• Thursday, March 28, 2024
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Disturbing surge in internet fraud as EFCC battles unending menace

Disturbing surge in internet fraud as EFCC battles unending menace

In the last six months, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has intensified onslaught against internet fraudsters popularly called ‘Yahoo boys’ who invade the internet space to defraud unsuspecting members of the public.

Their activities range from love scams, interception of business transactions for fraud, hacking into public and private bank account details and using fraudulent means to empty people’s bank accounts, impersonation, forging documents and wooing people online to invest in fraudulent businesses among others.

The EFCC and other agencies may have taken decisive action busting the hideouts of these yahoo boys across states of the federation and also taken significant steps to seize their illicit proceeds and secured various jail terms for these wire criminals, the yahoo boys appear to be increasing in overwhelming numbers on daily basis.

The internet fraud is now taking more disturbing dimensions as siblings of the same families are now known to have taken to this illicit trade and perhaps using the proceeds to their families especially in these difficult times.

On Wednesday, September 9, Operatives of the EFCC, Ibadan zonal office, arrested two pairs of brothers: Ayoola Timilehin, Olusola Timilehin, and Oladayo Fayemi, Tolulope Fayemi and three others suspected to be internet fraudsters.

According to a statement issued by the Head of Media and Publicity Dele Oyewale, the culprits were arrested at their hide out on Wednesday, September 9, 2020 at Alaka, Elebu area of Ibadan, Oyo State. The other three suspects arrested with them are Temitope Kumuyi, Babatunde Oyelakin and Olanrewaju Ibrahim. They are all between 20 and 30 years age range.

“The suspects were arrested based on intelligence linking them with opulence without any identifiable means of livelihood. Items recovered from them, include: four cars, laptops, exotic phones and a stamp bearing the identity of the bursary section of Queensland University’s School of Medicine, Australia,” Oyewale said.

In a related development, the Ilorin zonal office of the EFCC in Kwara state on Tuesday September 8, arrested another set of twin brothers: Kehinde Adebayo and Taiye Adebayo over their alleged involvement in offences bordering on internet fraud.

They were arrested at their hideout in Ilorin, Kwara State on Tuesday, following intelligence received by the Commission on their activities. Analyses conducted so far on their phones and laptops have linked them to the alleged offence.

In Imo state, especially Owerri, the capital, the yahoo boys have gradually turned the beautiful and serene city into their den but they are being hunted in all corners of the city by the EFCC.

On Wednesday, September 9, operatives of the Uyo zonal office of the EFCC arrested 22 suspected internet fraudsters at different locations in Owerri and other parts of Imo state.

According to the EFCC, the all-male suspects, whose ages range between 20 and 41, were nabbed recently at “Sight and Services” within “World Bank”, in Ugwuma Town and “Road Safety” by Toronto road, Egbu, Owerri, Imo state.

They are: Chinonso Anozie Frank; Ogadibo Victor Chikeluba; Clinton Njoku Onyekachi; Okoro Edwin Chigozie; Anozie Chibuzor Harold; Anyaeriuba Canice; Ogbuehi Anderson; Okere Nonye; Njoku Paul Chibuike; Ndalaka Felix Chukwuebuka and Anele Chibuike Timothy.

Others are; Chidi Kalu; Uparai Daniel; Ubochi Christian Ikechukwu; Udoka Obi; Chiagozie Morris Obiano; Moses Akaedite; Henry Princewill Chisom; Prince Ibe; Ugwuegbu Fredrick Ekenna, William Peter Obinna and Udoka Ihiekwe Kelechi.

“At the point of arrest, several cars and gadgets were recovered from them and they include: A black Lexus E5 330; a silver-coloured Toyota Corolla LE, a silver-coloured Toyota Camry and a blue Toyota Corolla LE.

Others include a silver -coloured Lexus E5; a black Toyota Venza, a grey -coloured Mercedes ML350 SUV and silver- coloured Toyota Highlander SUV.

Also recovered from them are 15 laptops and 20 sophisticated mobile phones, the EFCC said, adding that the suspects will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.

BusinessDay was privileged to interview a yahoo boy who was arrested by the EFCC and his remorseless utterances were shocking. When asked if he regains freedom will he turn away from internet fraud? He said: “I do not see any other job that can give me the huge sums of money I make from this yahoo business.”

This perhaps sums up the crisis of values in the country today where mostly young men believe that the end justifies the means-a life of luxury and opulence without any meaningful means of livelihood.

Speaking to BusinessDay on the rise in this type of criminal activities, Clinical Forensic Psychologist, Law Mefor, blamed it on the rising rate of “unemployment especially among the youth as well as the increasing deterioration of the value system”. He added “we now live in a society where people celebrate quick money syndrome without questioning the source of people’s livelihood. The youth are under pressure as many of them who have graduated from universities do not have work to do and an idle mind is the devils workshop.”

He said that the only panacea to the crisis is for the government to build a thriving economy that will engage the youth into legitimate and profitable jobs otherwise Nigerians should expect more of this type of crime. He also called for moral rearmament and value re-orientation to save the youth from this disastrous part.