The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede has called on youths across the country to stay away from internet fraud to safeguard their future.
This call was made on Wednesday, May 2, 2024 at a leadership training themed: Exploring the Tools of Leadership to Curb the Rising Tide of Social Vices among Nigerian Students. According to him, youths ’involvement in internet fraud is a threat to their future because of the risks of conviction and associated complications. He also said that internet fraud is causing reputational damage to Nigeria in the comity of nations and charged youths to separate themselves from it.
The Chairman who spoke through the Head of Enlightenment and Reorientation Unit of the Commission, Aisha Mohammed said corruption is the reason why Nigeria is touted as a potentially great nation, despites its rich natural and human resources.
“The resources that should have delivered a good life to the majority of our people have been cornered by some corrupt individuals in our midst”, she said.
Mohammed emphasized that corruption is the root cause of many challenges facing the nation, including dysfunctional infrastructure, low indices of progress, and social dislocation. She urged youths to be change agents, active foot soldiers against corruption, community advocates, and whistleblowers.
“The scourge of internet fraud has become pervasive in the land, and our youths are getting embroiled in all sorts of cybercrime to the detriment of their future and the image of our nation, so we must tackle corruption frontally to promote economic growth and development, ” she said.
She also encouraged youths to embrace digital citizenship and to promote responsible online behaviour to secure Nigeria’s future.
Speaking earlier, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Abuja, Abdul Rasheed Na’Allah, who was represented by Professor Philip Alfa, urged the youths to desist from indulging themselves into social immoralities.
According to him; “There’s no justification for committing crimes. A crime is crime, and as simple as indecent dressings across our campuses may look, it’s a crime, so desist from it”, he said. He also called on lawmakers to come up with stringent laws that would make it difficult for public office holders to steal public funds.
Other speakers at the event made presentations on different key areas that would help participants in their future endeavours.