Mr P: Yahoo boys are no different from the police

Peter Okoye, Nigerian singer better known as Mr P, says “there’s no difference between the police and yahoo boys” while giving his two cents on the rise of internet fraud in the country.

Speaking with Moti Cakes on Soundcity Radio, Peter of the defunct Psquare, said the root of cybercrime boom in Nigeria can be traced to its ‘failed government’.

“For me, the government has failed, to be honest with you. Everybody is hungry, the so-called yahoo boys or whatever you call them, there’s no difference between them and the police. The police stop you on the road, he wants money from you, is it a right thing to do?” Mr P asked.

The singer further noted that the entertainment industry has actively provided jobs for Nigerians via social media but the social media influencers are often faced with police harassment because of the nature of their jobs.

“Thank God for the entertainment industry, I can openly tell you that at least we created jobs. People on social media today started to make means for their life, People like Lasisi Elenu, Broda Shaggi. In the entertainment..we have tried.” he said.

“Let me give you an example if a policeman stops me now and I’m like Broda Shaggi..these people without their phone they can’t survive. Linda Ikeji, without her computer, she can’t survive. And they ask them what do you do for a living, then they say I’m a blogger, that’s what I use for my business. The first thing that comes to a policeman’s mind is, he is a yahoo boy.”

His opinion is coming on the back of Naira Marley’s comment on social media where he called on Nigerians to pray for ‘yahoo yahoo boys’ because they are crucial to the circulation of money in the economy.

The singer had recently said he has no regret leaving the Psquare team he once shared with Paul Okoye, his twin brother, to pursue a solo career.