It is no more news to Nigerians who have been following the activities of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) since the appointment of Olanipekun Olukoyede as the Executive Chairman of the Commission on October 12, 2023 by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Given the foregoing view, it is not an exaggeration to opine that the Commission has in recent times set its eagle eyes on the youths without exhibiting equal focus on political leaders. For instance, the Commission today, October 22, 2024 organized its national summit on cybercrimes at the Banquet Hall, Presidential Villa, Abuja, with the theme, “Alternative to Cyber Crime: Optimizing Cyber Skills for National Development” explored and recommended ways on how cyber skills can be utilized for building the nation rather deploying them into criminal activities.
As gathered, the summit aims to explore and recommend ways to harness cyber skills for nation-building, rather than channeling them into criminal activities.
In fact, prior to the Summit, the EFCC gave people a foretaste of what to expect by posting several messages on social media. The messages include: “Yahoo Yahoo is abominable”, “Shun Cybercrime!” “Your Tech Skill is a national treasure”, “Don’t abuse it!” and “Your Cyber Skills Can Build the Nation!”, “Say No to Cybercrime”, “Yes to InnovatioGrow” among others.
Without sounding exaggerative in this context, the EFCC Summit focusing on youth and cybercrime seems misdirected, as it paints a broad, negative picture of Nigerian youths. While cybercrime is a pressing issue, the summit appears to ignore the far more significant problem of billions of naira being siphoned by those in leadership. It raises concerns that the emphasis on targeting young people overshadows the monumental scale of corruption at higher levels, which remains largely unaddressed.
Many young Nigerians are hardworking and innovative, striving for better opportunities despite the harsh economic conditions. Yet, the summit risked portraying them all as potential criminals, undermining their contributions to society. It is a worrying trend that the EFCC chooses to focus on this demographic when systemic corruption at the top continues to drain national resources with minimal accountability.
Given the foregoing viewpoints, it is not out of place to urge the leadership of the EFCC to begin to give equal attention on government officials who have misappropriated funds so as not to continue giving the impression that it is misplacing its constitutional priority on corruption. In fact, if the EFCC is truly committed to fighting corruption, then its focus should extend to those in power who divert public funds with impunity, as this affects the nation on a much larger scale than cybercrime among the youth.
Without a doubt, this selective approach to fighting corruption raises doubts about the true objectives of the summit. The looting of the national treasury by political leaders should be a far greater concern to the EFCC than cybercrime, given the scale and impact of such actions on Nigeria’s economy and development. While cybercrime, particularly by a fraction of the youth, undoubtedly causes damage, the systemic looting by public officials deprives the entire nation of essential resources. Billions of naira are siphoned from public coffers, money that should have been invested in infrastructure, healthcare, education, and poverty alleviation. The economic sabotage caused by these political leaders has far-reaching consequences, leading to chronic underdevelopment and worsening poverty levels across the country.
Furthermore, the looting of public funds by those in positions of power creates a culture of impunity and corruption that trickles down to every facet of society, including the youth. When political leaders engage in brazen acts of corruption without facing meaningful consequences, it sets a poor example for the younger generation. The constant headlines of government officials amassing wealth illegally and living lavish lifestyles while the majority of citizens struggle to meet basic needs create an environment where unethical behavior appears to be rewarded. This erosion of moral values starts at the top, and tackling corruption at its source would send a strong message to the youth about accountability and integrity.
By placing greater focus on the corrupt practices of government officials, the EFCC would be addressing the root cause of many societal issues, including the desperation that drives some young people into cybercrime. Addressing cybercrime alone, without focusing on the broader issue of looting, is like treating the symptoms of an illness while ignoring its cause. If the EFCC redirects its efforts toward holding political leaders accountable, it would strengthen public trust in governance and reinforce the message that no one is above the law. A comprehensive approach to fighting corruption should prioritize those at the top who have the power to cripple the nation through their selfish actions, rather than disproportionately targeting the youth.
