Victoria Beckham tweeted yesterday, that the baby blue dress (in the below pictures)was her favourite from her collection. This is quite unlike her usual clingy kind of style and looks as if she's wearing an oversized dress. Would you rock this dress? Yep or Nope?
Leaving court following a seven-day trial that saw him branded a love cheat and an alcoholic, he smiled as he said: “I might go and have a drink now"
Jubilant Corrie star Michael Le Vell punched the air in triumph after being cleared of child sex abuse charges today – and immediately vowed to celebrate.
Leaving court following a seven-day trial that saw him branded a love cheat and an alcoholic, he smiled as he said: “I might go and have a drink now.”
The actor’s life had been torn apart for two years by claims he raped and sexually abused a child.
But jurors took just four hours to find him innocent of all charges.
As they returned from their deliberations, Le Vell anxiously clutched a picture of his father, who died of lung cancer in 1984.
He listened intently as the not guilty verdicts were announced before slumping forward and putting his hand to his head.
Then he nodded to the jury and mouthed the words “Thank you”.
His three sisters collapsed in tears as fans applauded from the public gallery, while one of the star’s minders said: “F****** get him out of there – now”.
Later Le Vell, in a grey suit and pink striped tie, waved to cheering well-wishers outside Manchester crown court as he told of his relief.
He said: “I am delighted, obviously. It’s a weight off everyone’s shoulders.”
He added: “I would just like to thank my fantastic legal team, the family for their support, security, and I would like to thank ITV for their continued support throughout this traumatic time for all of us, and I would like to say thank you all for being patient.
Asked when he would return to the soap to continue his 30-year role as garage mechanic Kevin Webster, he said: “I don’t know, I might have a holiday first. I’ll have to have a chat with my boss.”
His girlfriend Blanca Fouche celebrated his acquittal at their local pub, the Railway, in Hale, Manchester.
She said: “This is the verdict we knew would come. I always knew Michael was innocent.”
Fans shouted: “Well done, Kevin!” as the star was ushered into a car and whisked away from the court by his family and legal team.
And minutes later, just before 4pm, Le Vell made good his promise to treat himself to a drink by popping into the bar at the city’s Victoria and Albert hotel, where he ordered a pint of Becks lager.
Last night he was still celebrating with family and friends, as a pal revealed: “He’s just so happy it’s all over.
The friend added: “He feels it is two years of his life that he will never get back. He still can’t understand why this has happened to him.
“The case should never have been brought. He has been accused of the most appalling crimes, and believes he should never have been named in the first place.
"It’s been horrific, but now he can get his life back on track.”
Le Vell, 48, who was cleared of all 12 charges against him had always strenuously denied any wrongdoing.
His alleged victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was not in court to hear the not guilty verdicts.
The youngster, described by the prosecution as “bubbly, lovely, naive” – had earlier sobbed from behind a curtain as she told the jury that Le Vell raped her while she clutched a teddy bear.
She alleged he had abused her from the age of six until she was 14.
But her claims were dismissed after being described as “inconsistent, incoherent and unbelievable”.
If found guilty, Le Vell could have faced a sentence of life imprisonment.
An eight year old bride in Yemen died from internal injuries on her wedding night, bleeding to death after deep vaginal tearing caused by sex with her 40 year old husband.
The girl, identified only by the name Rawan, died in Hardh, in northwestern Yemen, according to a report issued by UPI on Sunday, Sept. 8.
Activists in the region want to put an end to the practice of marrying young girls, and have called for police to arrest the girl's husband and family. Nevertheless, the forced marriage of child brides in Yemen remains a socially accepted custom in many rural areas.
Indeed, the practice has deep cultural and religious roots, and is widespread in Yemen. A February 2009 law set the minimum age for marriage at 17, but it was repealed after some conservative lawmakers called it un-Islamic.
In particular, a prominent Islamic cleric, Abdulmajeed al-Zindani, issued a fatwa in support of the practice and ultimately leading a successful campaign against legislation that would prevent adult men from marrying children.
The issue of Yemen's child bride problem made headlines three years ago when an 8-year-old girl went to court, demanding a judge dissolve her marriage to a man in his 30s. The girl eventually won a divorce, and legislators began looking at ways to curb the practice. However, they have so far been unsuccessful. Currently the law states that parents should decide when a daughter marries.
Unfortunately, reports indicate more than a quarter of Yemen’s females marry before age 15.
