The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has blamed laziness and greed among Nigerian youths for the growing rate of cybercrime in the country, warning that the chase for quick wealth continues to ruin lives and reputations.
According to the anti-graft agency, many young people now see internet fr+ud as a shortcut to success instead of pursuing legitimate means of earning through hard work, perseverance, and dedication.
EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede gave the warning during an orientation and sensitisation programme for new students of the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT), Nigerian Air Force, Mando, Kaduna, for the 2025/2026 academic session. He was represented by Chief Superintendent Nana Fatima Abubakar of the Public Affairs Department, Kaduna Zonal Directorate.
Olukoyede said there is no shortcut to wealth, stressing that the desire for fast money often leads to imprisonment, depr£ssion, loss of image, and in some cases, untimely d+ath.
He identified peer pressure, greed, lack of patriotism, and laziness as the main drivers of cybercrime, noting that many offenders now combine internet fr+ud with drug ab¥se and f£tish practices.
The EFCC boss urged youths to channel their creativity and digital skills into legitimate online ventures and to support the fight against corr¥ption by reporting fr+udulent acts through the EFCC’s Eagle Eye App, which guarantees the anonymity of whistleblowers.
