigeria Police when it comes to tackling crimes in Nigeria (this I hope will help us understand why the EFCC is acting out a script written by the Western agencies and nations).

1. Both the giver and receiver of stolen goods are considered culpable in Nigeria. This is enforced by the Nigeria Police and is working well
2. The giver and receiver of bribes are considered guilty. This is also the position of the police and I do not have a problem with this as it takes two to tango.

Nigerians, we need to demand from the EFCC a workable approach in tackling online scams especially the 419 brand that has done a lot of damage to Nigerians. Innocent Nigerians are first seen as criminals, searched as if they are aliens from other planets and discriminated against by non Nigerians especially in foreign nations.

We cannot justify the actions of the corrupt few as we hope that the EFCC would hold them accountable for their actions but we cannot be fooled into believing that the current strategy is working as it is clearly not working.

The allegiance of the EFCC should be and must be to Nigeria and Nigerians. The best approach that serves our own interest should be the top priority here.

If agencies and nations that contribute to the running of the EFCC are not comfortable with Nigeria taking a very strong stand on the issue of 419 scam then the Federal Government should as a matter of national importance provide the EFCC with all the necessary funds, manpower and tools so that they can do what is best for Nigeria and Nigerians.

If you tell outsiders that your child is a bastard trust me outsiders will call that child a bastard anytime they want to and there is very little you can do about it.

There is hardly any nation that is completely free of crime including online scams. Anyone from anywhere with access to the internet can initiate an online scam.

If majority of online scams are not committed by Nigerians then why is the world behaving as if they are committed by our own very people?

However, this piece cannot dismiss the over 150 convictions the EFCC has recorded even when the system finds it difficult to convict a single armed robber. So, while we hail the EFCC for the positives the agency should be ready to reevaluate the current strategies and seek for better and more effective legislation to even achieve more.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

And who is removing my post? I posted something yesterday and it disappeared, posted it again in the morning and about 9 hrs later it's gone.

What is really happening here?

GEW:
the fact is he is right. you have more tribalism in naija than anyone can see racism in the UK. dont you see tribalism at work even here on NL?

as a young man i suffered discrimination from right left and centre from tribalist even right in my own state.

by the way you dont have to put any black person down to be accepted. that is a very lame defence of tribalistic nigeria. sorry

The content in bold refers, don't you have the capacity to comprehend issues or simple statements?

Who is defending a tribalistic Nigeria? Who is comparing a tibalistic Nigeria to racism in the UK?

Must one mix everything about everything for you to understand something as simple as making reference to someone's statement?

In case you missed it completely (obviously) my comment was strictly based on the guy's comment "I am yet to experience any racism biased towards me" which was itself a simple and complete sentence.

ElRazur:
I disagree. I was born here, grew up for sometime in Nigeria and then back living here now. I am yet to experience any racism biased towards me. A lot of people may frown at this, but I have experienced more tribalism in Nigeria, than I have experienced racism here.

The content in bold refers, the reason might be that you tell them that you despise being black or that you hate blacks or that you run down blacks while praising whites to high heavens just as you have been rubbishing everything about Nigeria on this forum but will be quick to insult anyone that says any negative thing about the US, UK or any predominantly white country.

I still cannot why Nigeria and relevant agencies have not taken time to challenge this nonsense.

++++++++++++++++++++++++
http://afamnnaji.com/blog_view.php?id=84

How EFCC can effectively tackle online scam (419)

He who pays the piper dictates the tune, so goes a popular proverb. The EFCC seems not to have any clue as to the state of online scams in the world, no verifiable statistics to back up claims made by foreign agencies and no effort made to gather and analyze data based on facts.

Otherwise, why would Nigeria and Nigerians be targeted as if majority of the online scams come from Nigerians and the EFCC cannot correct such position?

Defending or promoting ideas or positions of Western agencies or nations sometimes to the detriment of Nigeria and Nigerians is wrong and must be stopped immediately.

Good enough the Ministry of Information is embarking on Rebranding Nigeria Project, maybe this is a good time for the EFCC to evaluate its position on online scam as it relates to Nigeria and Nigerians.

I wish to state here that I have met dedicated Nigerians working in the EFCC who in my opinion know what the problems are and are ready to make sacrifices for this country but unfortunately cannot do much as long as EFCC continues to do what the Western agencies and nations wants it to do.

