Headlines
Advanced Fee Fraud: Kano state police deploys Digital platform to fight cybercrime
Zulaiha Danjuma
Hara, a healthcare worker in Kano, fell victim to a sophisticated scam on TikTok.
KANO FOCUS reports that, a scammer, posing as a married woman based in the US, with Saudi Arabian heritage, gained Hara’s trust.
“I was so excited when she sent me a message,” Hara recalled. “She seemed so kind and genuine, and we started talking about our shared interests. I didn’t think twice about trusting her.”
The scammer sent Hara a photo of a laptop, claiming she would send it to her, along with £9,000. Hara was convinced and sent N75,000 to a microfinance bank account to cover supposed shipping costs.
“I felt like I had won the lottery,” Hara said. “I couldn’t wait to receive the laptop and the money.”
However, when Hara realized she had been scammed, she felt devastated.
“I couldn’t sleep for days, thinking about how I had been so foolish,” she said. “I felt ashamed and anxious, wondering how I would pay my bills or provide for my family.”
This scamming technique is known as “Advanced Fee Fraud,” a situation where scammers request money from their victims before an item or goods is delivered to them or service rendered to them.
The prevalence of advanced fee fraud in Kano is alarming, with many cases going unreported.
Notable cases of advanced fee fraud scammers in Kano include Musa Lurwanu-Maje and Aliyu Hussaini.
Musa Lurwanu-Maje’s modus operandi involved creating fake personas on Facebook and WhatsApp, stealing pictures from random social media users and claiming them as his own.
By using these fake profiles, he deceived unsuspecting individuals, ultimately defrauding them.
Another notable example is the case of Aliyu Hussaini, who posed as a textile seller on Facebook.
He deceived a woman who ordered 14 textiles worth N100,000. Instead of delivering the ordered items, Hussaini sent her rags, defrauding her of her money.
In 2023, the Economic Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned a couple for a N410 million advanced fee fraud in Kano state. This high-profile case highlights the growing concern of advanced fee fraud in the region.
How the Police Force is fighting cyber fraud?
The Kano State Police Command has made numerous arrests of such social media related advanced fee fraud cases but wants to take its fight a notch higher.It is leveraging the federal police force’s digital platform that helps to report such crimes for swift action.
The Nigerian Police Force has a dedicated website specifically for reporting fraud and cybercrime.
The website offers users the ability to report online or social media fraud to the police force from the comfort of their phones and electronic devices.
The website is www.specialfraudunit.org.ng is managed by the NPF under its Special Fraud Unit and offers an essential information database for the police to combat cybercrime.
Various security agencies across Nigeria leverage on the information provided by this dedicated website to track perpetrators and support victims.
The Kano State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa said the outfit is happy with the support it is getting from the said digital portal.
SP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa
He said in combating social media advanced fee fraud the police Anti-cyber crime and the anti-money laundering units at the Kano State Bompai Police Headquarters are working closely.
“These offices are enabled with modern equipments for policing activities to combat various issues of cybercrimes” he said
SP Kiyawa said aside intelligence gathering and sharing the officers of the Kano State Command Anti-cyber crime units are constantly receiving specialized training, especially in checkmating and investigating social media and internet related fraud.
“We have constant training at divisional levels, command level as well as in the commands department of criminal investigations. We also have an upcoming training on Artificial intelligence (AI) for officers in order for them to understand the emerging technologies and how to best navigate financial internet fraudsters and their schemes” he explained
The Kano State Police Public Relations Officer added that the command has dedicated hotlines where the public can call in to report social media fraud.
“We leverage social media a lot, we also have engagements with social media influencers who assist the command to trickle down the message for the need of online safety, detection of misinformation, disinformation, Mal information and fake news that can all possibly lead to fraud”
These efforts have yielded a number of public outcry about fraudulent individuals on their social media interactions that resulted in several arrests by the Kano State Police Command.
The Role of digital verification systems
A Financial Crimes and Data science expert, Dr. Umar Yakubu explained further that incorporating biometrics and the use of blockchain on emerging technologies will minimize the occurrence of financial crimes.
