₦airaland Forum

Editor's note: Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani is the author of "I Do Not Come to You by Chance," a debut novel set amidst the perilous world of Nigerian email scams. Her book won the 2010 Commonwealth Writers Prize for Best First Book (Africa), a Betty Trask First Book award, and was named by the Washington Post as one of the Best Books of 2009. She works with Nigeria's NEXT newspapers.
Lagos, Nigeria (CNN) --


The most foolish argument I've heard from the never-ending efforts to discourage young Nigerians from cybercrime is that money isn't everything.
Well, lack isn't everything either. There's also the equally common argument about integrity being worthier than wealth, as if a dichotomy must always exist between the two.
No wonder the many 419 scammers -- for whom the specter of a destitute and unfulfilled future is a daily terror -- don't appear ready to budge from their fraudulent ways.
And so it was with a mixture of curiosity and skepticism that I attended an 'Alternatives to Cybercrime' event organized by Microsoft and Paradigm Initiative Nigeria (PIN). What new doctrine did the anti-cybercrime brigade have to preach this time?
My 419 scams-themed novel had earned me an invitation to address the audience of university and secondary school students. Another guest speaker was Adeolu Akinyemi, a young man who runs Street Skills, an organization that rehabilitates 419 scammers. The more he spoke, the more I found myself sitting straighter in my chair with rapt attention.
No, he doesn't warn the fraudsters against the ills of materialism or notify them that money doesn't buy happiness. That grand sermon may wait until after they can afford three square meals a day.
You'd be shocked to learn that we have youth as young as 15 in the cybercafes, sending scam mails to unknowing victims.
--Felix, former email scammer
Adeolu's method is to teach the young men how to use the same skills developed from years of diligently scamming hard currency from gullible Westerners, to make legitimate money online.
Felix Ekpa, the very first case Adeolu worked with, was a successful 419 scammer between 2004 and 2007. The 31-year-old now makes an honest living from various online businesses. I went searching for him after the event.
"I have been actively involved in network marketing for about three years and I daresay it is the shortest and fastest way to living the life of your dreams," he told me. The former scammer also trades Forex in his spare time.
Felix first contacted Adeolu in 2007 after coming across his blog which provided information on various online investment schemes. He was intrigued enough to contact Adeolu requesting a meeting.
"When we met, I was shocked to see someone of my age range," he said. "So it was easy for me to tell him my story and how I had been motivated by his write ups and how I was looking forward to change if he was going to help."
Under Adeolu's tutelage, Felix eventually felt confident enough in his new line of work to completely abandon the old. Both men then decided to reach out to other scammers. Thus, Street Skills was born.
Felix started by reaching out to the scammers he knew personally, his former colleagues. His experiences as a "former street boy" now making money through legitimate means enabled him to get through to some of the scammers, he said.
Today, Felix is Adeolu's partner and the "Lead Driver" of Street Skills. "He heads the organization, and I play a support role," Adeolu said, adding that his aim is to "push" Felix as a positive role model, since he's "been there and done that."
Felix has also done some restitution, refunding his victims their swindled money. One of his former victims was shocked when he confessed that he had been scamming her all along.
I got curious and the adventurous side of me took over. I learned the game, it was fun and the easiest way to make real money. It was quite lucrative.
--Felix, former 419 scammer
RELATED TOPICS
Nigeria
Spam Email
Computer Crime
Then Felix promised to refund her the approximately $25,000 he swindled from her. He eventually sent an initial $1000, followed by several other installments. "She is now more of a family friend, as she is in touch with my family and friends till date," he said.
A brief survey of Nigeria's 419 communities appears to present three distinct categories of scammers. The first are the pioneers of the late 80s and early 90s, common criminals who simply saw yet another opportunity to make a dishonest living.
The second, mostly university graduates from decent backgrounds, were chance criminals who found respite from unemployment and hopelessness, in scamming. It didn't help that they had watched the first category scam their way to respectability and philanthropy.
The third group had simply observed the second, and saw them as role models. Like their heroes, they also desired to ride fast cars, have assorted damsels perch on their arms and occupy prominent seats at public functions.
Despite being well provided for by his family, university graduate Felix says he fell into this third category of criminals after observing the lavish display of wealth and big cars driven by "small boys" in his area.
"I got curious, asked questions, and the adventurous side of me took over," he said. "I learned the game and got involved. It was fun and the easiest way to make real money. It was quite lucrative."
Street Skills says it currently has about 10 rehabilitated scammers that have found legitimate opportunities to fend for themselves and their families, there are also around 40 who they describe as "work in progress." But their vocation is certainly not a stroll in the park; it takes patience to break into these networks and convince the scammers to opt for money-making opportunities that won't have them constantly looking over their shoulders.
Those who eventually sign up for "rehabilitation" are then followed up with seminars and training, where they are taught the basics of network marketing, entrepreneurship, e-books marketing and internet marketing till they actually start making money through the opportunities presented to them.
Unfortunately, a lean purse has forced Street Skills to go from monthly group meetings to more one-on-one sessions, which Felix says are not as effective as group meetings. Most of the funding for the work they do comes from his and Adeolu's pockets and he believes proper funding would allow them to set up more centers around Nigeria .
But there is an increasing number of young people turning to email scams in the country. "You'd be shocked to learn that we have youth as young as 15 in the cybercafes, sending scam mails to unknowing victims. Some are in secondary schools, while some are not even educated," Felix said. He believes a long-term solution is to provide these young people with alternative occupations.
The world can continue to fight as hard as it will against 419 scams, but the 18 and 19-year-olds who troop to Nigerian cybercafes everyday in search of that one ignoramus americanus or britanus -- whose hard currency will transform their lives -- have more severe worries to contend with than fear of the FBI or Interpol.
And until these idle youngsters find a better alternative to the work which Beelzebub has found for them, sadly, the world will know no rest from their torment.