If there is one thing that has damaged the image of Nigeria worldwide it is the issue of online scams and the very wrong notion that online scam is synonymous with Nigeria.

Online scam refers to any scam that is planned, aided by, assisted by, carried out using a computer or network of computers that are connected to the internet.

What percentage of Nigerians have access to the internet? What is the internet penetration in Africa not just Nigeria when compared to Asian countries or the West?

What is the yardstick used to justify this erroneous position that online scams begin and end with Nigeria and Nigerians.

Even before the internet became common in Nigeria there have been online scams perpetrated by many non Nigerians taking different forms.

We have lived with these online scams that tend to target millions of people using mass emails that were either harvested or paid for offering prizes for non existent contests, winnings for non existent competitions, product or gadget offers, all expenses paid holiday trips etc.

What is common in all these online scams is the amount of money involved. The scammers usually ask for small amounts of money that potential victims would effortlessly part with and in almost all the cases once you part with your money you cannot trace or hold anyone responsible that is if you are not unlucky to have also parted with your credit card information that would be used to launch other online scams.

So, what is the noise about Nigerians being seen as online scammers by even nations that have their citizens sleeping and waking up on online scams?

No doubt, Nigerians are involved in online scams but the percentage is very small when compared to what has been happening in the past and what is still happening today in the cyber world.

Most online scams being perpetrated by Nigeria don't focus on millions of potential victims (even though mass mailing is used) with small transaction costs like $10.00 or $35.00. They focus on extremely greedy people who are usually attracted to the prospect of making millions of dollars (fraudulently I must add) by just becoming active collaborators or willing partners in the economic crime against Nigeria.

For over 5 years now I have made it clear that most online scam victims (especially the 419 type) are greedy, lazy and stupid and this position has been defended even on forums dedicated to tackling 419 scam by foreigners who see nothing wrong in the active collaboration (with hope of striking big money) but see everything wrong in Nigerians that stop communicating with them when they have collected enough processing fees or when they have run out of ideas on how to sustain the scam.

Now, as to the problems facing the EFCC in the fight against online scams as it affects Nigerians.

Can you put a stop to prostitution as long as men (who are willing participants) continue to patronize prostitutes without any consequences? NO.

Likewise, can the EFCC effectively tackle online scams in Nigeria as long as it tends to protect the foreign collaborators (who in my opinion are actively involved in economic crimes against Nigeria) while focusing on Nigerians? NO.

What does it take to initiate an online scam? A computer that is connected to the internet, one or more email addresses and any crazy business proposal that promises maximum returns with very minimal effort especially in terms of processing fees.

These are common variants: Become a beneficiary for some forgotten millions of dollars somewhere in a bank, become a beneficiary for millions of dollars belonging to a dead guy (with links to actual plane crashes), buy crude oil for $10.00 per barrel (even though everyone knows the prevailing international crude oil price), take 40% of say $260M by providing your bank account for the transfer.

Why on earth would a reasonable and honest person want to make money from a fraudulent business transaction and yet have the audacity to turn around to insult Nigeria and Nigerians when the promises don't materialize?

Way forward for the EFCC if it really wants to make an impact in this fight

1. Insist on prosecuting online scammers along with their foreign collaborators. This will more than anything else scare a lot of foreigners away.
2. Seek for an increase in the jail term for online scam convicts, the longer the jail term the better
3. Seek for and secure the right to shut down Nigerian owned fraudulent websites regardless of location.
4. Collect, collate, analyze and make available statistics (even going down 10 years ago) that clearly shows the distribution of online scams based on nationalities of perpetrators, originating countries (server locations), email addresses (domain owners) etc

Put differently, there is an urgent need for a change or an update in the Legislation guiding the operations of EFCC as it concerns online scams. There is a very important need to define the collaborator as a guilty partner in the online scam and not as a victim because truth be told almost all the so called victims are far from victims in these online scams.

I have heard and I know that the EFCC believes that the reason for focusing on Nigerians is the INTENT. Granted, it is ok to consider the intent but certainly not enough considering the fact that one person cannot commit 419. It takes a minimum of 2 people, the originator (with the intent) and the collaborator (active business partner hoping to benefit from the scam).