Dr. Umar Yakubu
“Biometrics is a great tool that aids security, with the world now moving away from biometric fingerprints to facial and iris biometrics, these are some of the great tools that can be adopted to enhance data security and identity verification.”
“Blockchains are also great tools as they help to enhance transparency thereby tracking transactions and verifying identities too.”
If only Hara had been aware that the photo on the TikTok account, supposedly belonging to a US-based Saudi Arabian woman, was actually a stolen image used by a scammer, she might have avoided the devastating experience of being defrauded.
Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) has become a crucial tool in combating financial fraud. Its reliable identity verification and transaction monitoring capabilities provide a secure foundation for online interactions, ensuring a safe and trustworthy environment for individuals to engage in financial and social activities.
Engaging social media companies in the fight
According to Dr. Umar Yakubu, social media companies must do more to help fight social media fraud.
“Social media platforms say if someone is below 16 or 18 they can’t sign into their platforms, but in reality, even 10-year-old children are able to open accounts,” Dr. Yakubu said. “This happens because these platforms do not demand proper identification.”
The ability to set up social media accounts without using personal pictures or a real name are among the issues which drive advanced fee fraud on social media, Dr. Yakubu explained.
“Social media offers people the ability to be anonymous, whereby they are able to generate other people’s pictures, use fake names or other people’s names to create fake accounts while posing as those individuals they don’t even know, which makes social media a hotspot for fraudsters.”
To mitigate these issues, Dr. Yakubu explains that the current structure, which is to simply fine social media platforms in cases where their platforms were used for financial fraud, is not enough.
“The penalties these platforms pay are nothing compared to the amount of money they make, so at the end of the day, the penalties are not deterrents enough for them to ensure that people do not have social media accounts until we put up the right and correct identity,” Dr. Yakubu said.
This story is produced under the Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) Fellowship of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) and Co-Develop in partnership with Kano Focus online Newspaper.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, has commissioned a Quick Response Squad of the Multi-Agency Task Force on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, alongside operational equipment worth hundreds of millions of naira, as part of efforts to intensify the fight against drug abuse, thuggery and illicit trafficking.
KANO FOCUS reports that the commissioning took place on Thursday, marking another step in the state government’s efforts to tackle substance abuse through enforcement, rapid response, rehabilitation, skills acquisition and reintegration of affected persons into society.
Speaking at the ceremony, Gov Yusuf expressed satisfaction with what he described as progress recorded in the fight against drug abuse across the state.
“I am the happiest man in Kano today as we continue to push drug abuse down to the barest minimum,” he said.
The governor said the newly established squad would strengthen the operational capacity of the task force by enabling it to respond promptly to reports, drug-related incidents and emerging threats associated with illicit trafficking.
He explained that the provision of operational equipment was part of his administration’s commitment to equipping relevant agencies with the necessary tools to address the drug menace.
Gov Yusuf, however, stressed that the campaign should go beyond arrest and prosecution, noting that rehabilitated persons must be given opportunities to acquire skills and engage in legitimate economic activities.
He said the government would sustain skills acquisition and apprenticeship programmes to keep rehabilitated persons meaningfully engaged and reduce the risk of relapse into drug use and other criminal activities.
The governor commended the chairman and members of the task force for their dedication and commitment, saying the achievements recorded within a relatively short period demonstrated the importance of collaboration among government agencies and other stakeholders.
Accompanied by the Speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly, Jibril Ismaila Falgore, and other senior government officials, Gov Yusuf inspected the newly commissioned facility and the equipment procured for the task force.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Multi-Agency Task Force on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, Barr Muhyi Magaji Rimin Gado, said the Quick Response Squad and the newly acquired equipment would enhance the agency’s capacity to respond effectively to drug-related challenges.
He reaffirmed the task force’s commitment to sustaining its operations against substance abuse and illicit trafficking, assuring the governor that it would not relent in carrying out its mandate.
Barr Rimin Gado expressed appreciation to the governor for providing political and operational support, which he said had strengthened the task force’s activities.
