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Cybercrimes: Effect on Youth Devlpt.

posted on Tuesday, September 02, 2008 08:39 PM

Introduction

Our organization commends the efforts of CLEEN Foundation for the giant stride in bringing about this great Programme for our majestic leaders of today and tomorrow. All other protocols duly observed.

This paper is written in other to strike a balance between the imbalances that exists among young people’s perception of Cybercrimes, considerations towards what they regard as consequential and inconsequential elements on personal and national development. It also cross examines different types of Cybercrimes, its effects on individual perpetrator, nation and our world.

What are Cybercrimes?

Cybercrimes describes those criminal acts either committed entirely in cyberspace, such as various forms of identity theft and bank fraud, or acts that have a physical component and are simply facilitated through the use of Internet – based tools. Such acts commonly include distribution of fraudulent emails, and child pornography on the internet, unauthorized access to computer files and/or theft of proprietary information, distribution of information housed in a remote computer with viruses, Trojans, worms, logic bombs and distributed denial of service (DDOS) attacks, selling illegal objects and substances over the internet and the theft and forgery of identity. Other, less common crimes are more institutionally targeted, such as organized assaults on a nation’s infrastructure; the hacking of government information, commercial or non profit web –sites; or attacks on critical infrastructure.

In simple terms, Cybercrimes are illegal activities perpetrated by one or more people using the cyber space through the medium of networked computers, telephones and other information and communication technology equipment. They are usually physical traditional crimes going ‘cyber’. There is hardly any crime committed in the world today that does not have Cybercrimes undertone, because of high level of dependence on modern technology.

Cybercrimes committed by Nigerians.

Anniette Mcguire once opined in her publication that, ‘Nigerian con artist rings are nothing if not creative. With all the attention that has been brought to bear on the standard Nigerian scam letter fraud, the fraud rings have been under pressure to develop new concepts – and they are very, very good at it’. From all indications, these con artists are usually young people with an itch to get rich quick at all cost. Sometime in 2002 the counterfeit check fraud game was developed (by some Nigerians). It has been highly successful and in short order has proliferated around the globe via the Internet, the Nigerian fraudsters’ favorite weapon. This is what is popularly called yahoo – yahoo, coined from the most popular email service providing website subscribed by many Nigerians – www.yahoomail.com. Yahooism (cyber fraud) unlike the usual advanced fee fraud targets unsuspecting people mostly, ladies or gentlemen in search of relationships around the globe, business men and women delivering genuine services. The fraudster’s catch in on the opportunity of trust inherent in the U.S and other developed countries in Europe, Australia and the rest of the Americas’ banking systems to send their victims or potential victims Money orders, counterfeit cheques and other financial instruments. Which the unsuspecting victims cashes and either sends back the whole money to them or the over – draft on the services they request. The benefit depends on the scam technique the yahooist chooses.

Recently, secret agents of the UPS (United Parcel Service) smashed a record scam with a face value of $2.1billion (about N252 billion) in Lagos. The interception was done within three months. Some of the instruments uncovered by the UPS were documents like Wal – Mart Money orders, Bank of America cheques, U.S postal service cheques and American Express traveler’s cheques. This record scam is made possible as a result of the large number of young people who now see Cybercrimes or internet fraud as a source of livelihood.

As Nigeria progresses into the electronic age, this menace will loom larger and larger and must be dealt with. The crimes expose everyone doing business both in Nigeria and the rest of the world to a great threat. Although, the menace is not given adequate attention among stakeholders in Nigeria because; they do not see its threat on businesses in Nigeria and Nigerians. This is a misconception interpreted based on the low level of Information Technology penetration in the country. However, a tip of the danger that looms is the incessant attempt on Nigeria’s Automated Teller Machines (ATM), telecommunication companies servers and a host of other ‘you have just won a car from…’ scam text messages by Nigerian con artists.

According to Ultrascan research, Nigeria contributes 95% of global internet fraud. Young people in Nigeria encompass a larger percentage of people seen in cyber cafés perpetrating the act internet fraud and cyber pornography. This is characterized by a lot of circumstances surrounding them, ranging from youth restiveness, incessant strike by teachers that leaves them less busy, lack of youth oriented programmes that would enable them participate in self and national development by government and stakeholders. Although, what constitutes young people’s involvement in Cybercrimes largely depends on their low level of moral standards, peer pressure, lack of parental watch and care.


EFFECTS OF CYBERCRIMES ON YOUTH DEVELOPMENT


Crime always brings down a nation; Nigeria has had its fare share. We cannot underestimate the level of damage yahooism (Cyber fraud) has caused us internationally and the futuristic effect on the Nigerian system. The high level of Cybercrimes patronage in Nigeria is one of the reasons why the crimes are seen as a norm in our society. No thanks to Olu Maintain’s yahoozee album, D’banj’s Mobolowon and a host of others in the entertainment and fashion industries who label their designs yahoo – shirts, signifying the style and taste of ‘young money bags’ with high taste and preference for expensive clothes and accessories.

Perpetration of Cybercrimes among young people in schools, both secondary and tertiary destroys their quest for proper education. This is because most of them drop out of school in the long run and face the yahoo – yahoo business. The long run effect of this in our society would be lack of professionals in the field of medicine, engineering, law etc. because those who are supposed to be studying in these fields of endeavor are presently wallowing in yahooism.

