Cyber Crime In Nigeria: Yahoo Yahoo As A Case Study -By Ladega Oyindamola Ayomide

“If you think you know-it-all about cyber security, this discipline was probably ill-explained to you”.— Stephane Nappo.

Cyber crime, which is also called computer crime, is the use of a computer as an instrument to propagate further illegal ends, such as committing fraud, fostering child pornography and pirating intellectual property, impersonation, or violating privacy.

According to United Nations(UN)cyber crime is an evolving form of transnational crime.

Cybercrime, also referred to as yahoo yahoo or 419 scam locally, is a rapidly expanding crime that has an impact on both the local and global economies. There are 330.9 million internet users in Africa, making up 28.6% of the continent’s total population. A study by the International Data Company Connect indicated that cybercrime costs the South African economy an estimated $573 million annually, which is a very serious example. The price was expected to be $500 million for the Nigerian economy.

The most widespread misconception about Yahoo! in Nigeria is that it is a fraud site, but in reality, Yahoo! is just a useful emailing service that young people in Nigeria have abused for illegal purposes. This platform, which was developed primarily for emailing, is increasingly used by young people in Nigeria to commit fraud, giving rise to the label “yahoo yahoo.”

Yahoo Messengers were first used for fraudulent lending practices in the late 1990s. The yahoo or 419 business was once considered to be dishonorable, and those who engage in it typically work to justify the source of their wealth. However, the “Gen. Z” era’s extravagant and careless spending has turned these businesses into the new normal.

One would question what danger or harm this prominent yahoo yahoo poses to the nation (Nigeria). Using Raymond Abbas, an infamous Yahoo! person who is also known as “hushpuppi,” as an example. He has a reputation for committing fraud offenses and committing a lot of cybercrime. Hushpuppi caused a great deal of harm to both individuals and entire nations. He admitted to trying to steal $1.1 million from someone who was looking for a new school for kids in Qatar. He also acknowledged taking part in more cybercrimes that collectively cost more than $24 million in losses. One of his well-known crimes from 2019 involved a scam that plunged Malta, a European island, into pandemonium when he attempted to use their financial system to launder $13 million. He was also asked to give two victims $1,732,841 in reparation. Rahmon Abbas received a sentence of more than 11 years in prison in the US for his involvement in international cybercrime.

Moving forward, there are other negative effects that cybercrime, particularly Yahoo, has had on the Nigerian economy.

Cybercrime is estimated to cost the Nigerian economy $500 million annually.

Mr. Obinwanne Akeke, also known as Invictus obi, is another well-known example of a notorious yahoo yahoo guy. He is a well-known affiliate of the Forbes list. He was one of the most well-respected businessmen in Africa and had a flawless life laid out for himself. He was referred to as “one of Africa’s most amazing entrepreneur under the age of 30” by even phobes. Sadly, the EFCC ripped off his arrogant and deceitful mask, exposing his phony and infamous act as a yahoo boy, and he plummeted from grace to grass. A Nigerian con artist named Invictus obi is one of the richest Yahoo boys in America. He led a very secluded existence, in contrast to HushPuppi. Unexpectedly, this infamous Yahoo boy graduated from Australia’s Monash University with a master’s degree in international relations and counterterrorism. His net worth is estimated to be over $23,200,000.

Given the foregoing, it is abundantly evident that yahoo yahoo is in no way a thriving or responsible source of money, but rather it offers minimal satisfaction with serious repercussions.

There are numerous drawbacks or issues that come with involvement in “Yahoo Yahoo”.
First off, “yahoo yahoo” is a felony that entails stealing money from other people. It is exactly the same as an armed robbery in broad daylight. Yahoo lads indulge in life to the maximum extent at the expense of others, crying and wailing in the midst of their crimes.

Nigerians are not surprised to learn that these Yahoo lads go above and beyond their typical yahoo duties and engage in ritual slaughter, often known as “yahoo plus.” This implies that not only do these yahoo boys steal from others now, but murder is also included in their desire for greatness, putting their family and friends in peril of being assassinated as part of a ritual for the success of their business (crimes).

The moral repercussions of “yahoo yahoo” in Nigeria include that the majority of young people now look up to these powerful, successful “yahoo yahoo” guys as their mentors and role models. This discredit hard effort and makes young people and teenagers very skeptical about it. In support of the Yahoo Boys, young people and teenagers tweeted, and I quote, “welcome to our world, stay woke or go broke,” which is a very true example (official yahoo boys). Yahoo lads promote the idea that there is a quicker and easier way to become wealthy by acting outrageously and spending too much money.

Despite the prevalence of “yahoo yahoo” and 419, these crimes are illegal under some Nigerian legislation. It’s interesting that section 419 of Nigeria’s penal code covers fraud. The cyber crime act was also created to address Nigeria’s high rate of cybercrime. The establishment of the cybercrime acts has a number of goals.

First, to establish a strong institutional and regulatory framework for the outlawing, investigating, and punishing of cybercrime in Nigeria. Making ensuring that vital national information is protected is another goal. Last but not least, the cyber crime act’s primary goals include promoting cyber security, protecting computer systems, networks, data, and programs, as well as intellectual property and privacy rights.

It’s crucial to remember that the Federal Republic of Nigeria is covered under the cybercrime legislation.
Here are some cyber crime solutions in Nigeria:

The main motivation for the guys who engage in this dirty work of internet crime is their desire for a better life, whether it be for themselves or a loved one. However, they do not want to be constrained by an 8-to-5 work schedule.

They might be able to keep out of trouble if a job is created for them that fits their lifestyle. If you want to catch a thief, you must be a thief or hire the services of a thief, once stated a prominent politician in Nigeria. As absurd as it may sound, if cybercrime is to be minimized, jobs with decent take-home pay should be eliminated, and when one individual is discovered engaging in computer fraud, such a person should be prosecuted. The general public should also be educated, It is nearly impossible to protect yourself from a catastrophe you are unaware even exists. Every person should receive appropriate sensitization at various levels so that they can become wise and protect themselves from fraudsters who want to take their delight online. Children should be properly watched when using the internet. They shouldn’t be permitted to go to any random website. Before parents give a child access to an internet-connected gadget, the device should ideally have software pre-installed that prevents access to websites with a high risk of cybercrime.

In conclusion, anyone can become a victim of cybercrime, and malware can infect any digital device. No one is immune from online crime.

Ladega Oyindamola Ayomide
From Lagos state university.