Aston Villa striker Gabriel Agbonlahor was the subject of death threats and shocking abuse from One Direction fans after injuring band member Louis Tomlinson.
The pair were playing in Stiliyan Petrov's game for charity at Celtic Park when the 26-year-old forward tackled the singer.
It was a fair challenge from the Villa man, but Tomlinson was injured and his notoriously, er, over-excited fans took to Twitter to send Agbonlahor abuse and threats -even though the account in question appears to be a fake.
@gabby_10 This guy hurt Louis knee. I shall hurt your face. I better hear that you apologized or I will find you, and I will kill you.
On leaving the pitch, the boyband star then vomited - further provoking the ire of his loyal band of internet abusers.
A Petrov XI beat a Celtic XI 5-3 in the end, with Dimitar Berbatov netting a hat-trick for his former international team-mate's side.
Henrik Larsson scored for the hosts, while Jamie Redknapp, John Terry and Robert Pires were among the special guests to feature. #mirror Watch: Gabriel Agbonlahor injures One Direction's Louis Tomlinson.
Ngozi Chimamanda Adichie and Genevieve Nnaji .......looking radiant @ the 'Half Of A Yellow Sun' Premiere during the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival at the Winter Garden Theatre on September 8, 2013 in Toronto, Canada.
Onyeka Onwenu, John Boyega and Genevieve Nnaji
Thandie Newton at the Half Of A Yellow Sun premiere in a $795 Stella McCartney Black Compact Jersey Dress, Box Clutch, and $895 Faux Nappa Platform Sandals
Executive Producers Yewande Sadiku (L) and Muhtar Bakare arrive at the "Half Of A Yellow Sun" Premiere during the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival at the Winter Garden Theatre on September 8, 2013 in Toronto, Canada.
( September 7, 2013 - Source: Jerod Harris/Getty Images North America)
Actress Onyeka Onwenu arrives at the 'Half Of A Yellow Sun' Premiere during the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival at the Winter Garden Theatre on September 8, 2013 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Terry Rice/WireImage)
Actress Anika Noni Rose
Onyeka Onwenu, John Boyega and Genevieve Nnaji
Thandie Newton at the Half Of A Yellow Sun premiere in a $795 Stella McCartney Black Compact Jersey Dress, Box Clutch, and $895 Faux Nappa Platform Sandals
Executive Producers Yewande Sadiku (L) and Muhtar Bakare arrive at the "Half Of A Yellow Sun" Premiere during the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival at the Winter Garden Theatre on September 8, 2013 in Toronto, Canada.
( September 7, 2013 - Source: Jerod Harris/Getty Images North America)
Actress Onyeka Onwenu arrives at the 'Half Of A Yellow Sun' Premiere during the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival at the Winter Garden Theatre on September 8, 2013 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Terry Rice/WireImage)
Prime Minister David Cameron left his official red box alone on a train - to nip to the buffet car.
Mr Cameron, who once left his daughter Nancy down the pub, strolled off down the aisle without the crucial briefcase.
The battered red box, emblazoned with the words ‘Prime Minister’ on the side, was left for all to see - with the key still in the lock.
Mr Cameron was travelling to a family wedding up North on the packed East Coast main-line train, leaving passengers in the carriage stunned.
These exclusive pictures show Mr Cameron’s red box perched, unattended on his train table - surrounded by four empty chairs where he had been sitting.
One gobsmacked passenger stopped to take a picture - without any security guards intervening.
He told the Mirror: “It was just sitting there. I could probably have run off with it if I’d wanted to.
“But instead I took a photo of it.”
Cameron works on a train
Former government minister Kevan Jones last night told the Mirror he was amazed by Mr Cameron’s bravado.
He said: “I was never allowed to take my red box on public transport. There were very clear rules.
“It’s astonishing, quite frankly, that he would just get up and walk off down the aisle.
“There could be any number of state secrets in that box.
“What would have happened if someone - for whatever reason - opened the window and chucked it out?”
Mr Cameron’s carelessness will spark outrage - as it comes after Transport minister Simon Burns claimed he couldn’t use public trains - because he was barred by official rules from working on confidential papers on the train.
The revelation is reminiscent of the time Labour Cabinet Minister James
Purnell sparked a security row after losing confidential documents on a packed train.
Mr Purnell took documents out of his red box on the trip - breaking strict protocol.
Edinburgh-bound: The East Coast train
Ministers are warned against taking their Cabinet briefcases on public transport amid fears secret papers could be lost or stolen.
