The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede has expressed concern over the increasing involvement of youths, particularly young men in internet fraud, stating that the trend is destroying their future and damaging their mental health.
Olukoyede raised the concern in Abuja on Friday, March 16, 2025, at an event to mark the 2025 International Day of the Boy Child, held at the National Merit Award House.
Olukoyede who spoke through, Head, Enlightenment and Reorientation Unit of the Commission, ACE Il Aisha Mohammed, further described cybercrime as a growing threat that must be urgently addressed, noting that cybercrime has significant mental health implications, notably anxiety, depression, fear of arrest, and long-term psychological trauma on youths that are involved in it.
To provide the youth alternatives to cybercrime, he revealed that the Commission was setting up a Cybercrime Research Centre, aimed at offering young people opportunities to explore innovation, digital literacy, and ethical conduct.