Cybercrimes destroys young people’s quest for adequate skill acquisition and vocational training which is supposed to grow Small and Medium scale Enterprises (SMEs) and boost our Gross Domestic Products (GDP) for economic growth and development.

Cybercrimes gives our country a bad image and reputation; this has a lot to do with the development of young people. It would prevent foreign investors from investing in Nigeria. These investments are what open employment opportunities for young graduates in Nigeria, thereby reducing poverty and creating other opportunities for everyone.

With the high level of Cybercrimes seen among young people in Nigeria, you will agree with us that the crimes do not equip young people with the right leadership skills required to transform our nation or even an enterprise. Therefore, their generation of leaders would be worse of than any corrupt and worse government administration in Nigeria.

Yahoo – boys or yahooists are exposed to sudden death through reckless living. This is so because a lot of them buy and drive cars without acquiring proper driving skills and this leads most of them to accidents and sudden deaths.

As time goes on and yahooists progress in their criminal activities, they would loose faith in legitimate businesses since the financial reward of Cybercrimes may not be compared with that of legitimate businesses. This would mean a collapsed economy.

It is saddening that young people who are supposed to champion the cause against Cybercrimes are the ones perpetrating the crimes; this is because the future belongs to them and they are expected to work tirelessly towards protecting it. If Cybercrimes continues in Nigeria it would someday lead to isolation (when victimized countries of the world decide to close trade relations against Nigeria as a result of the high level of fraud experienced when dealing with Nigerians).

Cybercrimes produces a new generation of rich people with illegal means.

Cybercrimes produces a dangerous generation of corrupt people who would continue to abuse due process and rule of law.

It increases criminal cartels, cultism and secret societies that would eventually lead a violent economy in the nearest future, especially when they control the polity and policy making process.

The crime destroys global trust, which would have encouraged partnership in developing economies of nations. This means that, Nigeria may never attain the Millennium Development Goals eight (MDGs 8).

It increases criminal cartels, cultism and secret societies that would eventually lead a violent economy in the nearest future, especially when they control the polity and policy making process.

SUGGESTED INTERVENTION


Other nations are racing to define their “information utility” based on educational and commercial content; Nigeria has been labeled the global capital for 419 scams, and the bedrock of the latest cyber – abuse. Our change now is to turn this around, and find the necessary content base for our technology users that challenge can only be better shouldered by Nigerians. The following paragraphs capture a few suggested solutions among others.

Governments and Administrations should ensure that youth centers are built at least in every local government of Nigeria; this is in other for young people to be engaged in creative works and development through this centers.

Nigeria needs cyber laws that would govern the country’s cyberspace and give the nation adequate cyber security measures, the creation of laws that would encourage tougher sentences.

Stakeholders need to create Nigerian own content base websites that would attract young people in acquiring skills in education, investments and entrepreneurship.

The Draft Cybercrimes bill should be lobbied and passed by the lawmakers in other for cyber citizens to know the dangers that loom should they breach the any of the bills.

A massive campaign and sensitization exercise against the menace should be encouraged and supported by stakeholders.

The Nigerian Police force also has to be sensitized, trained and equipped on how to detected and prevent Cybercrimes with technology.

Telecommunication Regulatory agencies in Nigeria should beef security on Internet Service Provider’s server in other to detect and trace Cybercrimes. This can be done by the use of CISCO systems router and sensors.

A better economic system, creation of opportunities for the young Nigerian would also make a lot of difference, since some perpetrators claim that they are engaged in the crimes as a result of economic conditions.

In conclusion, understanding the universality of Cybercrimes and fraud, its rapid excessive growth among young Nigerians is tantamount to the mystery of the human nature and the greatest complexities of the human society. Even if we have a sound socio – economic and technological environment, Cybercrimes and fraud would still strive in our society because it is both a moral and economic issue.

The rising state of perpetration can only be curbed if we do not leave its responsibility solely to the cops on the streets, judges on the bench and the policy or lawmakers alone. What we need is a massive campaign awareness and action from all religious leaders, youth association, parents, teachers, guardians, women society and multinational companies etc. with these, we would be able to make great impact on our society.

Thank you and God bless you for listening.







Reference

Nigeria – 419 Coalition Website

www.fraudaid.com/scamspeak/Nigerian/index.htm, (April 18, 2006) AnnetteMcGuire

www.fraudaid.com/scamspeak/Nigerian/index.htm, (April 18, 2006) AnnetteMcGuire

U.S Agents Foil N252 billion Scams in Lagos. P.M News Friday, 27 June, 2008

ATMs ‘foolproof’says Interswitch…BusinessDay Newspaper, Page 21. Dec., 04, 2007

www.ultrascan.com Nigerian 419

Olu maintain – Yahoozee Album

D’banj - Mobolowon








MBASEKEI MARTIN OBONO
YOUTH AGAINST CYBERCRIMES AND FRAUD IN NIGERIA.
www.yaccfin.org
info@yaccfin.org
01-7402451


A PAPER PRESENTATION AT CLEEN FOUNDATION’S YOUTH AGAINST CRIMES QUARTERLY INTERACTIVE FORUM IN BOLA IGE MILLENIUM SECONDARY SCHOOL, TOLU, AJEGUNLE. LAGOS STATE.

ON THE 1ST OF SEPTEMBER, 2008

Comments

Barry Crisp

Monday, September 15, 2008 01:41 AM

Cyber crime is indeed a difficult thing to manage and stop. Thank you for sharing this with us.