(CNN) -- Folashade Abugan is the third Nigerian athlete to have failed a drugs test at the Commonwealth Games in India, where she won two silver medals, it was revealed on Friday.
Abugan, who came second in the women's 400 meters last week and the 4x400m relay on Tuesday, has been stripped of both of her medals after testing positive for the banned anabolic substance testosterone prohormone.
The 20-year-old, who was world junior champion in 2008, has waived her right to have her "B" sample tested, the Commonwealth Games Federation said a day after the four-yearly event finished in New Delhi.
"Folashade Abugan returned an adverse analytical finding from a test conducted on October 8, 2010, after competing in the women's 400 meter final," the CGF said in a statement.
The news comes as a blow to the Nigeria team, who were already reeling following the failed tests of both women's 100m champion Osayemi Oludamola and Samuel Okon, who came sixth in the men's 110m hurdles.
That duo tested positive for the banned stimulant methylhexanamine.
The CGF statement also said Abugan has admitted liability for the failed test, and she has been disqualified from all the events she participated in.
"Ms Abugan wrote to the CGF waiving her rights to have her "B" sample analyzed and a hearing, as provided for within the CGF Anti-Doping Standard (ADS). She also admitted liability.
"She has been disqualified from all events she participated in during the Games, with the results nullified. This includes her silver medal in the women's 400 meters.
"As she was also a member of her country's second placed 4x400m relay team, that result is also nullified."
The silver medal she obtained in the 400m will now go to Aliann Tabitha Pompey of Guyana, with Christine Amertil of the Bahamas being promoted into the bronze medal position.
England's quartet of Kelly Massey, Victoria Barr, Meghan Beesley and Nadine Okyere have been elevated to second position in the 4x400m relay, with Canada's Amonn Nelson, Adrienne Power, Vicki Tolton and Carline Muir now claiming bronze.

(CNN) -- Nearly 700 people in a small town within Lagos, Nigeria, will be moved to a relief camp due to heavy flooding that has plagued the region since September, according to a state governor.
Babatunde Raji Fashola made the announcement Monday while on a tour of flood-impacted areas.
In all, 681 people from the town of Ajegunle will be relocated to camps specially built for relief efforts, he said.
The flooding began last month when the Ogun River rose above its banks after the opening of a dam. No casualties have been reported.
While speaking to affected residents, Fashola emphasized that the area is in a flood plain and that people must be ready to move.
He said that the government alone can't solve the problem and they need help from everyone in the area to get through the flooding and limit the damage, asking residents to refrain from using flood-stricken roads.
"We have to wait for this water to subside," Fashola said. "Nature will take its course, but what we can do as a people is work together to mitigate the advanced consequences."
The commissioners for Special Duties, Health and Environment will work together with emergency management officials to relocate the displaced residents, Fashola said.

