The president of Nigeria lately delivered a blistering speech condemning the frequent “Nigerian Prince” stereotype that the nation is stuffed with scamming cybercriminals.
Cybercrime stays a giant challenge in Nigeria, with the financial affect being $500 million yearly. Talking at Nigeria’s Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee final week, President Bola Tinubu defined that cybercrime had broken the nation’s worldwide popularity, however he pressured that it isn’t only a Nigeria drawback. Somewhat, fraud and different sorts of cyberattacks are a “world phenomenon that should be tackled in any respect prices,” he stated.
“In the present day’s world is run actual time on the Web. Governance, companies, establishments and even particular person home affairs are dependent on the web,” he stated. “Cybercriminals are, subsequently, a risk to the remainder of the world. Because of this no effort or expense ought to be spared in confronting the evil. I need to guarantee the EFCC that the federal government will proceed to supply its assist in its quest to kill the dragon that web offences have grow to be.”
Towards that backdrop, it is essential to battle the notion that the African nation is “a nation of fraudsters,” a characterization he stated was “unfair, untenable, and unacceptable.”
Youth’s Position in Cybercrime
Additionally on the occasion, Ola Olukoyede, chairman of the EFCC, voiced concern over younger individuals taking part in an more and more larger position in cybercrime. He warned of “the hazard of getting a tribe of future leaders whose outlook in life is that fraud and corruption are the stairways to fame and fortune.”
Olukoyede stated he believes that one of the best ways to deal with this challenge is by encouraging younger individuals to pursue fulfilling careers that use the identical abilities.
He stated: “It’s our view that academia can contribute extra to the anti-corruption battle by mentorship, as youths in at present’s fast-paced world want shut supervision to navigate their path to success and purposeful residing.”
In a unique latest tackle to the EFCC, Chidiebere Ihediwa, a Nigerian cybersecurity specialist, echoed that theme, noting that on-line scammers and fraudsters ought to be retrained as info know-how specialists.
