The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said underage persons involved in internet fraud, commonly known as Yahoo boys, are resorting to forging their ages to open bank accounts and obtain driver’s licences, enabling them to launder proceeds from their illicit activities.
Effa Okim, the EFCC Zonal Director for Edo, Delta, and Ondo states, disclosed this during a courtesy visit to the Edo State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), led by Comrade Festus Alenkhe.
Okim expressed concern over the fraudulent practices of underage Yahoo boys, who deceive authorities by falsely declaring themselves to be 18 years old to open bank accounts and organise their criminal operations.
He lamented that when these individuals are apprehended, their parents often claim they are underage, despite evidence of their involvement in criminal activities.
- Police declare UK-based blogger wanted over ‘cyberstalking’
- Stakeholders unite to tackle out-of-school children syndrome in North East
“The underaged Yahoo boys go and meet some authorities and do age declaration stating that they are 18 years old just to enable them to open accounts and put their criminal structures in place and at the end when they are arrested, their fathers will be saying their children are underage,” he said.
Okim warned that parents of convicted Yahoo boys who colluded in the forgery of documents would face legal consequences.
He said there was a need for concerted efforts to combat internet fraud.
He disclosed that Edo State ranks second only to Lagos in terms of convictions, a fact that he deemed alarming and damaging to the state’s reputation.
He said the EFCC was prepared to collaborate with the media to reduce the visibility of crime in Edo State.
Alenkhe, in response, encouraged the new zonal director to maintain transparency and accessibility by providing journalists with timely and accurate information.