The Presidency has said that Vice-President Atiku Abubakar remains indicted for his roles in the alleged mismanagement of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund accounts.


The declaration by the Presidency on Wednesday was against the backdrop of the nullification on Tuesday of the reports of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and Administrative Panel of Inquiry on the PTDF by a Lagos High Court.


A businessman, Chief Oyewole Fasawe, who was indicted alongside Abubakar, had on October 13, 2006 asked the court to void the reports.


The respondents to the suit were the Attorney-General of the Federation; the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission; the State Security Service and the Inspector-General of Police.


Although Fasawe filed an ex-parte motion, the court ordered him to put the respondents on notice.


The AGF and the EFCC, however, filed separate objections to the suit.


The trial judge, Justice Inumidun Akande, consolidated the three motions, including the one by Fasawe, and ruled that her court had jurisdiction to hear the matter.


The court also on October 20 issued an order which restrained the EFCC from arresting, detaining or harassing Fasawe.


In her judgment, Akande said President Olusegun Obasanjo erred in his decision to receive the reports of the EFCC and an Administrative Panel of Inquiry on the PTDF accounts.


The judgment, however, caused political ripples in the country, leading to different interpretations on the purported clearance of the VP.


But the Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Mallam Uba Sani, said in a statement that the VP ought not rejoice over the ruling because he was not a party to the suit by Fasawe.


Sani, who reminded Abubakar that his case at a Federal High Court, Abuja was yet to be concluded, added that the Lagos High Court lacked the authority to handle the case.


He argued that the suit should have been brought before a Federal High Court since the EFCC was a federal agency.


Sani said that it was wrong to accept conclusions in the media that Abubakar had, by virtue of the Lagos High Court ruling, been cleared of his alleged wrongdoings.


The statement by Sani reads, ”We deem it as necessary to react to the Lagos State High Court ruling declaring as null and void the reports of the EFCC and the Bayo Ojo Administrative Panel which indicted Chief Oyewole Fasawe over the PTDF account.


“In the national dailies of Wednesday, November 29 2006, the vice-president was also said to have, by extension, been cleared of his indictment by the EFCC and the Ojo panel.


“We wish to state as follows:


“Fasawe approached the Lagos High Court for the enforcement of his fundamental rights. The vice-president was not a party to the suit. He cannot, therefore, appropriate what he did not ask for.


“The vice-president‘s case is still before the Federal High Court in Abuja. Until the case is determined, the vice-president remains indicted by both the EFCC and the Ojo panel.


“The Lagos State High Court lacks the jurisdiction to handle a case involving the EFCC because the EFCC is a federal agency. Therefore, Fasawe‘s suit ought to have been filed before a Federal High Court, not a state high court. The EFCC has already filed an appeal challenging the ruling of the Lagos State High Court.


“We urge Nigerians to beware of mischief makers. We must remain vigilant. We must not sacrifice the war against corruption on the altar of political expediency.”


When contacted on the telephone by one of our correspondents on Wednesday, Ojo said he was awaiting a copy of the Lagos High Court ruling.


Ojo said, “I have applied for a copy of the judgment. I will call you back as soon as I get and read it.”


On its part, the EFCC said it had filed an appeal against the judgment of the Lagos High Court at the Court of Appeal in Lagos.


The commission’s counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs, told our correpondent in Lagos, that the nation had not heard the last words on the matter.


He said, “It is laughable that some people will link the Vice-President with a matter in which he was not a party. Fasawe was the one that filed the suit and there was no time during the pendency of the suit that the VP‘s name ever featured.


“And that was why my client was surprised on Tuesday when some media reports implied that the matter involved the VP. That is not true. The position of the law is that Fasawe had gone to court, seeking the leave of the court to enforce his fundamental human rights.”


