Cashless Policy: CBN To Introduce Biometrics On ATMs, POS By 2015

CBN Governor Sanusi Lamido

In a bid to address issues of safety of customers’ funds and avoid losses through compromise of Personal Identification Numbers (PIN), the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is to introduce Biometric authentication of Point of Sale (PoS) and Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) by 2015.

CBN governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi made this known during a stakeholders’ sensitisation meeting on cashless policy organised by the bank in Abuja, yesterday. Sanusi, who was represented by the branch controller, CBN, Abuja, John Chukwudifu, said the bank is aware of the problems being faced by Nigerians since the introduction of the cash-less policy and assured that the apex bank is doing all it can to mitigate them.

He said, “No doubt, with the introduction of cashless society, there would be prevalent use of credit card to perform transactions on ATM, POS and Internet banking, and these transactions would have to pass through the public infrastructure which are prone to cyber threats as being experienced in developed economies of the world. Cases of debit and credit cards cloning are another vulnerable area that needs urgent attention for the country to reap the benefits of cashless society.”

The CBN had taken a giant step to gain the confidence of ATM consumers following the circular enforcing migration from Magstripe type of debit card to chip and Pin (EMV compliance) type of debit card. Statistics show that this effort has reduced the fraud incidences by 90 per cent. Many customers are now embracing these electronic (ATM and PoS) channels in their transactions because of near-impossible efforts of would-be fraudsters to clone debit cards to perpetrate fraud as was the case during the pre-migration era, he said.

Sanusi said that the Nigerian economy is heavily cash-oriented in transactions of goods and services (especially retail transactions) which is not in line with the global trend, considering Nigeria’s ambition to be amongst the top 20 economies by the year 2020. He disclosed that “the major focus of payments system reform is to increase the diversity and liquidity of payments instruments. Thus, enhanced efficiency of the payments systems has been achieved in many modern economies, driven by the user’s changing needs, competition among service providers and changes in technology.

Consequently, reform of payment system has been a critical element of major CBN reforms. The cashless policy driven by the CBN does not mean the absence or replacement of cash. However it is the provision of safer and more efficient alternatives of payments to bank customers”.
“The development of the PSV 2020 strategy document attempts to benchmark the Nigerian payments system in line with global best practice of ensuring national utilisation and international recognition of the payment s system.”

Foremost of the challenges in Nigeria is displacing cash as the preferred means of payment. The cost of cash to Nigeria’s financial system is high and increasing. In fact, the direct cost of cash is estimated to reach N192billion in 2012. This escalating cash management cost, most of which is passed on to the customers in the form of bank charges and lending rates, is as a result of cash dominance of the economy.

Some payment channels have been identified to have the great potential impact driving the usage of electronic payments and thereby reducing the use of cash in the economy. They include cash payments through PoS terminals and ATMs, mobile money payments, electronic payments of all forms, Internet banking,” he said.

Sanusi said the CBN has licensed some mobile scheme operators who operate mobile payment transactions with the view to bringing the unbanked or financially excluded into the banking culture and shore up their access to credit facilities. Prior to the issuance of licence, necessary guidelines and framework that would guide the operations of the scheme operators were rolled out by the CBN to curtail excesses and mitigate operational risk.

Making the Best in Ramadan

By Shaikh M. Ibrahim Memon

The Holy month of Ramadan is a great opportunity for all believers to reestablish their relationship with Almighty Allah . During this month, Allah opens the doors of guidance, mercy, and forgiveness and showers His blessings on mankind. Blessed are those who avail this opportunity and work hard to obtain the pleasure of Allah .
Following are some points to remember that may help us have a better Ramadan:
Sahoor: Rasulullah said, “Allah sends blessings on those who eat Sahoor (meal before Fajr) and the angels pray for them.” (Ibn Habban) We should never miss Sahoor as it is blessed food and a Sunnah of the Prophet .
Salat Al-Taraweeh: Perform twenty raka’ah of Taraweeh every night.
Salat Al-Tahajud: Other than Taraweeh, perform some raka’ah of Tahajud prayer.
Dua: After Tahajud, spend some time making Dua for yourself, your family, the community, and the whole Muslim Ummah. This is extremely needed and very few do it. Every person in the family should engage in Dua and prayers in the darkness of the night and in isolation. Cry before Allah for forgiveness and for all of your needs.
Also wake up your children and teach them how to make Dua to Allah . Teach them how to cry before Allah , for those who do not cry before Allah will have to cry before people like themselves.
Crying and begging to Allah attracts His Mercy. Rasulullah encouraged his followers to cry when making Dua.
Salah in the Masjid: Try your best to perform every Salah in the Masjid with congregation (jama’ah)
Perform the additional following ibadah:
1. Recite Istighfaar 100 times a day (i.e. Astaghfirallah)
2. Send blessing on Rasulullah 100 times a day
3. Tasbeehaat 100 times a day (i.e. Subhanallah Wal-Hamdulillah wala Illaha Illallah Wallahu Akbar)
4. Recite at least one Juz of the Qur’an every day
Avoid all kinds of sins: Rasulullah said, “Many of those who fast get nothing out of it except hunger” (Nasa’ee) Advising his wife, once Rasulullah said, “O Aishah, refrain from even the minor sins because Allah will question you about them also.” (Ibn Majah)
Do not become angry: Avoid all quarrels, fights, and arguments which may lead you to anger.
Use only Halal food bought by Halal earnings. Avoid all doubtful items.
Reduce the amount of:
1. Eating
2. Sleeping
3. Talking
Unfortunately, it is very common in many Masajid to sit and chat after iftaar. This time should be used for Nawafil prayers, recitation of the Holy Qur’an, Tasbeeh, and Dua. Masjid is the House of Allah . It must be given its due respect. Disrespecting the house of Allah is disrespect to Allah .
Raising the voice or talking of worldly matters in the Masjid is forbidden. It is the responsibility of every Muslim to maintain the order, silence, respect, and cleanliness in the Masjid.
May Allah bless and guide all of us.

