By Brave Dickson
One of the worrisome menaces seriously affecting the image of Nigeria in overseas is the alleged involvement of Nigerians in cyber crimes abroad which of recent was the indictment of over 70 Nigerians by the United States, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on cyber crimes
In order to put an end or reduce the committing of internet fraud to its barest minimum, the nation’s anti-graft agency, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had intensified readiness to work with the United States FBI to nip cybercrime in the bud.
But why Nigerian governments have declared zero-tolerance against cybercrime, there are some patriotic citizens of the country who are blaming governments and one of them is a very successful Port Harcourt based businessman, Mr Bright Ubani who insisted that the inability of governments at all levels to create jobs for Nigerians is responsible for cybercrime.
In an exclusive interview with TPCN on why the Igbos used to top the list on every crime overseas, Mr Ubani who is also of the Igbo extraction said the Nigerian governments at all levels have failed in job creation for their citizens, adding that those who get involved in crime mainly do so for economic reasons.
His words: “Why Nigerians especially the Igbos are travelling outside this country to go and commit crime is because the Nigerian governments are not doing well, so my advice to the governments of Nigeria is that they should create jobs like factories.
“Job creations will make our youths to get committed in something doing. Such engagements will make them not to have idol minds. So, Nigerian governments at all levels should try and prioritize job creation. This will help to stop Nigerian image being tarnished abroad as our youths will be less involved in illicit deals overseas.”
In its swift onslaught on cyber offenders,s as TPCN reliably gathered, the EFCC had arrested scores of alleged cyber offenders in line with the commission’s pledge to collaborate with US FBI against offenders
Acting Chairman of EFCC, Ibrahim Magu who vowed to identify and bring the suspects to justice said following the onslaught and intensified raids on their hideouts by the commission, the internet fraudsters had relocated to Ghana.
Magu said: “We carried out aggressive operations against cyber offenders and we will go out and storm all their hideouts. Most of them have relocated to Ghana because the heat is on them.”
Cybercrimes are a major threat to national security and financial health and can transcend across national borders of countries. Cybercrime activities perpetrated on the internet range from fraud, theft, pervasive pornography, child pornography, paedophile rings, drug trafficking, extortion, hacking, copyright infringement, plagiarism, child grooming, cyberstalking, cyber warfare, cyber terrorism, among others.
