Since 2015 when Nigeria enacted the Cybercrime Act to provide a legal framework for combating cybercrimes, including internet fraud, agencies like the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) have tried their best but the surge of young people going into internet fraud indicates that so much still needs to be done.
The sad incident of last Friday, when an official of the EFCC, identified as Halisu Sahabi was shot dead with some of his colleagues critically injured after suspected internet fraudsters, also known as 'Yahoo boys', opened fire on them in Awka, the Anambra State capital, explains better what we now have on our hands.
The operatives of the anti-graft agency from its zonal headquarters in Enugu had stormed Awka, acting on intelligence, to apprehend some cyber criminals before they were ambushed, leading to the death of the officer, an Assistant Superintendent who has since been buried in his home state of Sokoto according to reports.
The unfortunate and tragic incident is a new dimension of the activities of the so-called yahoo boys. It is not only scary but very worrisome. In a desperate bid to protect their shameful and illicit trade, they have now resorted to acquiring guns and confronting law enforcement agencies.
Despite the efforts of the EFCC and other sister agencies to curb the menace of yahoo boys, they seem undeterred. The allure of quick wealth and the glamour of a luxurious lifestyle remains the driving force behind this societal malaise. It is now a common sight to see young men in their twenties and thirties living flamboyant lifestyles, riding in very expensive cars and living in mansions. Their unexplainable wealth does not bother most of their parents and even young women who fall for them. This explains our free fall into the abyss as a society.
We have read stories of how young girls were used for rituals by these get-rich-quick youngsters. We have also heard how innocent people lost their monies in search of true love in what is known as romance scam. This ugly trend continues, damaging our national reputation in the global arena and making it very difficult for legitimate businesses and individuals to operate online.
The killing of Halisu Sahabi should be a watershed. It should be a strong reason more than ever before to tackle these monsters. His unfortunate death has also highlighted the dangers faced by law enforcement agencies in their efforts to combat cybercrime. It must no longer be treated with kid gloves. The latest incident suggests an escalation of real violence by yahoo boys against law enforcement agencies. This poses a significant threat to our national security. So, there is the need for enhanced security measures to protect law enforcement officials and citizens from cybercrime-related violence.
While we are iterating collective and collaborative efforts to combat the menace, the government needs to be more intentional in reducing the high rate of unemployment. Many young Nigerians turn to internet fraud due to lack of job opportunities. Also, some youths see what they are doing as "normal" because of the level of corruption in our country. When government officials convert public wealth to theirs, it encourages young people to adopt similar strategies.
On the other hand, parents need to watch their children closely. Widespread access to the internet, smartphones, and other digital tools facilitates online fraudulent activities. Teenagers are now exposed to all manner of information technology resources without any proper supervision. Educational and religious institutions also need to raise the bar in ensuring that they emphasize the dangers of internet fraud to students and members of their various religious organisations.
We sympathise with the family of the slain official, and we urge the government to honour him. He died in active service and while on the line of duty. He deserves to be honoured, not just with a national honour award but monetary compensation to those he left behind.