What are the reasons for which one may be excused from fasting in Ramadaan?

 

Praise be to Allaah.  

One of the ways in which Allaah has made things easy for His slaves is that He has only enjoined fasting upon those who are able to do it, and He has excused those who are unable to fast for a legitimate shar’i reason. The legitimate reasons for which one may be excused from fasting are as follows: 

1 – Sickness 

Sickness means everything that means that a person is not healthy.  

Ibn Qudaamah said: the scholars are agreed that it is permissible for the sick person not to fast in general. The basis of that is the aayah in which Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“but if any of you is ill or on a journey, the same number (should be made up) from other days”[al-Baqarah 2:184] 

It was narrated that Salamah ibn al-Akwa’ (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “When this aayah was revealed – ‘And as for those who can fast with difficulty, (e.g. an old man), they have (a choice either to fast or) to feed a Miskeen (poor person) (for every day)’ [al-Baqarah 2:184 – interpretation of the meaning] – those who wanted not to fast could do that, and pay the fidyah (i.e., feed one poor person for each day). That remained the case until the following aayah was revealed, i.e., the verse: 

‘And as for those who can fast with difficulty, (e.g. an old man), they have (a choice either to fast or) to feed a Miskeen (poor person) (for every day)’

[al-Baqarah 2:185 – interpretation of the meaning] – so it abrogated it.”  

The sick person who fears that fasting may make his sickness worse or that it will slow down his recovery or damage a part of his body, has the option of not fasting, and indeed it is Sunnah for him not to fast and it is makrooh for him to complete his fast, because that may lead to his death. So he has to be cautious and protect himself. Moreover, if the sick person is very ill, that makes it permissible for him not to fast. But if a healthy person fears difficulty or tiredness, it is not permissible for him to break his fast, if all that happens to him when he fasts is that he becomes tired. 

2 – Travelling 

In order for traveling to result in a concession excusing one from fasting, the following conditions must be met: 

a-     The journey must be long enough that prayers may be shortened.

b-    The traveler must not intend to settle in the place to which he travels.

c-     His journey must not be for any sinful purpose, rather it should be for a sound purpose, according to the majority of scholars. That is because being allowed not to fast is a concession and relief that the sinner does not deserve on his journey, because the purpose of his journey is to commit sin – such as one who travels in order to commit banditry, for example. 

Cancellation of the concession for traveling: 

This concession of traveling is cancelled by two things: 

(i)                When the traveler returns home and enters his hometown, which is the place where he resides.

(ii)              When the traveler decides to stay indefinitely, or for a lengthy period in one place, and the place is fit for settling in. Thus he becomes a resident (or non-traveller), so he should pray his prayers in full and not break his fast in Ramadaan, because the rulings on travel no longer apply to him. 

3 – Pregnancy and breastfeeding 

The fuqaha’ are agreed that pregnant and breastfeeding women may break their fast in Ramadaan, on the condition that they think there is a risk that they or their children may become ill or more ill, or be harmed or may die. The evidence for this concession in their case is the aayah (interpretation of the meaning: 

“and whoever is ill or on a journey, the same number [of days which one did not observe Sawm (fasts) must be made up] from other days”[al-Baqarah 2:185] 

This does not refer to merely being sick, for the sick person who will not be harmed by fasting is not allowed to break the fast; here sickness is mentioned as a metaphor for any situation where fasting when sick may cause harm. This is what is meant by sickness here. That may be the case in pregnancy and when breastfeeding, so these two cases are included in the concession of breaking the fast. The evidence that women in these cases are allowed not to fast is the hadeeth of Anas ibn Maalik al-Ka’bi (may Allaah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Allaah has relieved the traveler of fasting and half of prayer, and He has relieved the pregnant and breastfeeding woman of fasting.”  

4 – Senility and old age 

Senility and old age refers to one who is old and has lost his strength, or who is approaching death, so that every day he becomes weaker, until he dies, or who is suffering from a terminal or incurable illness and has no hope of recovery. The evidence that it is prescribed for such people not to fast is the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): 

“And as for those who can fast with difficulty, (e.g. an old man), they have (a choice either to fast or) to feed a Miskeen (poor person) (for every day)”[al-Baqarah 2:184] 

Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said that this aayah has not been abrogated, and it applies to old men and old women who cannot fast, so for each day they should feed one poor person. 

