Yahoo boys tarnîshing Nigeria’s image, fueling crîme — EFCC boss spills

The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has sounded the alarm over the escalating threat posed by internet fraudsters, widely known as Yahoo boys, warning that their actions are not only damaging Nigeria’s global reputation but also contributing to the rise in other violent and organized crimes across the country.

Addressing journalists during a media briefing at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja on Monday, Olukoyede expressed deep concern over the increasing brazenness and scale of cybercrime.

He said the fraudulent activities of these individuals are casting a shadow over the integrity of hardworking Nigerians and diminishing the country’s international standing.

Olukoyede said,

“I want Nigerians to know that we are having a crisis on our hands. If you travel abroad with your green passport and stand in the queue among so many people, you will discover that by the time you present the passport, the people (immigration officers) will look at you with some reservation. That is, if they don’t take you aside to carry out some special scrutiny.

“That is a national shame that some young Nigerians (yahoo-yahoo boys) have caused for us.

“We recently arrested groups of young men, and people no longer believe in hard work. I’m from a state where education is our pride. If you go to the secondary school that I attended, by 12 noon, the students have left school.

“The most dangerous aspect of it is not just about yahoo-yahoo, some of these guys are into banditry, kidnapping. When they don’t see people to scam on time, they resort to these vices. Some of them launder money for politically exposed persons.

“Don’t just see them as yahoo-yahoo boys anymore; the traditional way of stealing money is not applicable anymore.

“When they (politically exposed persons) steal money in billions, they give it to these boys, they open crypto wallets, and from there, the money goes abroad. Most of these politically exposed persons identify these boys, lodge them in the hotel, the boys open accounts for them and take the money abroad to buy cars, houses and other luxury items.

“We arrested a 22-year-old; he had a turnover of over N5 billion within 18 months. We discovered that he laundered money for politically exposed people. A boy who has never worked in his life.”

“These boys do ritual killings. They are also involved in cybercrime. You see them in hotels and in groups trying to scam people. You see secondary school students driving vehicles. Are those the people we want to hand Nigeria over to? Is that the nation we want to build?” [CONTINUE READING HERE]>>>>>