Collaborate on High-Tech Digital Skills for Nigerian Youths, Prof Adedoja Urges EFCC Chairman
By Adewale Owoade
The Director-General of the Teachers Continuous Training institute (TCTI), Cross River, Professor Taoheed Adedoja has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to collaborate on training opportunities for Nigerian youths and repentant internet fraudsters, diverting them from harmful pursuits to productive ones that benefit the nation.
During a courtesy visit to the EFCC headquarters in Abuja, Professor Adedoja led a delegation from the Institute and other interested parties. He expressed concern about the damaging effects of internet fraudsters, commonly known as ‘yahoo boys,’ citing social media reports on EFCC’s concerns.
“Mr Chairman, our Institute has a centre for digital literacy and emerging skills and about a year ago, we researched to find out the digital literacy levels of Nigerians using Cross River State as our sample.
“We discovered that less than 14 of the 1000 participants we sampled have the minimum digital requirements.
“So, when we saw in the news concerning your engagement, we discovered that internet fraudsters are incredibly clever and we know their intelligence needs to be positively deployed for their self-development and usefulness.
“We believe that our Institute, in collaboration with your Commission, can come up with various high-tech programs for their rehabilitation and integration.
“We want the youths to take over the country but the question is; do we want them to deploy their intelligence to destroy Nigeria or use the same for the development of Nigeria?
“I believe that with this collaboration, you are going to make lasting legacies in this country because we have a Chairman who is interested in these boys,” he said
In his response, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, praised the collaboration proposal, pointing out that the Commission’s mandate is to eradicate economic and financial crimes from the nation and to inform the public about the effects and risks of cybercrime.
“It is good to also collaborate to achieve our mandate. When we are investigating these boys, I see crime and see opportunities in it and I think we can focus on prevention which is always better.
“The challenge is that a lot of them do not have the means to train themselves, so If we can reduce the possibility of crimes by training the youths to be gainfully employed, then we can salvage our country.
“That is why we need people like you (Adedoja) to give us the platform. We are also trying to open a Cyber Crime Training Center, which I believe will be the best. We look forward to a more beneficial relationship”, he said.
Other delegation members included Special Adviser to the Governor of Cross River State on Intergovernmental Affairs, Barr. Chris Njar Ogar, and Director of Academic and Professional Services at TCTI, Dr. Godwin Ogar.
