The Menace of the Activities of Yahoo and Yahoo+ Boys in Nigeria and the Need for Government Intervention and Adult Education and Training

Abstract

The introduction of information and communication technology (ICT) and the subsequent spread of the Internet in Nigeria have given rise to a new type of criminality known as Yahoo and Yahoo+. There has been an increase in the number of young people participating in cybercrimes in recent years due to reasons such as unemployment/poverty, greed, peer influence, inadequate law enforcement, the Internet, education, and awareness. The anomie theory of Robert Merton served as the theoretical foundation for this study which captured the underlying conditions that lead to the increased number of youth in Yahoo and Yahoo+. Legal Framework for Cybercrime Control in Nigeria as well as the impact of Yahoo on Nigerian society was discussed. However, this principal legislation, made specifically for the purpose of fighting cybercrime in Nigeria, has many flaws; as a result, young people still engage in cybercrimes. Based on these, the researcher recommends government interventions through job creation, provision of loans to young people, and adult education and training.