The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) Abdulrasheed Bawa has said that fighting cybercrime requires a lot of intelligence gathering which entails the collaboration of everybody including the youth.
Bawa who was a guest mentor at the just concluded 2021, Sir Ahmadu Bello Foundation (SABF) scholars mentorship forum in Abuja on Thursday explained that intelligence gathering is giving out useful information the commission in curbing cybercrime across the country.
Bawa who was represented by the Head Cybercrime department of the EFCC, Mallam Abba Sambo while presenting a paper on the topic: “Youth and impact of Cyber and other financial Crimes to the National Economy” lamented that cybercrime has given the country a bad name globally .
He said the activities of these criminals have impacted in the country’s economy causing closure of businesses, losses of jobs and economic instability.
He urged the youths to make good use of the cyber space positively such as engaging in e-commerce among others rather than using the internets to commit fraudulent crimes.
According to him, Nigerian youths have a lot of potentials to meet international standards adding that the world has a lot of confidence in the youths in terms of innovation and technology .
On Bitcoin and Crypto currency trading , he urged the youth to ensure that they know who they are dealing with by having their details, if they must be involved in the trade .
He also urged the youth to explore what they were thought in the foundation as an opportunity to better themselves in the society .
Also, the Director General of the Sir Ahmadu Bello Foundation (SABF) , Engr Abubakar Gambo Umar urged the youths to be useful to themselves and be a good ambassadors of the foundation.
He also urged them to contribute their quota in solving some problems in the society in their own ways rather than being part of the problems.
“Many problems we are facing in Nigeria today is mistrust, disunity and insecurity, so the youths are expected to go back to their various communities in trying to help the government in solving some of this problems,” he said .
He explained that 200 youths were beneficiaries of the program in 19 Northern states including the FCT because the foundation was set up by 19 Northern governors .
He further explained that the foundation is focused on youth empowerment , youth development , intervention and entrepreneurship and others, adding that they are collaborating with other sister agencies so that the scholarship program can spread to other youths across the country .