He said the EFCC had filed a notice of appeal at the Court of Appeal in Lagos.


He said the EFCC was complaining that Akande had erred in her judgment delivered on Tuesday.


The notice of appeal, based on eight grounds, was dated November 29 and it was filed by Jacobs.


Our correspondentS also gathered that the commission had concluded plans to file a stay of execution of the lower court‘s decision, pending the determination of its complaints at the appellate court.


The EFCC had in some of its grounds of appeal, claimed that the lower court wrongly assumed jurisdiction over the suit.


It said that the commission, the AGF and the Inspector-General of Police were protected by the Public Officers Protection Act.


The commission also faulted the lower court‘s verdict in setting aside its report, adding that its report on the PTDF was not final.


It insisted that Fasawe was yet to be arraigned, tried or convicted in respect of the report.


It added that it was wrong for the lower court to hold that it had no right to detain Fasawe, saying that detention was inherent in the investigative powers of the EFCC.


The anti-graft body also reminded the lower court that Fasawe’s right to liberty was not absolute.


The EFCC also claimed that it was wrong of the lower court to grant an order of perpetual injunction, restraining it from arresting Fasawe.


It said that the judgment by Akande violated the EFCC’s constitutional and statutory powers to investigate and prosecute offenders in court.


It added that what the judge granted was an order of perpetual injunction to shield Fasawe from criminal prosecution.


No date has been fixed for the hearing of the matter.


Meanwhile, loyalists of the VP have asked Ojo to resign from office for misleading Obasanjo.


The call was contained in a statement on Wednesday by the National Director of Publicity of the Turaki Vanguard, a pro-Atiku Abubakar group, Mr. Chukwuemeka Eze.


The statement read in part, “We the members of Turaki Vanguard consider this monumental and historic judgment as justification of the axiom that the judiciary is the last hope of the common man.


“In this case, the last hope of our democracy being bastardised by President Olusegun Obasanjo and the PDP leadership.


“This judgment demonstrates the supremacy of the judiciary over despotism and tyranny exhibited by Obasanjo and his clique.”


The statement said that Ojo; the Chairman of the EFCC, Malam Nuhu Ribadu; and the Minister in the Presidency, Malam Nasir el-Rufai, should all resign for heating up the polity.


It noted that the conduct and utterances of these public officers were laced with hatred and abuse of office.

Bawss1:
I take it you haven't played MW2 then? Just asking

Dolemite:
1. Then you shouldn't judge.
2. So what ? you're not required to kill anyone.
3. What does it say on my profile, duh.

dayokanu:
How two people go post exactly the same thing, Do GAYYners share the same defective brain? Mod investigate cos it seems edoyad is preying on the naivety of yousouph.

The blatant GAYY activity going on this Arsenal thread is alarming.

Early friday morning edoyad don go camp yousouph for house just because chickenshrimp went for ante natal?

dammiecool:
Babbontunde confirmentoooooooooooooooo

eldee:
Go check my posts . . . I never insult first, but I don't insult proportionally either.
And no, I don't 'swear for' people.

We disagree on this issue and I'm not insulting you, some people take things too serious, you're one of them.
At least you've learnt not to do that with me, so I don't really care if you diss Damiecool or Mobinga.

And please give me a reason why I should give an eff bout the respect book of sum BJ?? All pun intended.

tpiah:
what's with all these where is lagbaja where is temedo threads.

someone will carry their wahala go quietly, jobless people will still be asking where they are.

there's a world outside nl for goodness sake.

the madam has AIM, MSN, and email address on her profile and people are still asking foolish questions instead of just contacting her directly.

Bawss1:
This game is riding on a lot of anticipation and high expectations, Infinity Ward had better not disappoint, the genre is overcrowded now.

jendiaky:
if a blind man is tretin 2 stone u u beta b careful cuz he may be standin on a stone

v3:
@mavor, na dat ish?ANSWER SHARPLY . Mobinga,u knw how we do. .your major mate,MAJOR!

Bawss1:
Metacritic reviews for Medal of Honor; mostly average or slightly above average.