While we are still on INTENT let me point out 2 major areas where INTENT is ignored by the Nigeria Police when it comes to tackling crimes in Nigeria (this I hope will help us understand why the EFCC is acting out a script written by the Western agencies and nations).

1. Both the giver and receiver of stolen goods are considered culpable in Nigeria. This is enforced by the Nigeria Police and is working well
2. The giver and receiver of bribes are considered guilty. This is also the position of the police and I do not have a problem with this as it takes two to tango.

Nigerians, we need to demand from the EFCC a workable approach in tackling online scams especially the 419 brand that has done a lot of damage to Nigerians. Innocent Nigerians are first seen as criminals, searched as if they are aliens from other planets and discriminated against by non Nigerians especially in foreign nations.

We cannot justify the actions of the corrupt few as we hope that the EFCC would hold them accountable for their actions but we cannot be fooled into believing that the current strategy is working as it is clearly not working.

The allegiance of the EFCC should be and must be to Nigeria and Nigerians. The best approach that serves our own interest should be the top priority here.

If agencies and nations that contribute to the running of the EFCC are not comfortable with Nigeria taking a very strong stand on the issue of 419 scam then the Federal Government should as a matter of national importance provide the EFCC with all the necessary funds, manpower and tools so that they can do what is best for Nigeria and Nigerians.

If you tell outsiders that your child is a bastard trust me outsiders will call that child a bastard anytime they want to and there is very little you can do about it.

There is hardly any nation that is completely free of crime including online scams. Anyone from anywhere with access to the internet can initiate an online scam.

If majority of online scams are not committed by Nigerians then why is the world behaving as if they are committed by our own very people?

However, this piece cannot dismiss the over 150 convictions the EFCC has recorded even when the system finds it difficult to convict a single armed robber. So, while we hail the EFCC for the positives the agency should be ready to reevaluate the current strategies and seek for better and more effective legislation to even achieve more.
+++++++++++++++++++++

davidif:
Afam, this guy ruined his country what are you talking about?? Unofficial statistics state that there Inflation is at 11000% Did the "white man" cause that?

The inflation may be 10000000% the main issue is this - what went wrong? Zimbabwe used to be about the most beautiful place in Africa with a very high literacy level with Mugabe being decorated by the Queen when the whites with about 7% of the population controlling almost all the land in that country.

What went wrong? Something must have happened that made the West to use institutions like IMF and World bank to stifle the economy of that country by denying the country access to funds that a country like US with the worst debt record in the world has access to.

If majority of Zimbabweans wanted Mugabe he would have lost the last elections because you cannot be dictator and a maximum ruler and yet come out with just 50+% of the total votes with the opposition clearly supported and funded by outsiders having 40+%.

I know that the best way to look at issues is to not only look at the outcomes but the root causes of the problems and that is what I have chosen to do.

I am certainly not allowing the likes of US and Britain think for me on this one so do not be surprised that I am not repeating their lies, misinformation and conspiracy theory about Mugabe.

Heard the AU asked African leaders to disregard the arrest warrant issued for the Sudanese president. Good move as these so called developed countries need to understand that African nations are not extensions of their own countries where they dish out instructions on what they must do and when they must do them.

Why is Bush walking free today after lying to the world and waging war against a sovereign nation that has led to a complete breakdown of law and order, killing of innocent people and increase in bitter ethnic clashes in Iraq?

Mugabe may have stayed too long in power but having the guts to say NO to these imperialists and war mongers is one thing that makes him a hero anyday and a lot of Zimbabweans understand this. This man fought and risked his life for the independence of that country and not a few people still remember that.

Enjoy the day.

IG:
@ElRazur, please be patient enough to read my posts. You even quoted my statement that states 7.8% for Nigeria.
Making it more clear

U.S.A    66.1%
U.K       10.1%
Nigeria   7.8%

Please don't rush into condemning yourself.

@IG,

You are correct in your analysis, I have been writing about this for over 5 years now and it is funny that Nigeria and relevant agencies are allowing this anomaly to continue.

See below one of those articles.


http://afamnnaji.com/blog_view.php?id=84

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
How EFCC can effectively tackle online scam (419)

He who pays the piper dictates the tune, so goes a popular proverb. The EFCC seems not to have any clue as to the state of online scams in the world, no verifiable statistics to back up claims made by foreign agencies and no effort made to gather and analyze data based on facts.

