By Basheer Luqman Olarewaju
Every society has its fair share of security challenges, but when the state of insecurity increases by the day, and then there is a need for urgent action. Unlike before, in Ilorin, the introduction of these three major inventions; the Computers, the Internet and the Mobile telephones gave rise to a huge outbreak of cybercrimes. It could be very evident that criminals and fraudsters leverage the anonymity supplied by means of the Internet to defraud unsuspecting victims.
Unfortunately, the current social, economic and political trends have left a sour taste in the mouth of the youths; particularly, those from poor social and economic backgrounds. Notably, cybercrimes are of different categories ranging from; Internet frauds, software piracy, hacking, online scam, ATM or Credit card fraud, virus dissemination, phishing, cyber-stalking, and cyber-defamation.
The occurrence of a high rate of unemployment, harsh economic conditions and bad educational systems can be traced as what contribute immensely to the proliferation of cybercrimes in our dear society. Today’s column on the ‘people in the spotlight’ analyses and calls the attention of the relevant stakeholders in Ilorin and Kwara State at large to the adherent effects of increasing rate of cybercrime that is featuring almost daily on the national newspapers and media fora on the average Ilorin youth and the possible solutions. With fast rising numbers of Tertiary Institutions and most family houses housing over ambitious youths who are venturing into the act, there is an urgent need to reduce the cybercrime menace ravaging our dear society.
Just this year, 2021, on the newspapers headlines, the number of cases filed by the Ilorin Zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against our youths, especially the students (some are non-indigenes but study in Kwara) are mind disturbing. Amongst them are: http://saharareporters.com/2021/09/03/court-jails-21-year-old-nigerian-polytechnic-student-cybercrime-kwara; another one reads, https://www.premiumtimesng.com/regional/north-central/477374-court-jails-four-students-for-fraud-in-kwara.html; Punch newspapers captures, https://punchng.com/efcc-arrests-30-suspected-internet-fraudsters-in-ilorin/?amp; while vanguard says, https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/03/internet-fraud-court-jails-lecturer-twin-brothers/amp/
Others include:
https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/07/cybercrime-court-sends-unilorin-kwasu-kwara-poly-students-to-jail/amp/; https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2021/09/03/cybercrime-court-jails-offa-poly-student-in-kwara/; https://www.thecable.ng/court-jails-two-students-for-internet-fraud-in-kwara/amp; https://dailypost.ng/2021/07/09/two-students-jailed-for-cybercrime-romance-scam-in-ilorin/?amp=1; https://www.efccnigeria.org/efcc/news/7062-four-convicted-of-cybercrime-in-ilorin
There is a general saying in Nigeria that the youths are usually described as leaders of tomorrow. So many agree that the youths themselves are a reflection of the society. The nature of the socio-political and economic environment that prevails inside the country has imposed constraints in terms of meeting the needs and aspirations of the youths. It could be very obtrusive that no society intending to greatness can afford to ignore the contributions of its children or permit them to constitute a major hazard to the realization of its regulations and programmes.
Unfortunately, the modern social, financial and political traits have left a bitter taste in the mouth of the kids; particularly, those from negative social and financial backgrounds. Apparently, the existing high fee for cash and other acquisitions regarded as yardsticks for determining the popularity of individuals within the society seems to have worsened the plight of the adolescents. This is because they have eroded the societal values for dignity of labour and moral integrity as they direct their energies closer to incomes a living via foul means. It is thought provoking to imagine that some youths interact in cybercrimes at the expense of the country image.
The Internet crimes are borne out of the truth that teenagers are not monitored through by their mother, father and schools. Some students are exposed through the Internet to unwholesome literature via studying junk mails. Some of them visit pornographic websites (Nigeria was ranked highest, recently) to share amusing with human beings of the other sex. It isn’t fine for dad and mom and guardians to run permissive houses at the fee of their kids and wards.
Notably, cybercrimes are of different classes in Ilorin; they range from Yahoo boys and their 419 Internet frauds; hacking; software piracy; pornography; credit score card or ATM fraud; denial of service attack; virus dissemination; phishing; cyber-plagiarism; cyber-stalking; cyber-defamation. One can be questioning why the youth interact or involve in cybercrimes in Ilu Alfa Alimi. Interestingly, cybercrimes like other criminal sports are especially motivated by certain situations considered one of that is urbanization. It is emphasized that urbanization without crimes is honestly impossible. The influx of the teenagers to cybercrimes is thriving amongst urban areas due to the fact the elite find it beneficial to put money into cybercrime as its miles a business that requires less capital. The incidence of large scale of unemployment, harsh financial conditions and terrible educational systems — the eroding Ile Kewu — also contribute immensely to the proliferation of cybercrimes in the town.
The youths are not facing the realities of canvassing vocational jobs where they discover it is very difficult to get a white collar job. It is a component of worry consequently that the above notwithstanding that the Emirates Community isn’t imposing stringent legislation to dissuade the young people from engaging in cybercrimes. Weak and fragile laws concerning cybercriminals exist, even in the country.
The maximum unlucky is that the nation isn’t adequately ready with sophisticated hardware to crack down the forensic criminals. Our regulation enforcement dealers are inadequately prepared in terms of personnel, intelligence and infrastructure to tackle the risk of cybercrimes that is adversely affecting the image and corporate identification of the e society.
