Ibrahim Magu, the acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has urged Nigerian students to stay away from cyber-crimes, popularly referred to as “Yahoo –Yahoo.”
Magu gave the admonishment on Wednesday while delivering a lecture at the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) on the dangers of internet fraud.
Olamide Sadiq, head, advance fee fraud and other fraud related offences, Ilorin zonal office, who represented the acting chair of the commission, said anyone caught for offences bordering on internet fraud would be detained, prosecuted and jailed.
“If you use pictures that do not belong to you just with intent to defraud someone, it is impersonation. You have committed an offence that carries five years imprisonment,” he said.
“I am emphasising to you on the need to desist from cyber crimes. If you are found to be in possession of fraudulent documents, you have committed a criminal offence which has a great consequence.”
He also told the students that the anti-graft agency has the “special powers” to cause investigations into anyone or corporate body suspected to have participated in economic and financial crimes.
“When it comes to issue of internet fraud, Section 7 of the EFCC Act gives a special power to the Commission to investigate anyone suspected to have committed internet crimes,” he said.
“A police officer can arrest an internet fraudster and bring him/her to the Commission. If we find out that the person is innocent, we will allow him or her to go.”
Magu’s admonishment comes at a time when the EFCC preferred 11 charges bordering on fraud against Azeez Fashola, better known as Naira Marley, for alleged credit card fraud.
The singer was arrested alongside Zlatan Ibile and three others on allegation of “advanced fee fraud and related cybercrimes” shortly after ‘Am I a Yahoo Boy’, the duo’s controversial collaborative single, was released.
Zlatan and Tiamiu Abdulrahman Kayode; Adewunmi Adeyanju Moses; and Abubakar Musa have been released but Naira Marley was retained at the EFCC custody.
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