- Safiu Kehinde
Nigerian First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, has called on parents to instill good values and morale on their children in fight against the spate of cybercrime amongst youths.
Oluremi made this call during an address at the National Cyber Crimes Summit organized by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday.
Speaking at the event held at the Banquet Hall, Presidential Villa in Abuja, the first lady maintained that combating cybercrime requires a multi-faceted approach that involves various stakeholders including parents.
She stressed on the need to instill in children hardworking culture, good values, morale, and sense of patriotism.
“Combating cybercrime requires a multi-faceted approach that involves various stakeholders including parents, law enforcement agencies, educational institutions, the private sector, religious leaders and traditional rulers, business leaders and the civil societies.
“It is crucial that we emphasize and entrench the culture of hard work rooted in honesty and dignity of labour among our teeming youths.
“In this regards, parents play a pivotal role in raising and guiding their children and wards to be God-fearing, inculcating in them good values, morale and a sense of patriotism,” the first lady said.
Prior that, she express concern over the surge in youths engagement in cybercrimes despite the EFCC’s relentless efforts curtailing it criminal act.
Oluremi charged stakeholders to tackle the challenge heads on and see how the digital space can be utilized towards productive and positive endeavors amongst Nigerian youths.
“I am informed that thousands have been arrested. prosecuted and convicted. Yet there is still no indication that the number of those involved is decreasing.
“With young people accounting for more than 60 percent of the population, the involvement of youths in cyber crime is threat to the nation’s quest for economic development and stability.
“Cyber Crime is not just a crime against individuals and businesses. It is an assault on our collective integrity, economic stability, and the future of our youths.
“As we are gathered here today, we are confronted with the pressing reality. The digital age, while offering unprecedented opportunities, has also exposed us to new vulnerabilities.
“It is therefore crucial that we address this challenge heads on and explore not only the harmful consequences of cyber crimes but also sustainable alternatives that can be directed and used towards productive and positive endeavors.” She said.
In the same development, the first lady alongside EFCC boss, Ola Olukoyede, launched the agency’s proposed Cybercrime Rapid Response Centre.
The development is described as a multi-agency response to cybercrime threats and incidents in Nigeria.