5 – Intense hunger and thirst 

If a person is overtaken by intense hunger or unbearable thirst, then he should break his fast and eat just as much as he needs to ward off that hunger, then he should refrain from eating for the rest of the day, and make up that fast later on. 

The scholars added to intense hunger and thirst the fear of weakness when meeting the enemy, or fearing or expecting an attack, such as when one is surrounded. So if a fighter knows for sure or thinks it most likely that there will be fighting because he is facing the enemy, and he fears that fasting may make him weak when fighting, and he is not traveling, then he may break his fast before fighting. 

6 – Compulsion 

Compulsion means one person forcing another to do something or not to do something against his will, by means of threats. 

Al-Mawsoo’ah al-Fiqhiyyah, vol. 28, p. 73.

Mikel Obi's Brother Talks About Love & Mikel

In a recent interview, Mikel Obi's elder brother, Ebele talks about his social life, love life and that of his brother, Mikel. Enjoy;

Sex and romanceAs a footballer and as a popular figure, one must learn to cope with every situation that comes his way. Concerning my social life, I’m currently into a relationship and I don’t want to be distracted. I want to be focused and keep on praying that everything works out fine so that I can settle down with the same person I’m into a relation with. I’m not carried away with my brother’s wealth. No doubt girls come around me but I remain focused on my career. Mikel too is into a relationship at the moment right there in the United Kingdom. When you stick to one person at a time, I think it saves you a lot of trouble. But when you jump from one today to another tomorrow, you create room for every other girl to come in. We are not on that track at all.

Mikel won’t marry a white lady
No, no, no! We cannot advise Mikel to marry a foreigner knowing full well what it involves. We’ll make him realize that if he gets married to a foreigner, whatever comes out of the marriage, he should be prepared to take it. I wouldn’t want my brother to be a victim of a failed marriage.
Even when I visited him in London, I warned him about white ladies. I told him that even if he’s having a relationship with a white lady, it should stop at that; he should not allow such relationship to end up in marriage. I told him whenever he wants to settle down in marriage, he should come down to Nigeria and pick a wife. If he’s thinking towards the direction of getting married to a white lady, we are not in support of that. My parents are not in support of him getting married to a white. If he’s in a relationship, that’s just a relationship.

OJB Jezreel puts stop to donations

In a press conference that held yesterday, OJB said:

"Appreciate all those who stood by me one way or the other. I'm sincerely grateful and feel blessed that people could go miles just to make me well again. Now that I have gotten all the money needed for my medical bill, I want to officially put a stop to all forms of appeal or request in bid to save OJB. I want Nigerians to know that I have gotten the N16million needed for my treatment. Therefore, no donation should again be made to any source in respect of the said case. I will be going for my operation by mid August"

Police arrest 10 suspected cultists at a party in Ogun

10 Suspected burglars belonging to an unnamed secret cult in Igbesa area of the Agbara Industrial town in Ado-Odo/Ota, Ogun state have been caught.

The Ogun State Police Command recovered stolen goods worth about N3.5m from the suspects some of whom were identified as Ojo Razak, Abioye Ismail, Oladapo Akin Akala, Oluwaseun Adegboyega and Orepodun John.

On Tuesday, the command’s Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, said in a statement that the suspected criminals were arrested at about 10am on Monday while they were having a party.

According to reports, Adejobi, a deputy superintendent of police, said a team of the anti-crime unit of the command, led by the Divisional Police Officer, Ayo Sonubi, arrested six of the suspects, who were members of a dreaded cult group in Igbesa, while the remaining four were caught within the premises of a polythene company in Agbara where they attempted to steal raw materials.

The Punch reports:

The statement further said the police anti-crime teams had placed the suspected cultists under surveillance following an intelligence report from the command’s Intelligence Bureau in the area on the deadly plans of these suspected cultists who had over the period unleashed terror on the people of the community.

The police spokesman said the raw material the suspected burglars attempted to evacuate from the premises of the company was worth N3.5m and listed their names as 26-year-old Oluyemi Ayodeji, Omololu Odedina (22), Opeyemi Bolarinwa (24) as well as the 38-year-old Kabiru Iyanda.

The police said the suspects gained entry into the premises with the assistance of some personnel of the company, who had already arranged labourers to load the stolen goods into a waiting truck with number plate (LAGOS) XY 862 FKJ.

Adejobi, however, added that the labourers, arranged to load the vehicle, took to their heels before the arrival of the police team.

The police spokesman said all the arrested suspects would soon be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation and prosecution.

Aww, looking good: Nollywood actress, Ngozi Nwosu returns to work after kidney treatment (LOOK)

Nollywood actress, Ngozi Nwosu looks more like her old self after suffering from a kidney related ailment.

In March she was flown out of the country to a medical facility in the United Kingdom with the support from the government and the public including the film industry and family.

Recently she was photographed looking happy and healthy again reportedly on the set of Fuji House of Commotion on Sunday July 7.

Ngozi Nwosu before