Former Cabinet minister Peter Kilfoyle set out guidelines on carrying red boxes in 1999.
He said: “Where it is necessary to carry red boxes by public transport, they should be effectively disguised.”
Former Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott told the Mirror: “I’m staggered that a Prime minister should be so slack about looking after Government secrets.
“The box could have contained detailed confidential intelligence about Syria. I never let mine out of my sight.
“It’s also a bit rich that his Government persecuted journalists for carrying secrets but left his own on his table while he went to the buffet car.
“Talk about Inter Twitty. The guy needs to get a grip.”
Mr Cameron was on the 7.44am train from King’s Cross to Edinburgh on Saturday leaving from Platform 1.
One witness, who had boarded the train late and was walking through the carriages looking for a seat - spotted Mr Cameron in the buffet car, which was closed at the time and empty apart from a ticket collector.
The man, from Essex, thought: “That’s a face I recognise.”
He told the Mirror “I carried on walking through the train and two carriages on I saw the PM’s red briefcase on a table all alone.”
The red brief case, clearly marked ‘Prime Minister’, was left unattended on a table with four seats.
A man was sitting on a pair of seats on the other side of the aisle, but he didn’t appear to mind a stranger taking a picture of the briefcase.
There was a man sitting in a seat of four behind him and a woman sitting in a seat of four behind Cameron’s chairs.
Our man said: “First of all I couldn’t believe that Cameron was on the train unprotected - I just walked past him.
“I could freely bump into this guy and there was no security or anyone around him
“And secondly it was incredible that his briefcase was lying there just like that.
“I could have quite easily have damaged it or scratched it or run off with it.
“And above all I couldn’t believe the key was in the lock.”
The witness said it took 30 seconds to walk from the buffet car to the table where the PM’s briefcase was.
Country do: Cam and Samantha arrive at the wedding PA
Mr Cameron got off at York where he went to the country wedding of Samantha Cameron’s sister Alice Sheffield.
Fresh from the G20 summit in St Petersburg, Mr Cameron was seen taking pictures on his mobile phone outside Sutton-on-the-Forest Parish Church near York following Alice Sheffield’s wedding to Etienne Cadestin.
Ms Sheffield once worked for Mr Cameron as a correspondence secretary and is the founder of green cosmetics website Bare Faced Cheek.
Family wedding: Alice Sheffield - Samantha Cameron's sister - wed Etienne Cadestin PA
Her new husband, Mr Cadestin, is a senior sustainability and energy consultant for estate agents Knight Frank.
Mrs Cameron and her half sister are the daughters of baronet Sir Reginald Sheffield.
The wedding meant that Mr Cameron was unable to attend the Highland Games at Balmoral.
Traditionally the Prime Minister spends a weekend with the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh in September and it often coincides with the Braemar Gathering.
But Mr Cameron will instead visit the Queen’s retreat later this month.
Last night a No10 spokesman said: ‘The box was not left unattended.
“The Prime Minister’s security detail was there at all times.” Rubbish bin blunder by David Cameron's aide
David Cameron’s top adviser Oliver Letwin was caught by the Mirror dumping secret papers in waste bins in St James’s Park, London, in 2011.
Over five days he threw away 100 sensitive pieces of correspondence covering terrorism and national security.
Three years earlier former Work and Pensions Secretary James Purnell walked off a packed train leaving confidential documents behind. They were picked up by two women and he got them back three days later.
Housing Minister Caroline Flint was photographed with a house prices briefing entitled: “We can’t tell how bad it will get.”
And the Treasury’s Danny Alexander let slip the coalition expected 500,000 jobs to go drastic because of spending cuts.
X Factor judge, Nichole Scherzinger has taken some time out and headed to the beach with her friends for a day's sunbathing, sea paddling, and bum twerking.
"#teamtwerkcakes came out to play! Heeey, Team twerk caaakes! #paddleboardtwerking #goofballz," she tweeted.... in case you didn't understand what she was doing from the picture.
Cases of ladies leading deadly robbery gang is fast becoming a trend in Nigeria, with Lagos taking the lead. It seems prostitution is no longer paying some wayward ladies as much as they expect, hence the decision to take to the dangerous trade of armed robbery.
This is the case of Chioma Ezekwesiri, a Law graduate from the University of Lagos. Chioma, who leads a 7-man robbery gang, was arrested with her gang members during an operation by SARS operatives after they received a distressed call from Bolatito Hotel in the Ijaiye area of Lagos.
