Terms such as yahoo boy and G boy are not unknown to many Nigerians. These terms are indicative of an act and a criminal one at that – cybercrime.
In the bid to make it financially, some people in the country have taken to online crime. The sad thing is that it is more like an accepted fact in the country. Some people are aware of such people and do nothing about it.
Some go as far as justifying the actions of such criminals (as they truly are). The justifications include that the Europeans colonized Africans and stole from them. As a result, cybercriminal activities are about payback for the acts of the Europeans.
Another justification is that things are hard and this is one way to make ends meet without robbing the immediate surroundings. Well, the truth is that these are no actual justifications.
Other than the moral implications, the acts of these yahoo boys or G boys as they are fondly called, affect the general populace in more ways than many of us can imagine. Let us go over some of the ways this is the case.
For one, the integrity of Nigerians (like me) is questioned outside the shores of this country. People in many other parts of the world are quick to suspect Nigerians because of the criminal activities of a few of us. It has gotten so bad that people trying to earn decently are affected.
For example, PayPal – which is a top-rated and well-used payment transaction platform, does not allow Nigerians to earn payment for their transactions. This is as long as they are doing business inside the country.
Another adverse effect of the activities of cybercriminals is inflation. These yahoo boys or G boys do not go through the rigors that making decent money might require. As a result, they do not have a problem paying a lot more for goods and services. This leads to inflation.
Places like Osogbo have been adversely affected in this regard. Real estate is one of the most affected areas. It even got so bad to the point that some transporters in Osogbo began protesting that law enforcement agents better leave these cybercriminals alone. Their point was that they earn better by offering their services to these cybercriminals.
Conclusion
We lose a lot by turning a blind eye to cybercriminals. This is why everyone needs to be sensitized and law enforcement agents committed to bringing these cybercriminals to book.
