Cybercrime: A Wide Spread Disease in Nigeria and The Possible Solution -By Chris Gonoh

In the wake of Covid-19 pandemic, the rate at which people are attacked in the cyberspace in our country rises at cockrow. Indeed, It amazes me; I have been wondering how they cook their tricks in diverse ways which looks pure in sight of the client turned victim.

A crime committed by using a computer or a network is known as cybercrime. Cyber criminals uses social engineering, phishing, identify theft, spam emails, whaling, malware e.t.c to carry out their illegal activity.

By my observation, yahoo yahoo as the popular name for cyber crime in Nigeria is now run as a business establishment in which a kingpin employ workers to leverage on different tactics. Cybercrime is now a widespread disease in our country because It is one of the fastest and easiest way of making money illegally. It has no age limit as teenagers, my peers are now also part of the league.

Let me now turn to my own experience. At my tender age in a dyed in the wood country of ours, I was defrauded of Twenty Thousand naira by a cyber criminal. Few decades ago, it was evident that cybercrime was at it low point. Then, why the sudden increase in rate? By my research, The estimated Annual financial loss in Nigeria due to Cybercrime in 2017 was Two Hundred and Fifty Billion Naira and Two Hundred and Eighty Eight Billion Naira in 2018 respectively.

Meanwhile, The most prominent challenge in closing the loophole is that cyber criminals have allies in the banking industry. Presently, some banks who manage to disrupt the operation of scammers by impending fund transfer on their Accounts will not hold on for long but claim the issue had been resolved. Every bank in Nigeria has transaction or navigation website which is a possible technique to trace and detect cyber criminals. These include smart cards, a pin, facial recognition, finger print sensor e.t.c. yet, there is never an historical records of banks blocking or freezing up to a thousand account numbers of cyber criminals in a single year even when detected. As devastating and unpleasant it is to the ears, most cyber criminals has bank account details of their clients such as the full name, Bank verification Number, Date of Birth and surprisingly, the five digit used as login password for Mobile banking Application. My most disturbing event in this trend is how cyber criminals do get all these details if not from some of the staffs in the banking industry who are responsible for exposing all these vital information to them for a ransome.

Notwithstanding, the best way out of this mess is for the federal government to partner with financial institutions to ensure the safety of Nigeria citizens as well as the economy through the bank.

Wherein, both party would sign an agreement letter in raising a rigid War against cybercrime public campaign. With it, promoting awareness among citizens and customers on information security is assured.

Secondly, to strengthen the campaign effort, the Government should announce an Annual reward for the Best Commercial Bank in fighting Cybercrime in Nigeria. By that, every bank will put their back into fighting the illegal act and ensure their image is well protected. Even if it is given a short shrift by any bank, I am convinced that they will stand to lose customers who knows and understand the importance of cyber security.

Thirdly, the Legislative arm of Government should introduce a bill that will make it Mandatory for every account holder in Nigeria to have a valid means of National Identification which will be sign into law to assist in the physical tracing of Bank Customers–facial recognition, address, and full name before any type of Account is opened. If not, our dear country will continue to feel the pinch. Failure for any bank to adhere to the directive should attract the anger of the Federal Government to withdraw her license and sent it to coventry.

Finally, Cyberculture is of great importance to every Independent Nation whilst Nigeria is not an exception. No matter the high rate of Cyber attacks, I believe it is not ideal for it to be totally shut down. Hence, if our country must be free from cyber attacks let the Government do the needful to protect the image of our country in the international community. It is a common knowledge that every pecuniary transaction either legal or illegal must pass through a Bank. As a teenager, I know it is not difficult to take the bull by the horn.

Chris Gonoh is a young gifted writer who has written multifarious works cutting across Novels, short stories, essays, poems and motivational. Recently, he won the 2020 Ikeogu Oke Prize for Nigeria Teenagers awarded by the Association of Nigeria Authors which is likely the biggest Literary body in Africa. Also, one of his brilliant works was featured by the writers against Covid-19 movement in their ‘Riposte of lockdown voices’ Anthology alongside other International Contributors. Though a young mind, his writing style doesn’t hinges on entertaining readers only but to inspire people and correct societal ills. Gonoh is currently a student of Afokpella Senior Secondary School, Afokpella-Okpella in Edo State.