According to police report, Chioma and her boys stormed the hotel after receiving tips that a customer who just sold 8 million naira worth of fertilizer was staying at the hotel.
The Special Anti-Robbery Squad team immediately surrounded the hotel and searched all its occupants. In the process, 2 guns and 12 live ammunition were found on the robbery suspects.
35yrs old Chioma and her gang members have been remanded in prison. They are: Amadi Igwe, 41; Raymond Chukwuka, 24; Ignatius Okeredi, 27; Michael Madu, 52; Okechukwu Jerome, 28
Look! Matching daddy and baby outfits! Warner Bros/Ellen
He’s kept fairly tight-lipped about becoming a father apart from the odd joke here and little hints and smirks there.
But Simon Cowell has opened up to chat show host Ellen DeGeneres and said there were exciting times ahead as he heads into fatherhood.
And he also wanted to set the record straight and dismissed rumours and gossip surrounding Lauren Silverman, insisting she’s not after him for his money.
The X Factor boss looked happy and relaxed as he chatted to Ellen about becoming a dad and the huge interest in the situation.
He told her: “I obviously can’t blame the media – it was kind of what I call a juicy story.
“It was well documented and it was kind of uncomfortable, you know, the situation. But these things happen and everyone is kind of calm now and I’m happy.
“I’m actually happier than I’ve ever been.”
However, he slammed those who dared to suggest that Silverman, the mother-to-be of his first child, is just doing this for his bank balance. Simon denied Lauren was a gold-digger and said he's never been happier.
He said: “There was a lot of stuff that was said about her: that she trapped me and that she’s a gold-digger. It's absolute nonsense. She’s a great girl but, like I said, it was awkward because of the circumstances.”
During the interview, which airs in the US on Tuesday, Cowell was left in fits of laughter when Ellen presented him with a mini-me outfit of a low-cut T-shirt and jeans for the baby.
But he teased her about the sex of the baby, which he refused to divulge despite her pushing.
She said: “And it’s a boy?”
'You’ll have to wait and see,' Simon replies, but she continued: “But it’s a boy.”
He added: “Well, there are a lot of boys in my family so the odds are...”
The principal of Ijokodo Junior Secondary School 1, Ibadan, Oyo State Mr Segun Dare, was on Wednesday, found dead along the street to his home at Citaga area, Sango-Eleyele road, face down in a gutter, with his mobile handset in his pocket and a polythene bag containing soup ingredients.
It was gathered that the deceased left his home in the afternoon of Tuesday, September 3, to go to a first generation bank along Sango-Eleyele road but could not do what he intended doing there as he got there late and he reportedly called his wife and told her that he did not achieve his objective, informing her that he was returning home immediately.
When he failed to turn up at home as he promised, his wife called his number and a strange voice picked up the call telling her to get off the line as her husband was busy and would call her later. Not too long after, the voice called to inform her that she could call her husband if she wished but her attempts at speaking with the deceased failed as her calls went unanswered. The wife was said to have raised a search party which went round without locating the principal until late into Tuesday night. The search party continued the following morning when his body was discovered.
Since the discovery of the principal’s body, there had been speculations that he was probably killed by some hoodlums who had been going to the school compound to smoke Indian hemp.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer in Oyo State, Olabisi Okuwobi-Ilobanafor said that it’s a case of sudden and unnatural death. “The body of the man was found on Monday morning face down. It was taken to the morgue. We are waiting for autopsy to determine what actually killed him. It is too early to jump into a conclusion,” she said.
Some fruits are high in calories and natural sugar, but not everything is about the calorie count. It should be common sense that a banana which has 100 calories is much healthier than a low-fat bag of “cookies” that are pumped with chemicals and fake sweeteners.
Some people will still claim that that counting calories is more important than consuming smart calories. Although a large equation to weight loss is consuming a little less calories than you use, it is more complicated than that beyond the surface. A wise diet will not lead you to calorie counting that deprives your body of the nutrients it needs to burn fat and build muscle.
So remember, fruits are not your enemy. Some fruits even contain many nutritional substances that will actually burn fat, not make your body gain it. Here are list of some of the fruits that will help you conquer and burn the fat on your body.
1: Blueberries
Blueberries are super healthy.
Blueberries help you battle body fat while decreasing cardiovascular disease and risk of diabetes. In a study by University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center rats reduced their belly fat by 2 percent when consuming a small amount of blueberries every day.
The results are linked to high percentage of high antioxidants that rid your body of toxins that lead to weight gain and other health problems. Adding blueberries to yogurt of a bowl of cereal is an easy way to incorporate them into your diet.
