The youths of this country should be the very hope of the Nation; the pillar which holds the country, but the case is different when it comes to Nigeria.
Many Nigerian youths go into a lot of fraudulent activities, one of which is “internet fraud”. On daily basis, the rate at which youths go online trying to scam the citizens of Nigeria and those who live in other countries is alarming.
The “Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)” arrest youths on different occasions on the charge of internet fraud, popularly known as “yahoo-yahoo”, which is now seen by the youths as a legal means of survival. Nigerians are being apprehended in different countries of the world and deported back ‘home’ without any other reason than internet fraud.
Right before the advent of the internet, before the technological innovation that introduced the internet, people especially the youths of this country engage in 419 (financial fraudsters), basically in the city of Lagos because of its population and stable economic situation.
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Internet fraud is gradually destroying Nigeria and causing a setback to national development. The youths no longer wants to work and earn money legally, they are eagerly on the internet looking for any available individual to scam in one way or the other, and their victims are mostly old people and illiterates who have little or no knowledge about internet and the harm involved.
With the advent of Internet system, our youths especially the undergraduates, have engaged themselves in internet scam. This development has drastically overshadowed the issue of cultism in higher institutions, as the youths are now after making money, but through an illegal means.
As the issue of increases in the country, foreigners and other countries are afraid of investing in Nigeria, and we can say this is one of the reasons we have are still facing economic setback in the country’s financial growth and development.
The issue of fraud has eaten deep into the nukes and cranny of our society, and the government should look for every possible way to stop the criminal act, which has tarnished the reputation of the country.
Although, the “Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)” that monitors the activities of people on the internet so as to avoid the issue of Internet fraud and crimes. But it’s like this body alone is not capable of handling the issue because we have more people who commit the crimes than people who tackle the crimes; therefore, government should set up more bodies and committees to fight the problem of Internet fraud.
Another issue is that parents/ guardian fail to give good home training and advice to their children/ wards, and this is one of the major problem of the Internet fraud, because the children and youths don’t have a background knowledge about the internet, the harms involved and the advantages and disadvantages.
There is a popular saying that says “charity begins at home” can be seen in this aspect, where the parents fail to teach their children, and some children fail to heed to advice.
Ayoade Abdulateef Ishola
Department of Mass Communication, Buk
