The All Progressives Congress (APC) National Youth Advocates, a pressure group, has urged Nigerian youths to shun cyber crime.
Mr Timothy Nwachukwu, National President of the group, made the call in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.
He also called for the revitalisation and strengthening of the National Orientation Agency with a mandate on value re-orientation, equity, fairness and social justice in the international community.
“The NOA should be revitalised and strengthen with a mandate of value re-orientation, equity, fairness and social justice,” he said.
Nwachukwu called for collaboration between the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the police and the private sector towards curbing cyber-crime in Nigeria.
He expressed sadness over the involvement of some Nigerian youths in cyber crime, describing it as a dent on the country’s image.
Nwachukwu said the development was also making the business environment difficult for start-ups and Small and Medium Enterprises, while discouraging investment by foreign companies.
He, however, commended the Executive Chairman of the EFCC, Mr Abdulrasheed Bawa for taking the campaign against online crime to students of the Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja.
This, he said, was at the official commencement of campaign against social vices on campuses organised by National Association of Nigerians Students (NANS).
Nwachukwu recalled that the EFCC chairman urged Nigerian students to take ownership of the fight against corruption and channel their potential, positively for the good of the country by shunning all forms of cyber crime.
He stated that cyber crime had thrown up emergency millionaires and billionaires in the nation’s economic system.
“This is injurious to our economic growth as most of such funds acquired illegally are not being used productively to promote the economy.
“Cyber crime has created an image nightmare for Nigeria, as most scam e-mails are thought to have originated from Nigeria which is actually not the case.
“It has also earned it a spot in the present ranking of Transparency International where Nigeria is being listed as one of the most corrupt nations in the world.
“Cyber crime is a big threat to foreign investment in the country and it is misrepresenting us in the comity of nations,” he said.
Nwachukwu added: “ In addition, Cyber crime has stigmatised our genuine business men and women as they face certain barriers when carrying out legitimate businesses.”
The group’s national president noted that majority of Nigerian business men and women go through strenuous screening before foreigners would eventually agree to transact business with them.
He, however, expressed appreciation to millions of diligent and hard-working Nigerian youths who were engaged in legitimate online businesses and who have continued to put the country on a positive limelight.(NAN)