2: Coconut
Coconuts are delicious.
Coconuts contain medium chain triglycerides (MCFA) that raise the metabolic rate of the liver up to 30 percent.
They are also a sweet and filling snack that you can replace with other junk food cravings. You can try coconut oil, coconut milk, coconut flour, coconut water or unsweetened shredded coconut. Dried coconut is also a tasty snack and can be added to all kinds of recipes to add a little flavor.
Try adding coconut milk to a cup of coffee for a sweet and tasty treat.
3: Avocados
Burn fat and improve health with avocado.
Avocado nutrients have fat that tell your body to stop spiking blood sugar. Spikes in blood sugar cause your body to store extra fat, and excess fat on our bodies is something that we all want to avoid.
Keep in mind these fruits are calorie and fat heavy, so just one combined with a meal is plenty for a day. Try adding a slice or two to a salad. You can also try making some spicy guacamole with jalapeno peppers. Incidentally jalapenos burn fat as well.
4: Tomatoes
Tomatoes make a delicious snack.
These fruits are packed with a whole lot of vitamin c and phytonutrients that both are fat killer. Vitamin C is what enables our bodies to burn fat that is already stored with exercise. The phytonutrient caretenoid serves as an antioxidant for our body that helps with losing weight and cardiovascular health.
With literally hundreds of varieties of tomato available, there are plenty of different tastes to keep you coming back for more.
Try slicing up a fresh tomato then drizzling olive oil and vinegar on top for a savory and light snack.
5: Apples and Pears
Apples & Pears will keep you healthy
Apple and pears help you lose weight in two different and very effective ways. Both fruits are packed with fiber that helps increase the metabolic rate and stay full in between meals. The second way they help is by adding pectin to a diet. Pectin actually restricts cells from taking in fat and it helps cells absorb water.
Try slicing an apple or pear up in the morning then caring it in a baggy for a quick snack when you are on the go.
6: Grapefruit
Juicy grapefruit are always good!
We discourage you for falling for the old grapefruit fad diets, but that doesn’t mean that this fruit isn’t a rock star food that burns fat. Grapefruits contain the antioxidant naringenin which evens out insulin levels.
This is a way of warding off the infamous hunger pains while allowing the body to burn fat more easily. You can just cut a grapefruit in half then enjoy it with a spoon for a quick snack that is fun to eat.
7: Bananas
Banana’s -great flat belly food.
Bananas are filled with healthy fibers that help curb appetite and make the body burn fat. The indigestible fibers in bananas, or a resistant starch, block carbs from being absorbed by the body. This makes the body burn fat as energy instead of the carbs.
The potassium in bananas helps build muscle that will in turn burn fat. A triple threat we love our yellow banana friends. You can try making a simple banana shake with yogurt, milk, bananas and ice for a healthy and cold treat.
8: Pomegranate
Try delicious juicy pomegranate.
Pomegranate juice is filled with antioxidants that get rid of the unwanted toxins in our body. The type of antioxidants in pomegranates are polyphenols, and these antioxidants boost the body’s metabolism according to a study from the University of California. To top it off they stop arterial lipid build-up and lower the appetite.
Try drinking a glass of pomegranate juice with a meal, or making a pomegranate milkshake. If the taste is a little too strong for you, you can try cutting it with water.
The word and act of "twerking" has spread like wildfire across the Internet ever since Miley Cyrus' infamous VMA performance. And, in one unfortunate recent case, the fire metaphor is a bit too apropos. Watch and see what happens in this video below:
The twerking fail clip was posted online by Caitlin Heller who writes about the insane caught-on-camera moment: I tried making a sexy twerk video for my boyfriend and things got a little too hot :)
We're all just glad to hear you're alright, Caitlin, and can laugh about the incident afterwards. Maybe try a room with a bit more space with your follow-up performance? (And at least make sure no candles are lit next time!)
Before he met his waterloo some months ago, 30-year-old Hope Olusegun Aroke lived in the elite 1004 Housing Estate, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Aroke, an undergraduate in a Malaysian university, had the world at his beck and call, as he could afford just about anything that meant class.
For him, provision was probably just another successful scam away. And the race to maintain the social status that fraud had allegedly earned him could never end.
In his garage was a fleet of posh cars and SUVs, all of Mercedes-Benz brand. Though a tenant, he successfully outshone the status of his co-residents.
To many, the young man had done well for himself by a dint of hard work.