Otherwise, why would Nigeria and Nigerians be targeted as if majority of the online scams come from Nigerians and the EFCC cannot correct such position?

Defending or promoting ideas or positions of Western agencies or nations sometimes to the detriment of Nigeria and Nigerians is wrong and must be stopped immediately.

Good enough the Ministry of Information is embarking on Rebranding Nigeria Project, maybe this is a good time for the EFCC to evaluate its position on online scam as it relates to Nigeria and Nigerians.

I wish to state here that I have met dedicated Nigerians working in the EFCC who in my opinion know what the problems are and are ready to make sacrifices for this country but unfortunately cannot do much as long as EFCC continues to do what the Western agencies and nations wants it to do.

If there is one thing that has damaged the image of Nigeria worldwide it is the issue of online scams and the very wrong notion that online scam is synonymous with Nigeria.

Online scam refers to any scam that is planned, aided by, assisted by, carried out using a computer or network of computers that are connected to the internet.

What percentage of Nigerians have access to the internet? What is the internet penetration in Africa not just Nigeria when compared to Asian countries or the West?

What is the yardstick used to justify this erroneous position that online scams begin and end with Nigeria and Nigerians.

Even before the internet became common in Nigeria there have been online scams perpetrated by many non Nigerians taking different forms.

We have lived with these online scams that tend to target millions of people using mass emails that were either harvested or paid for offering prizes for non existent contests, winnings for non existent competitions, product or gadget offers, all expenses paid holiday trips etc.

What is common in all these online scams is the amount of money involved. The scammers usually ask for small amounts of money that potential victims would effortlessly part with and in almost all the cases once you part with your money you cannot trace or hold anyone responsible that is if you are not unlucky to have also parted with your credit card information that would be used to launch other online scams.

So, what is the noise about Nigerians being seen as online scammers by even nations that have their citizens sleeping and waking up on online scams?

No doubt, Nigerians are involved in online scams but the percentage is very small when compared to what has been happening in the past and what is still happening today in the cyber world.

Most online scams being perpetrated by Nigeria don't focus on millions of potential victims (even though mass mailing is used) with small transaction costs like $10.00 or $35.00. They focus on extremely greedy people who are usually attracted to the prospect of making millions of dollars (fraudulently I must add) by just becoming active collaborators or willing partners in the economic crime against Nigeria.

For over 5 years now I have made it clear that most online scam victims (especially the 419 type) are greedy, lazy and stupid and this position has been defended even on forums dedicated to tackling 419 scam by foreigners who see nothing wrong in the active collaboration (with hope of striking big money) but see everything wrong in Nigerians that stop communicating with them when they have collected enough processing fees or when they have run out of ideas on how to sustain the scam.

Now, as to the problems facing the EFCC in the fight against online scams as it affects Nigerians.

Can you put a stop to prostitution as long as men (who are willing participants) continue to patronize prostitutes without any consequences? NO.

Likewise, can the EFCC effectively tackle online scams in Nigeria as long as it tends to protect the foreign collaborators (who in my opinion are actively involved in economic crimes against Nigeria) while focusing on Nigerians? NO.

What does it take to initiate an online scam? A computer that is connected to the internet, one or more email addresses and any crazy business proposal that promises maximum returns with very minimal effort especially in terms of processing fees.

These are common variants: Become a beneficiary for some forgotten millions of dollars somewhere in a bank, become a beneficiary for millions of dollars belonging to a dead guy (with links to actual plane crashes), buy crude oil for $10.00 per barrel (even though everyone knows the prevailing international crude oil price), take 40% of say $260M by providing your bank account for the transfer.

Why on earth would a reasonable and honest person want to make money from a fraudulent business transaction and yet have the audacity to turn around to insult Nigeria and Nigerians when the promises don't materialize?

