Cyber Crime; The Greatest Challenge Of The Nigerian Youths!!!

Cyber crime is a crime perpetrated through electronic communication network, particularly the internet. This menace is very rampant in youths within the age of fourteen to twenty-one and it had done incalculable damages to the image of our Nation. Cyber crime could be perpetrated through internet calls, sending of scam emails containing "get rich quick" proposals to entice unsuspecting victims.

In the case of email, sometimes it comes in form of marriage proposal, unclaimed fund, donation, lottery, help, bonanza, bank transaction notification / credit alert etc. Some of the youths send as many as 10,000 of such scam emails everyday while others send more to increase their chances of getting victims that will fall to their prey.

Youths are proverbially referred to as leaders of tomorrow but how can they be true leaders if they engage in cyber crime at their early age?

Family members of cyber criminals usually see nothing wrong with the act and the reason is not far-fetched. Due to the economic situation of the country, most parents of internet fraudsters / cyber criminals have determined to turn blind ears to the unlawful activities of their children because of the benefits they derive from their ill-gotten wealth. They claim that the high rate of unemployment and poverty in Nigeria lead their children into the act.

Some parents invite both christian and muslim clerics to hold special prayer sessions for their children who have made huge sums of hard currencies through internet fraud. Others go further to take their children to traditional doctors who are contracted to prepare charms for their children to protect them from the long arms of the law. Some parents even justify the unlawful acts by saying "they are reaping the fruits of parent-hood". Some other parents' view about the menace is that "their children are taking compensations for past exploitation and iniquities visited on the Nation by the Nation's colonial masters".

This menace had done incalculable damages to our Nation and the world at large.

A study by a research organization discovered that Nigerian scams cost the British economy

£150 million a year. The fact of this matter is that the cost to society goes beyond just losing money. Some victims had attempted suicide, while many others watch their marriages crash and their businesses go bankrupt. Further findings, also revealed that some countries lose at least $36 million a year to Nigerian scammers. Another research revealed that some countries send at least $3 million a month to Nigeria of which at least 80% was fraud-related.

However, cyber crime is not limited to men, some ladies are also into the act. They start by sending their nude pictures to unsuspecting victims. They latter develop this to Advance Fee Fraud, all in the name of unemployment and poverty.

The mind-boggling question is this "Is cyber crime the solution to unemployment and poverty in Nigeria? What are the solutions to cyber crime which is rampant in the lives of the Nigerian youths and the society at large?

1. We should all have a total change of heart by having the fear of God in our heart and believing that one day we will meet our creator to give account of how we spent our life.

2. Religious and Non Governmental Organizations should always organize programs that will sensitize the youths and the society at large on the need to have the fear of God in their heart.

3. Parents should not indulge their children who come home with different items they did not procure for them. They should investigate how the items got to them.

4. Parents should always pray for their children and counsel them to be contented with what they have.

5. Government and Non Governmental Organizations should encourage the youths in their talent through skill acquisition programs.

6. Our youths should be optimistic about the situation of our country. They should shun the belief that " Nigeria cannot get better".

7. Government should help in tackling the nagging issue of poverty and unemployment in our country by providing soft loans to unemployed youths.

8. The youths should also realize that cyber crime has repercussion which could destroy their future.

9. Government and Non Governmental Organizations should always create awareness at all levels to sensitize the entire public on the dangers attributed to cyber crime in the lives of youths and the country at large.

10. The sim card registration program organized by the National Communication Commission had really helped a lot in reducing the rate of cyber crime in our country. More programs of this nature should be introduced by the government.

Written by Rotimi Onadipe +234- (0)8095899404 Email: [email protected]