In some sense, Aroke was working hard, but as a suspected serial scammer.
His busy neighbours barely noticed his unusual schedule, but many were irked by his exceptional flamboyant lifestyle.
Most times, when neighbours were out to work, Aroke stayed indoor in company with other young men, who were later discovered to be his fraud cell suspects.
These young men included his apprentices and internet scam partners.
The operation that marred Aroke’s merry-making living would have shot up his net worth by several notches.
Going by the revelation of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, he had successfully carried out the scam operations worth N55m on unsuspecting members of the public. He, however, became unfortunate while trying to conceal the nature of the proceeds by converting it to foreign currency in partnership with Ibrahim Tafida, a Bureau de Change operator.
He was eventually nabbed by the team of the EFCC in Lagos.
Last year, 25-year-old Sunkanmi Odewale, a 200-level undergraduate of Mechanical Engineering, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ogun State, a suspected fraudster, breezed into an automart and bought a Toyota Venza for N4m.
Before, he was picked up in Ibadan, Oyo State, three months ago, he was alleged to be notorious for regularly swindling unsuspecting members of the public via the internet.
His N4m Toyota Venza was the latest of his collections of luxury toys allegedly acquired from the proceeds of cyber crimes.
He, however, forfeited it and other valuables worth millions, which were seized during the arrest.
The EFCC said he was currently facing prosecution.
Other kingpins in cyber crime in Ibadan, Oyo State, according to EFCC, are 300 level students, Olowofola Tolu and Ekundayo Damilola, both of Lead City University, Ibadan. They are studying Economics and Computer Sciences respectively.
They were alleged to be the brains behind successful cyber crimes in the state before they were arrested around Oluyole Estate extension in Ibadan.
Both of them made good money from the business such that they paraded exotic cars among other things.
Other boys believed to hold the area in terms of cyber crimes operations and training of intending members according to EFCC are Adelabu Kolawole, HND II student of Purchasing and Supply Department, Ibadan Polytechnic and Bankole Fisayo, Ordinary Diploma II student of Marketing Department, Osun State Polytechnic, Iree. Their valuables running into tens of millions of naira were seized by the EFCC, which said that they were all being prosecuted.
Saturday PUNCH’s investigation found that more young people particularly undergraduates, now have the wherewithal to afford luxury items such as exotic cars, live in hotels for weeks, buy classy homes and throw lavish parties where expensive brands of wines and spirits are offered. They also travel to choice countries of the world and frolic with the hottest girls in town.
They live in such affluence that will make an average worker with decades of meritorious service cringe.
Saturday PUNCH learnt that usually, they are undergraduates, predominantly young men enrolled to study different courses in both Nigerian and foreign tertiary institutions.
These undergraduate scammers and internet fraudsters are the current toast of their various campuses.
Their friends, course mates and distant admirers, especially the ladies, all wish to grab a portion of their well-advertised wealth.
Using the internet and other information and communication, these savvy youths, often successfully dupe greedy people. Laptops, mobile telephones, flash drives, external hard drives, printers and so on, are their work implements.
Since they usually don’t operate from an identifiable office or from fixed residential addresses, they cart away many people’s financial fortunes forever without pointing a gun or being physically present.
They operate most times through a network of connections across country borders, making it possible for a person to fall victim at any location.
Saturday PUNCH’s investigation found that the colony of internet fraudsters, also known as Yahoo Yahoo, is growing to match the dynamism in information and communication technology.
This also poses greater challenge to crime detecting agencies in Nigeria such as the EFCC.
During some sting operations based on internet-prompted information, the EFCC recently arrested another five suspected fraudsters in Enugu State.
They are: 27-year-old Uche Nwakor; 30-year-old Oluchukwu Ejikeme; 28-year-old Ifeanyi Ejikeme; 30-year-old Nnamani Ikechukwu; and Ibe Kodili.
They were arrested at their expensive houses at No 26 and 42, Chimaobi Uba Street, GRA, Enugu.
The team is said to be “serial scammers,” having defrauded several victims.
Items seized from them where they were perfecting how to get the next victim are: eight exotic cars, nine laptops, 21 mobile phones, internet routers, drivers’ licenses and international passports.
Two months ago, the game was over for notorious internet fraudster, Wale Olaide, who specialised in defrauding members of the public through bank credit alerts.
Popularly called Wale Dollar in his clique, he had great tentacles as his business transversed the shores of Nigeria.
