Youths should desist from internet fraud, says Obidike, EFCC Youth Ambassador

A youthful Nigerian entrepreneur, Chukwuebuka Obidike has appealed to young Nigerians to shun cyber crimes and other internet related vices that will tarnish the image of the country.

In a communique to the media, Obidike, who is a Youth Ambassador to the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) charged the youths to utilise the opportunities that internet services can offer instead of using it negatively.

“The advent of the internet age has revolutionized communication among networks, persons, and corporate entities, bringing with it enormous and limitless access to information, knowledge, contacts, and connectivity.

“Sadly, as in anything with advantage, the gains have also come with very disturbing demerits, including identity theft, bullying, and financial fraud, among many others. Yet, the menace has become a major subject now bordering on insecurity across the country, shredding the very fabrics of our national ethics, and giving our country an ugly name in the comity of nations.

“The perpetrators do not only hack websites and social media accounts but also rip off innocent people of their life savings, just as they defraud private companies and agencies created for the well-being of the citizenry, rendering their lives useless and making some people die due to the consequences that emanate from their activities.

It is indeed very tragic that Nigeria is trending as a nation where merit is hardly valued and the sources of the citizen’s wealth are hardly questioned. Nigeria is now faced with an existential ethical crisis.

“It is more alarming to note that the Nigerian society has raised a generation that believes that the end justifies the means  leaning on the cynical attributes of the Machiavellian theory. If not, how do you explain a situation where parents will buy leaked WAEC exam question papers for their children so they can pass the exams? What are they teaching them in the long run?

Unfortunately, this has become the order of the day and many secondary schools are doing the same in order to get their candidates to score higher grades that can attract more students to enroll with them.

“I remember coming home on holidays during my secondary school days, to hear my father, a stern educationist, drum the “Honesty is the Best Policy” maxim into the ears of us his children. As it was true over many years ago, so it is today, and true will it remain even tomorrow, and forever.

“But some present day parents do not care to find out about the sources of what their children come home with. When their daughters return home with the latest iPhone XI, do they get question its source? Some would even ask their daughter to buy them one. Young boys are buying gadgets and cars from the proceeds of advanced fee fraud, and some parents encourage them by taking them to witchdoctors to scale up their fraudulent practice to ‘yahoo plus’ in order to make more money.

“Fathers have very important roles to play in helping to define the future of the economy –  one that will not be heavily polluted by financial crimes and other forms of sabotage  because, if a father is corrupt or celebrates corruption, that virus may be transmitted to the children. The future of Nigeria depends on the youth having the right people to mould their characters and give them a proper upbringing. And again, the family, particularly the parents, have a huge role to play here, owing to the fact that if the right attitude and character prevail at home, it would be in a strong position to contribute immensely to raising good leaders from among the youths.

That is why fathers shouldn’t abdicate their responsibilities because fatherhood is sacrosanct in raising good leaders. Fathers provide the firmness and discipline required in the molding and formatting of the characters of their kids. This, no doubt, influences their future.

“The much touted economic circumstances in Nigeria, like unemployment, as one of the causative factors in youth involvement in internet fraud and other crimes, can never be convincing, at least, not to this writer, and should not be made an excuse or defense for criminal activities.

That is why a situation where some elements opt out of honest work and greedily decide to seek ‘employment’ in criminal activities just because they want to make big money in easy way, should never be justification for the crime.

“All internet fraudsters should be aware that the eye of the ‘eagle’ is watching, and there is no peace for the wicked because they will be caught someday and be made to face the law.

Youths and all criminally minded elements, should, therefore, wake up to the fact that ignorance is not an excuse or defense, when docked for internet crimes. So, it is better for them to desist from the acts or be caught and possibly have their future jeopardized.