Ogun Senator Warns Against Rising Cyber Crime Among Youth, Calls For Reform
The senator representing Ogun Central Senatorial District, Shuaib Afolabi Salisu, has warned against the rise in cybercrime among Nigerian youth, describing it as a national crisis that threatens the country’s long-term stability and prosperity.
He identified the surge in online fraud, popularly known as “yahoo-yahoo”, as a symptom of a broader societal problem rooted in the decline of educational values and the pursuit of instant wealth.
Salisu spoke at a capacity-building and empowerment workshop organised for Baales—traditional community leaders—in Egbaland, held in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.
The workshop, themed “Roles in Ensuring Improved Enrolment of Students in Secondary School Education”, was part of a grassroots initiative aimed at mobilising traditional institutions to combat the growing number of out-of-school children and the declining interest in formal education among young Nigerians.
Addressing a gathering of community leaders, stakeholders, and members of the press, Senator Salisu warned that if urgent measures were not taken to reverse current trends, the consequences could be dire.
“This country is at risk if we don’t reverse the dangerous trend we are seeing among our youths,” Salisu declared.
“Too many young people now go to uncles and aunties, not to seek help with school fees or career guidance, but to request money to buy phones and laptops—tools they intend to use for cybercrime.
“It is heartbreaking, and it reflects a fundamental failure in the values we are passing on as a society.”
The senator lamented the growing normalisation of cybercrime among Nigerian youth and the glamorisation of ill-gotten wealth on social media and in popular culture.
According to him, the allure of quick riches has gradually displaced the ethic of hard work, personal development, and academic excellence.
“We have replaced delayed gratification with a culture of shortcuts,” he said.
“Education, which ought to be seen as the most powerful tool of empowerment, is now being dismissed as a waste of time by too many young people. We must reclaim the narrative.”
Senator Salisu further emphasised that addressing the root causes of this crisis would require bold and holistic educational reforms.
He called for a comprehensive overhaul of Nigeria’s outdated school curriculum to better reflect the demands of a rapidly evolving global economy.
“Our curriculum must evolve to meet global realities. Today’s world is driven by technology, and we must prepare our children not just to consume it but to create, manage, and secure it,” he said.
“Subjects like artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, coding, and digital literacy must no longer be seen as optional—they are essential for 21st-century citizenship.”
However, the senator cautioned that revamping the curriculum without corresponding investment in teacher capacity would amount to a wasted effort.
“Curriculum reform is meaningless if the teachers are ill-equipped to implement it,” he warned.
“Many of our teachers are not keeping pace with the changes in the digital landscape. We need deliberate, large-scale training programmes to bridge that gap.”
Beyond curriculum changes, Senator Salisu also appealed to community leaders, parents, civil society organisations, and government institutions to build a united front against the tide of educational neglect and moral decay.
He underscored the strategic importance of traditional leaders, such as the Baales, in mobilising grassroots support for policies that promote schooling and character development.
“Community leaders are gatekeepers of our values. Your voices matter, especially in rural areas where your influence can determine whether a child stays in school or drops out,” Salisu noted.
The workshop concluded with a communiqué that called on all stakeholders to commit to a “collective agenda” aimed at stemming the rising tide of out-of-school children in Ogun State.
Participants also resolved to intensify sensitisation campaigns in their communities, collaborate with local education authorities, and advocate for policies that prioritise digital skills acquisition and moral reorientation.
“This is not just a government problem; it is a societal one,” the communiqué read.
“Parents must instil discipline and set positive examples, teachers must inspire excellence, and leaders at all levels must lead by integrity.”
With Nigeria’s youth population projected to grow significantly over the next decade, participants agree that the stakes could not be higher.
“The youth are our most precious asset, but they can also become our greatest liability if we fail to guide them,” the senator said.
“We must act now—with courage, with vision, and with unity.”
Ogun Senator Warns Against Rising Cyber Crime Among Youth, Calls For Reform is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
