The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has alerted stakeholders that many youths in Nigeria are caught up in the rat race for unearned riches through fraudulent online activities.
This was disclosed in a statement on Friday titled, “EFCC Decries Youths’ Involvement in Cybercrime in Lagos.”
The Acting Zonal Director of the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the EFCC, Ahmed Ghali, stated this during a seminar organized by the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) with the theme, “The Role of the Boy Child in Community Development and Safety.”
He expressed concern over the involvement of youths in cybercrime in the country.
“The reason is clear: many youths are increasingly drifting towards antisocial behaviours that can disrupt public peace, harm individuals, or degrade the environment. In addition to commonly known antisocial behaviours, internet fraud has become a prevalent pastime among many youths,” he added.
“If you use the internet wisely, it can elevate you financially and enable you to contribute to your community’s development. However, if you choose to use the internet for criminal purposes, you won’t just harm your unsuspecting victims, but you’ll also jeopardize your own personal goals.”
This development comes months after the EFCC alerted Nigerians to intelligence indicating that internet fraudsters are now carrying guns and engaging in ritual killings, among other criminal activities.
The Commission added that the activities of internet fraudsters are becoming increasingly hazardous to public safety and security.
“Intelligence has shown that these criminals are carrying arms, involved in kidnapping, banditry, ritual killings, and other deadly acts. The public should not fold its arms or allow itself to be deceived into thinking they are merely ‘Yahoo boys and girls,” the EFCC had stated.
The anti-graft agency had raised the alarm while expressing grief over the loss of one of its officers, Assistant Superintendent of the EFCC, ASE11 Aminu Sahabi Harisu, who was said to have been killed in cold blood while on legitimate duty on January 17, 2025, tracking a suspected internet fraudster, Joshua Chukwubueze Ikechukwu.