Way forward for the EFCC if it really wants to make an impact in this fight

1. Insist on prosecuting online scammers along with their foreign collaborators. This will more than anything else scare a lot of foreigners away.
2. Seek for an increase in the jail term for online scam convicts, the longer the jail term the better
3. Seek for and secure the right to shut down Nigerian owned fraudulent websites regardless of location.
4. Collect, collate, analyze and make available statistics (even going down 10 years ago) that clearly shows the distribution of online scams based on nationalities of perpetrators, originating countries (server locations), email addresses (domain owners) etc

Put differently, there is an urgent need for a change or an update in the Legislation guiding the operations of EFCC as it concerns online scams. There is a very important need to define the collaborator as a guilty partner in the online scam and not as a victim because truth be told almost all the so called victims are far from victims in these online scams.

I have heard and I know that the EFCC believes that the reason for focusing on Nigerians is the INTENT. Granted, it is ok to consider the intent but certainly not enough considering the fact that one person cannot commit 419. It takes a minimum of 2 people, the originator (with the intent) and the collaborator (active business partner hoping to benefit from the scam).

While we are still on INTENT let me point out 2 major areas where INTENT is ignored by the Nigeria Police when it comes to tackling crimes in Nigeria (this I hope will help us understand why the EFCC is acting out a script written by the Western agencies and nations).

1. Both the giver and receiver of stolen goods are considered culpable in Nigeria. This is enforced by the Nigeria Police and is working well
2. The giver and receiver of bribes are considered guilty. This is also the position of the police and I do not have a problem with this as it takes two to tango.

Nigerians, we need to demand from the EFCC a workable approach in tackling online scams especially the 419 brand that has done a lot of damage to Nigerians. Innocent Nigerians are first seen as criminals, searched as if they are aliens from other planets and discriminated against by non Nigerians especially in foreign nations.

We cannot justify the actions of the corrupt few as we hope that the EFCC would hold them accountable for their actions but we cannot be fooled into believing that the current strategy is working as it is clearly not working.

The allegiance of the EFCC should be and must be to Nigeria and Nigerians. The best approach that serves our own interest should be the top priority here.

If agencies and nations that contribute to the running of the EFCC are not comfortable with Nigeria taking a very strong stand on the issue of 419 scam then the Federal Government should as a matter of national importance provide the EFCC with all the necessary funds, manpower and tools so that they can do what is best for Nigeria and Nigerians.

If you tell outsiders that your child is a bastard trust me outsiders will call that child a bastard anytime they want to and there is very little you can do about it.

There is hardly any nation that is completely free of crime including online scams. Anyone from anywhere with access to the internet can initiate an online scam.

If majority of online scams are not committed by Nigerians then why is the world behaving as if they are committed by our own very people?

However, this piece cannot dismiss the over 150 convictions the EFCC has recorded even when the system finds it difficult to convict a single armed robber. So, while we hail the EFCC for the positives the agency should be ready to reevaluate the current strategies and seek for better and more effective legislation to even achieve more.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

ElRazur:
Ironic. . . Once again you showed yourself up as having the inability to debate logically. In one sentence you stated "sticking to the issue at hand", and right before you finish the same sentence, you focused on what your are prerogative against me. I see you really are like your heroes!

Are you blind or plain stupid?

Was the comment on "sticking to the issues" directed at you? It is this sort of silly blunders and mistakes that have reduced you to a mere nuisance on this forum. I respond to posts in kind and for your type I know how best to respond to posts.

And just to emphasize on your inability to stick to issues it is clear that on this thread my post had nothing to do with any member of this forum but of course there is no chance in hell for you to comment on a post without resorting to attacking the personalities of members you may have disagreed with in the past. Goes to show how petty and myopic you are.

Are you qualified for the job?

Did you claim to have relevant experience to be able to handle the job?

Are you really a programmer?

Did you intend to learn on the job or get paid for doing a job?

These are the questions the poster must answer for us to know exactly what the problem is.

Good programmers are always looking for new challenges not running away from them.

As I have stated repeatedly, programming requires passion and logical reasoning otherwise you would run into problems when the money matters are done with and the time for real work comes.

In anycase, it's your decision and regardless of what we tell you only you will face the full consequences of your actions whether in your own best interest or not.

ElRazur:
Is it ironic that those you look up too are just as bad at debating just like you? There isnt a need for name calling or insult on a political scale. Intelligent people debate without emotions, insult or need to feel "superior".

It is funny, Mugabe must be doing a good job when it comes to running a country. I suppose your ideal way to run Nigeria or some other country is to take a leaf from Mugabe's book?