He noted that tackling drug abuse required collective responsibility, involving government institutions, security and regulatory agencies, traditional and religious leaders, parents, communities and educational institutions.
The chairman pledged that the task force would sustain its preventive, enforcement, rehabilitation and reintegration programmes while strengthening collaboration with relevant stakeholders to reduce substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking in the state.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Nafisah Yusuf Hassan, a magistrate in Kano State, has been recommended for appointment as a judge of the Kano State High Court by the National Judicial Council (NJC).
KANO FOCUS reports that Hassan is among four judicial officers from Kano State recommended for elevation to the High Court bench out of 28 candidates selected nationwide.
The other nominees are Halima Yahuza Ahmad, Abdullahi Abdulsalam Bature and Musa Ibrahim Umar.
The NJC disclosed the recommendations in a statement issued by its Deputy Director of Information, Kemi Babalola-Ogedengbe, following its consideration of candidates for judicial appointments across the country.
The council said all recommended candidates were expected to be sworn in by their respective state governors without delay.
Hassan’s recommendation follows her years of service in the Kano State judiciary, where she has reportedly distinguished herself through diligence, professionalism and careful handling of cases.
She has been commended for her commitment to judicial ethics, diligence and fairness in the discharge of her responsibilities, achievements that contributed to her career progression within the judiciary.
Her elevation is part of a broader development in the Kano State judiciary, with four magistrates from the state successfully scaling the selection process for appointment to the High Court.
The four nominees were reportedly assessed during the selection exercise and demonstrated strong professional competence, while their service records were found to be free of adverse remarks.
Their recommendation marks a significant step in their judicial careers and is expected to strengthen the judicial workforce in Kano State upon their formal appointment.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Kano State Accountability Forum on Education (K-SAFE) says it has tracked nearly 1,000 education projects across the state as part of efforts to promote transparency, accountability and effective service delivery in the education sector.
KANO FOCUS the coalition’s Co-Chair, Dr Auwalu Halilu, disclosed this on Wednesday during an advocacy visit to the Kano State Ministry of Public Procurement and Project Monitoring.
Dr Halilu said K-SAFE had monitored projects in more than six local government areas, covering interventions implemented by the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Kano State Senior Secondary Education Management Board and Local Education Authorities (LEAs).
He explained that the monitoring exercise involved physical inspections and documentation of projects through photographs, videos and geographical locations.
According to him, reports of the findings had been submitted to relevant ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), highlighting projects that met required standards and those requiring further attention.
He cited Rimin Gado Local Government Area, where the coalition tracked more than 80 education projects, adding that it planned to extend the exercise to all 44 local government areas of the state.
The K-SAFE Co-Chair said the visit was aimed at presenting the coalition’s activities to the ministry and exploring areas of collaboration in procurement and project monitoring.
He called for the inclusion of civil society organisations in procurement and monitoring processes, particularly tender board activities and field inspections, to strengthen independent oversight and provide them with firsthand information on government projects.
Dr Halilu also requested the ministry’s support in organising capacity-building programmes for civil society organisations on procurement procedures, due process, project standardisation, monitoring and evaluation.
He said such training would enhance civil society organisations’ understanding of procurement regulations and the technical requirements guiding project implementation.
Responding, the Commissioner for Public Procurement and Project Monitoring, Dr Nura Iro Ma’aji, welcomed the delegation and acknowledged the coalition’s contributions to supporting the state government’s efforts in the education sector.
He expressed the ministry’s readiness to collaborate with K-SAFE through information sharing and other relevant engagements to strengthen accountability and ensure compliance with due process.
“From our side, we are ready to work together because we know what they have been doing to support Kano State Government in the education sector,” he said.
Dr Halilu further disclosed that the coalition and its partner organisations had carried out the monitoring exercise without financial sponsorship, describing it as a demonstration of their commitment to transparency and accountability.
He reaffirmed K-SAFE’s commitment to sustaining engagement with relevant government agencies, civil society organisations and the media to strengthen oversight of education projects across Kano State.
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