The Executive Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede has advised Nigerian youths to steer clear of cybercrime as no future lies therein.
In a statement by the EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale on Friday, the chairman gave the charge when the executives of Committee of Youth Mobilization and Sensitization, CYMS, led by Chief Obinna Nwaka paid him a courtesy visit at the Commission’s corporate headquarters, Abuja.
Olukoyede admitted that some youths were smart and skillful and urged them to channel such talents to productive engagement and not to internet fraud.
He, therefore, reassured of the commission’s commitments in redeeming the youths from the path of derailment even as he urged the people and relevant stakeholders to join hands in stemming the tide of cyber crime in the country.
According to him, “We must not allow our youths to derail. We have allowed it over a period of time and we have seen the destruction. Some of our youths are smart and skillful.
“It is just a matter of sensitizing them towards how to channel their talents to productive engagements. There is no future in cybercrime.”
Olukoyede harped on the importance of EFCC in Nigeria and wondered how the country would be if the commission does not work for one month, regretting the humiliating treatment given to Nigerians overseas due to the bad image and impression created by some persons about the country.
He said, “Let everybody realize this, the fight is not for ourselves. It is for the youth, it is for the entire country. Just imagine what will happen if EFCC does not work for one month?
”Travel abroad and see the humiliating treatment they give Nigerians. Once they see your Green Passport, they take you aside from the queue and subject you to a thorough search because of the bad image that a few of our youths have created for the country. Nigerians need EFCC.”
He also condemned public office holders who would not want to account for their stewardship, stating that such acts of impunity have nurtured corruption in the country.
The chairman, however, appreciated the group for its anti-corruption stance and interventions in the direction of re-orientation of the youth away from cybercrime.
Speaking earlier, Nwaka commended EFCC for its passion in fighting corruption and securing the future of the Nigerian youths, saying that the group was miffed few days ago it learnt that, “there were some Nigerian youths who do not care about the future of their own generation and want to protest.”
He further applauded Olukoyede for the commission’s crackdown on naira mutilation.
“What you are doing to restore respect for the naira can only happen when we have somebody that is firm and dogged in a cause,” he said.