Mr Man, I cannot debate with you because you are simply arrogant, ignorant and a chronic liar and quick to insult others you disagree with.

The content in blue refers, I do not support Mugabe's shortcomings as a leader. I only support his position as regards receiving instructions from the likes of US and Britain on what to do and when to do what.

You must learn to address issues accordingly and stop this your crazy generalization that is making you commit blunders here and there on nairaland.

davidif:
Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay, everybody clap for mugabe because he has just insulted a US diplomat, what a fantastic achievement.

Afam,
wow, you are soooooooooooo incredibly intelligent my friend. This guy has ruined his country and for him resorting to childish antics like calling someone names is a big achievement.

Stick to the issues please. Why did he call someone names? What did the person do? It seems to me that you will gladly say "yes sir" to a white man that calls you a monkey just because you are scared of offending him by saying you are not one.

I only hope that more and more African leaders would be pro African like Mugabe instead of waiting to take dictations from 10 Downing Street and the White House and receiving instructions on how to run their respective countries in Africa.

whobemumu:
“I think Nigerians don’t know who Alhaji Musa Yar’Adua is, if they know the kind of person he is they will ask him to have Nigeria as long as he wishes. “

Well, if Nigerians don't know their president then it means the president shouldn't be leading them, not so?

eros:
@ Afam,
Please can you advise me on which inverter to buy. I need one for home use and it will power a deep freezer, one LCD TV, two standing fan, one ceiling fan, one desktop computer and 3 laptops. Some of these appliance can be disconnected occasionally, to reduce the load on the inverter. I don't mind buying the 5KVA inverter to enjoy long hours of power. Please, i need to know the exact amount it will cost to purchase the inverter, battery and other required accessories, plus installation. Thanks for your time.

Eros
emee30384@yahoo.com

A 5kva inverter is capable of handling the appliances listed without any problems.

What about lighting points? They usually cannot be left out of the equation and don't under rate them.

You can get your inverter from any dealer that can offer you a reasonable warranty because basic maintenance or end user mistake may require repairs.

We build inverters locally for customers and have been doing so for over 5 years now and we offer 1 year full warranty.

The last time I used a generator in my office on Allen Avenue Ikeja was over 5 years ago.

You may see www.justalternativepower.com for more information

Even if it means killing innocent children, men and women in the process?

Even if it means lying about a nation just to wage war?

Is this a justification or just a statement of fact that we all know is 100% wrong?

Wonderful writeup.

Needless to say, I agree completely with the author.

From my email, read and enjoy.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++===

Editor's Note:

Many things are changing globally. Israel, a long time
geo-political asset for Western powers is now a full
fledged liability. The global elite believe Barak Hussein
Obama will be embraced by Muslims everywhere for deliver-
ing a Palestinian state. He will not be embraced as
anticipated.

But look for a huge cry against foreign aid to surface
as one state after another declares bankruptcy. The cry
will be, "Why give billions of dollars to Israel when
California cannot pay their bills."

Israel has been a strategic liability for so many years.
The difference today is that economic necessity makes it
impossible to ignore.

-----------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------

No Way Out of the Settlement Conflict? - William Pfaff

The Obama administration's confrontation with Israel over
its colonies inside the Palestine territories began as a
test of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's willingness to
enter serious negotiations on a Middle Eastern settlement.
It actually possesses potential dimensions that few today
imagine.

Netanyahu first counted on the Likud and settlement lobbies
in Washington to produce, as always in the past, a
disingenuous formula that would allow the colonies to
continue to expropriate Palestinian land and expand the
settlements, while the American government oversaw
essentially meaningless negotiations with the Palestinians.

The prime minister was just in Europe, and told RAI,
Italian state radio, that after President Barack Obama had
declared in his Cairo speech that the construction of new
settlements must stop, he – Netanyahu – had replied "No,"
but had accepted Obama's call for a two-state solution with
the Palestinians, which he previously had refused, provided
that it took place under specified conditions.

The conditions would deny a prospective Palestine state
of full sovereignty, control of its frontiers or of its
security, economy and trade, airspace, and water and other
natural resources. The conditions are obviously unaccept-
able, as they are meant to be. Netanyahu's proposal
constituted a message to the Palestinians that they should
expect nothing from his government, and to Barack Obama
that Israel expects the United States to ask nothing
further from it, and to resume the meaningless negotiations
that have gone on since the first George Bush tried and
failed to confront Israel on extension of the settlements.