Although he had successfully executed bigger deals, which had earned him a comfortable life, he came crashing over a N5m deal involving two brothers Abdulhamid Abubakar, based in Nigeria and Hashim Abubakar based in Togo. They are both into BDC business.
Under the pretext that he wanted to do genuine business with them, he contacted the Togo-based operator, asking for his Nigerian bank account number, which he authorised his brother to give him. Olaide was supposed to pay in N5m to purchase the CFA Francs equivalent.
But when he got the account details, rather than send the money as agreed, he sent a false credit alert notifying the BDC operators that his account had credited at the Seme border branch and so he released the equivalent to him.
He was shocked to find out the next day that his bankers couldn’t trace such payments made into his account.
The EFCC said it took investigative initiative to arrest Olaide, who it described as “a member of the deadly syndicate involved in duping unsuspecting members of the public.”
It described fraudulent credit banking notification as a new trend in criminality by fraudsters and warned the public to be careful.
The EFCC Ag. Head, Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, told Saturday PUNCH that it was not in the character of fraudsters to buy lands or build houses.
He said, “They seldom even buy houses or have permanent addresses because of the nature of their activities. They often spend money on exotic cars, throw parties and generally squander the money on things that are not fixed. All the people arrested for such crimes are usually made to face the law.”
Uwujaren said there were signs that could put one on the guard. “If for instance somebody you have never met in person begins to pester you about your personal banking details online, chances are that the person may be a potential scammer.
“Also when a total stranger begins to make business proposal that look too good to be true, you better watch it,” he said.
He said a good number of scammers had been prosecuted and jailed; others had to flee the country to neighbouring countries. He however said that there was still more work to be done.
He said EFCC’s conviction profile was dominated by internet and advance fee fraud cases, adding that the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offenses Act 2006 prescribed a minimum of seven and maximum of 20 years jail term for advance fee fraud offenses.
He admitted that scammers were mainly youngsters but not limited to any social strata and educational backgrounds.
An inside source, who understands the mode of operation of internet fraudsters told our correspondent that the commission depended mainly on raids until it had a breakthrough in technology.
The EFCC source, who preferred to remain anonymous, said the technology called Eagle Claw, was designed by a young Nigerian, who landed in the EFCC net after he was deported from India some years ago for successfully hacking the country’s military website.
He said the commission employed his services to help it understand the workings of internet fraudsters and he eventually designed a technology with some programmed language that sniffs and detects mails suspected to be from fraudsters.
“Once our technology sniffs those codes, the mail is hijacked and we start investigation from there.
“Under the former administration, EFCC was able to arrest 2,000 internet scammers using Eagle Claw; it runs like a laboratory.
“There was a case when our team of investigators acted like a ‘white man’ (prospective victim) and we kept communicating with the fraudster until we fixed the Abuja Sheraton Hotel as meeting point and he simply walked into a net.
“There are other technologies that we are using to combat cyber crimes as they evolve.”
On their mode of operation and recruitment procedures, the source said they operate in cells (splinter groups) and each cell has a leader, who trains the new entrants.
He said the apprentices usually lived with their leaders in big mansions, where they served them, while undergoing the rudiments of the game.
He said gone were the days when fraudsters used the cyber café, because of the fear of being raided, adding that they now operate from homes, which makes it difficult to arrest them, except by intelligence report.
He added that the advent of private use of the internet through modems and other ISP channels had made it difficult to trace scammers without an up to date technology.
He said that members of the public could identify a fraudster by some traits, even though they operate by nick names.
“If you see young people living in questionable affluence today and appear broke tomorrow.
“If he offers to sell his N5m car to you at N1.5m and the next week he has a bigger car, suspect him. Most times when they don’t have a victim to milk, they run out of cash and quickly sell their valuables to continue to live big.
“If the same young man stays at home when people should be at work, hosting several girls in his apartment, watch him.
“If he usually moves with some other group of young men, who most likely stay the night in his apartment and having so many ICT gadgets, watch him.”
He however said that what is important is for members of the public to be careful and not to be given to greed, as some well- educated people and even top government officials had at some time, fallen prey to them.
Asked if it is true that Yahoo plus brand (charm-backed) assisted the fraudsters in their criminal activities, he said, “I don’t believe that they charm people, I think they are just internet smart people who work with technology to people’s disadvantage.”
Clothes that are generously cut over the bust, yet nip back in to follow the line of your body? They certainly sound too good to be true.
Busting at the seams: Mandy has always found it difficult to find clothes to fit her size 8 figure and 30G bust
Mandy Appleyard of dailymail has a size 8 figure and 30G bust.
