Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has cautioned members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) across the country against indulging in cybercrime and fraudulent practices, warning that many young Nigerians have already destroyed their futures by embracing internet fraud.
Olukoyede gave the warning on Thursday while addressing Batch B, Stream II corps members at the NYSC orientation camp in Iyana Ipaja, Lagos State. He was represented at the event by the Head of Public Affairs, Lagos Zonal Directorate 2, Babatunde Sulaiman.
The anti-graft boss stressed that cybercrime remains one of the biggest challenges threatening Nigeria’s image internationally, with young Nigerians constituting a significant proportion of those being arrested, prosecuted, and convicted.
Don’t cover up criminal tendencies and fraudulent practices around you. Expose them. Offer useful intelligence to the EFCC through the Eagle Eye App, which is the EFCC’s official digital fraud reporting app, he said.
He noted that corruption was dragging the nation backwards and urged the corps members to be whistleblowers in their environments.
We must accept the fact that corruption has brought us down the ladder of development and should do something definitive and drastic about changing the narratives, Olukoyede added.
Consequences of Fraudulent Acts
The EFCC chairman further highlighted the long-term dangers of being convicted of financial crimes, warning corps members to think carefully about their future before engaging in such acts.
According to him, many young Nigerians currently serving jail terms for cybercrime have permanently limited their career opportunities.
Over time, internet fraudsters are getting convicted in multiples and wearing tags of ex-convicts. This is a roadblock to future advancements. An ex-convict cannot hold any leadership or public office in the future. Embassy officials across the world won’t grant visas to ex-convicts, and no serious enterprise can be run by those already jailed in any court of law. To this end, youths should be careful and steer clear of what may put their future on the line, he cautioned.
EFCC Sensitisation Across NYSC Camps
Olukoyede’s warning in Lagos was echoed simultaneously in other NYSC camps across the country as EFCC officials intensified their sensitisation campaigns.
In Enugu State, the EFCC, represented by Chief Superintendent Bashir Emmanuel Afanda, urged corps members to build a strong community of anti-corruption fighters who would resist and report fraudulent activities in their environments.
Similarly, in Akwa Ibom and Cross River States, EFCC representatives encouraged youths to embrace legitimate and productive means of livelihood instead of shortcuts like internet fraud.
In Kaduna, the commission advised corps members to channel their creativity and skills into ventures that would contribute positively to the country’s development rather than aid its destruction through cybercrime.
Background and Wider Context
The EFCC has in recent years stepped up nationwide anti-corruption advocacy campaigns targeting young people, particularly corps members. This follows the disturbing trend of increasing arrests and convictions of Nigerian youths for cybercrime, popularly known as Yahoo Yahoo.
Reports indicate that between 2019 and 2023, hundreds of Nigerian youths were convicted for internet fraud, with some serving jail terms both locally and abroad. In many cases, these convictions have made it impossible for them to secure jobs, travel visas, or political appointments.
The commission believes the NYSC scheme presents an ideal platform for prevention-based education, as corps members represent a critical segment of Nigeria’s educated youth population.
EFCC officials have frequently argued that tackling cybercrime at the preventive stage through awareness and education is more effective than waiting to make arrests after the crime has already been committed.
Looking Ahead
Olukoyede reiterated the EFCC’s commitment to strengthening partnerships with the NYSC and other stakeholders to instil integrity, patriotism, and responsibility in Nigerian youths.
The future of this nation rests heavily on the shoulders of its young people. We cannot afford to let corruption and internet fraud define us. As youths, you must take a stand against crime and embrace honesty, hard work, and service to the nation,” he told the corps members.
The sensitisation campaign is expected to continue across all NYSC camps in the country throughout the orientation programme, with the EFCC encouraging corps members to download and use the Eagle Eye App for reporting suspected fraudulent activities anonymously.