The Israeli president went on to say, "I think the more we
spend time arguing about [the settlements] the more we
waste time instead of moving towards peace."

On Wednesday he paid an official visit to France, expecting
congratulations on his agreement to the creation of a
Palestinian state. Instead, President Nicolas Sarkozy told
him that France "would no longer accept Israeli subterfuges
meant to disguise colony construction by the pretext of
'natural growth' in the settlements."

This position already had been characterized by Israeli
Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman as making it "impossible
for Israel to build synagogues or kindergartens, or to add
rooms for expanding families in the settlements."

Lieberman, who immigrated to Israel from Moldavia, wishes
Israel's Arab citizens – survivors of the original Arab
population of what is now Israel -- issued with special
identity documents and encouraged to quit Israel. One might
think that if they did they would leave real estate
vacancies that could accommodate expanding Jewish settler
families.

President Netanyahu was scheduled to meet on Thursday in
Paris with former U.S. Senator George Mitchell, President
Obama's special envoy on Middle Eastern affairs, but the
meeting was canceled by the American side (according to
the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth), and Mitchell
stayed in Washington. The White Houses unofficially made
it known that there would be no further meetings with
Netanyahu until there was a real settlement freeze. (The
Israeli denial of the newspaper report, and the Washington
statement that the cancellation was mutual, were obvious
flimflam.)

Now this is all very well, in principle a long-overdue
restoration of justice and realism to American policy on
Israel and Palestine, but what follows? Would the American
position on a settlement freeze be enforced with financial
or political sanctions if the Netanyahu government refused
to yield?

Netanyahau was elected in order to defy the United States
on the colonies and on Palestinian statehood. Since few
sensible people in Israel wish to alienate Washington,
the Netanyahu government, again in principle, might be
brought down by American sanctions.

What then? The settlement movement, which has gone on now
for some four decades, has become integral to the Israeli
perception of national destiny and national security. The
number of Israeli settlers in the West Bank and the
Palestinian sector of Jerusalem now approaches a half-
million. The settlements with their connecting roads,
security installations and outposts dominate some 40
percent of the West Bank Territories.

Geoffrey Aronson of the Foundation for Middle East Peace
in Washington, sympathetic to the Palestinians, writes
in the Foundation's most recent newsletter that merely a
freeze in settlement construction would require Israel
to "undo the system by which the military establishment,
the legislative and executive arms of the state,
settlers, and public, private, and supranational communal
organizations collaborate in the encouragement and
expansion of settlements."

Major elements in the state administration, defense forces,
planning and budget agencies, and security programs and
practices, plus the incentives to individuals and business
to develop the settlements, would have to be undone.

He concludes that even a real freeze would require "an
undertaking so complex and requiring an Israeli political
decision so profound that no Israeli government would
undertake [it] except as a result of a broader decision
to terminate [the entire occupation of the Palestinian
territories]."

That is wholly impossible without a huge, internationally-
guaranteed reconstruction of the security relationships of
Palestinians, Israelis, and the surrounding Arab states,
which is all but unimaginable. But then what is imaginable?
Going on as things are? Clarification of Obama administr-
ation policy is essential.

------------------------------------------------------------
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++=

From my email, read and enjoy.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++===

Editor's Note:

Many things are changing globally. Israel, a long time
geo-political asset for Western powers is now a full
fledged liability. The global elite believe Barak Hussein
Obama will be embraced by Muslims everywhere for deliver-
ing a Palestinian state. He will not be embraced as
anticipated.

But look for a huge cry against foreign aid to surface
as one state after another declares bankruptcy. The cry
will be, "Why give billions of dollars to Israel when
California cannot pay their bills."

Israel has been a strategic liability for so many years.
The difference today is that economic necessity makes it
impossible to ignore.

-----------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------

No Way Out of the Settlement Conflict? - William Pfaff

The Obama administration's confrontation with Israel over
its colonies inside the Palestine territories began as a
test of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's willingness to
enter serious negotiations on a Middle Eastern settlement.
It actually possesses potential dimensions that few today
imagine.