She finds it hard to find clothes to flatter her figure and was delighted to hear of a new clothing range for big-busted women.
So she tried the new autumn range, which hits stores this week, in a Super Curvy size 8 to find out...
Here, she gives her verdict on Pepperberry by Bravissimo's collection
Full skirt floral stripe dress, £79
For her, if dresses fit the hips and waist, they're too tight over the bust. VERDICT: The use of double darts in an inverted 'V' means the extra fabric needed to cover an ample bosom is nipped in for a fantastic fit. But it's way too young and fussy for her. 5/10
Perfectly simple V-neck T-shirt in red, £22, jersey blazer in navy, £65
Fitted jackets are normally a no-no. And if she can find a T-shirt that fits her bust, the rest of it is big and baggy.
VERDICT: Her favourite look. The jacket accentuates her waist, skims her hips and accommodates her breasts. The T-shirt fits perfectly thanks to some neat little darts. 10/10
Floral jersey dress in red floral, £49
She loves a wrap dress but usually ends up showing so much cleavage she looks like an ageing glamour model. She avoids them or have to wear a frumpy high-necked vest underneath.
VERDICT: It's fabulous - the high neckline means her breasts are firmly under-wraps. 8/10
Belted workwear dress, £79, with peplum suit jacket, £79, in midnight blue
Jackets usually gape or pull across the bust, feeling like a straitjacket. VERDICT: The jacket is well-cut, lovely and trim around the waist and the peplum is fun. 7/10
Classic shirt in white, £39
Whenever she sees women wearing white shirts with business skirts or jeans she thinks how stunning they look, but she can't go there. Within an hour or two, she's always missing a button.
VERDICT: Hoorah! It fits her bust and waist with no signs of strain, even after a few hours. The extra fabric is gathered in by two seams, keeping it flush against the torso. 7/10
Floral peplum top in navy print, £39
Fitted tops have always been a no-go: it’s impossible for a standard size 8 to fit well in both the bust and the body. She always ends up feeling as if her breasts have been flattened.
VERDICT: This top is versatile, wearable and fun. She could easily wear this with a smart skirt for work, or dressed-down with jeans. 8/10
#For details, call 01926 459 800 or visit pepperberry.com
Styling: ELIZA SCARBOROUGH, PICTURES: L+R, HAIR AND MAKE-UP: NINA PACH USING BARE MINERALS AND BUMBLE AND BUMBLE, FASHION ASSISTANT: AMY KESTER
Cameron works on a train 
Edinburgh-bound: The East Coast train 
Country do: Cam and Samantha arrive at the wedding 
Family wedding: Alice Sheffield - Samantha Cameron's sister - wed Etienne Cadestin 
Blueberries help you battle body fat while decreasing cardiovascular disease and risk of diabetes. In a study by University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center rats reduced their belly fat by 2 percent when consuming a small amount of blueberries every day. 
Coconuts contain medium chain triglycerides (MCFA) that raise the metabolic rate of the liver up to 30 percent. 
Avocado nutrients have fat that tell your body to stop spiking blood sugar. Spikes in blood sugar cause your body to store extra fat, and excess fat on our bodies is something that we all want to avoid. 
These fruits are packed with a whole lot of vitamin c and phytonutrients that both are fat killer. Vitamin C is what enables our bodies to burn fat that is already stored with exercise. The phytonutrient caretenoid serves as an antioxidant for our body that helps with losing weight and cardiovascular health. 
Apple and pears help you lose weight in two different and very effective ways. Both fruits are packed with fiber that helps increase the metabolic rate and stay full in between meals. The second way they help is by adding pectin to a diet. Pectin actually restricts cells from taking in fat and it helps cells absorb water. 
We discourage you for falling for the old grapefruit fad diets, but that doesn’t mean that this fruit isn’t a rock star food that burns fat. Grapefruits contain the antioxidant naringenin which evens out insulin levels. 
Bananas are filled with healthy fibers that help curb appetite and make the body burn fat. The indigestible fibers in bananas, or a resistant starch, block carbs from being absorbed by the body. This makes the body burn fat as energy instead of the carbs. 
Pomegranate juice is filled with antioxidants that get rid of the unwanted toxins in our body. The type of antioxidants in pomegranates are polyphenols, and these antioxidants boost the body’s metabolism according to a study from the University of California. To top it off they stop arterial lipid build-up and lower the appetite. 