Netanyahu first counted on the Likud and settlement lobbies
in Washington to produce, as always in the past, a
disingenuous formula that would allow the colonies to
continue to expropriate Palestinian land and expand the
settlements, while the American government oversaw
essentially meaningless negotiations with the Palestinians.

The prime minister was just in Europe, and told RAI,
Italian state radio, that after President Barack Obama had
declared in his Cairo speech that the construction of new
settlements must stop, he – Netanyahu – had replied "No,"
but had accepted Obama's call for a two-state solution with
the Palestinians, which he previously had refused, provided
that it took place under specified conditions.

The conditions would deny a prospective Palestine state
of full sovereignty, control of its frontiers or of its
security, economy and trade, airspace, and water and other
natural resources. The conditions are obviously unaccept-
able, as they are meant to be. Netanyahu's proposal
constituted a message to the Palestinians that they should
expect nothing from his government, and to Barack Obama
that Israel expects the United States to ask nothing
further from it, and to resume the meaningless negotiations
that have gone on since the first George Bush tried and
failed to confront Israel on extension of the settlements.

The Israeli president went on to say, "I think the more we
spend time arguing about [the settlements] the more we
waste time instead of moving towards peace."

On Wednesday he paid an official visit to France, expecting
congratulations on his agreement to the creation of a
Palestinian state. Instead, President Nicolas Sarkozy told
him that France "would no longer accept Israeli subterfuges
meant to disguise colony construction by the pretext of
'natural growth' in the settlements."

This position already had been characterized by Israeli
Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman as making it "impossible
for Israel to build synagogues or kindergartens, or to add
rooms for expanding families in the settlements."

Lieberman, who immigrated to Israel from Moldavia, wishes
Israel's Arab citizens – survivors of the original Arab
population of what is now Israel -- issued with special
identity documents and encouraged to quit Israel. One might
think that if they did they would leave real estate
vacancies that could accommodate expanding Jewish settler
families.

President Netanyahu was scheduled to meet on Thursday in
Paris with former U.S. Senator George Mitchell, President
Obama's special envoy on Middle Eastern affairs, but the
meeting was canceled by the American side (according to
the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth), and Mitchell
stayed in Washington. The White Houses unofficially made
it known that there would be no further meetings with
Netanyahu until there was a real settlement freeze. (The
Israeli denial of the newspaper report, and the Washington
statement that the cancellation was mutual, were obvious
flimflam.)

Now this is all very well, in principle a long-overdue
restoration of justice and realism to American policy on
Israel and Palestine, but what follows? Would the American
position on a settlement freeze be enforced with financial
or political sanctions if the Netanyahu government refused
to yield?

Netanyahau was elected in order to defy the United States
on the colonies and on Palestinian statehood. Since few
sensible people in Israel wish to alienate Washington,
the Netanyahu government, again in principle, might be
brought down by American sanctions.

What then? The settlement movement, which has gone on now
for some four decades, has become integral to the Israeli
perception of national destiny and national security. The
number of Israeli settlers in the West Bank and the
Palestinian sector of Jerusalem now approaches a half-
million. The settlements with their connecting roads,
security installations and outposts dominate some 40
percent of the West Bank Territories.

Geoffrey Aronson of the Foundation for Middle East Peace
in Washington, sympathetic to the Palestinians, writes
in the Foundation's most recent newsletter that merely a
freeze in settlement construction would require Israel
to "undo the system by which the military establishment,
the legislative and executive arms of the state,
settlers, and public, private, and supranational communal
organizations collaborate in the encouragement and
expansion of settlements."

Major elements in the state administration, defense forces,
planning and budget agencies, and security programs and
practices, plus the incentives to individuals and business
to develop the settlements, would have to be undone.

He concludes that even a real freeze would require "an
undertaking so complex and requiring an Israeli political
decision so profound that no Israeli government would
undertake [it] except as a result of a broader decision
to terminate [the entire occupation of the Palestinian
territories]."

That is wholly impossible without a huge, internationally-
guaranteed reconstruction of the security relationships of
Palestinians, Israelis, and the surrounding Arab states,
which is all but unimaginable. But then what is imaginable?
Going on as things are? Clarification of Obama administr-
ation policy is essential.

------------------------------------------------------------
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++=