To ensure a crime-free society, the Edo State Ministry of Social Development and Gender Issues (MSDGI) has organized a sensitization programme on the ills of cybercrime in the society.
The programme which was held in 25 secondary schools in Benin City, the State capital, simultaneously, was geared at enlightening the students on the risks associated with cyber-crime as part of government’s overarching goal to eliminate the menace.
In her address to the students, the Director, Child Development Department in the Ministry, Mrs. Kate Bello, explained that “Cyber-crime is a pathway to self-destruct.”
She added: “Over the years, we found out that a lot of children are gradually engaging in this activity.
“We want to start our sensitization from your level. We want to catch you young from Junior Secondary School (JSS I) and above. We don’t want you to get to higher levels first and fall to that path before you become aware that this is not something you need to get involved in.”
The Director advised: “I want to let you know that this is not a good way to get wealth, cyber-crime is not good. You need to work hard, study your books and by the time you finish your secondary school and you don’t want to go further, you can acquire skills.
“In the Ministry of Social Development and Gender Issues, we have several units that handle issues that have to do with skills. After your school you can come to us and there are lots of skills including those that are Information and Communication Technology (ICT)-related, and other lucrative jobs as long as you put effort into what you do.”
She further said: “Cyber-crime comes with so many negatives on the individual including lack of integrity, untimely death, waste of resources, hardships on others in the society, among others, and prosecution or even jail term.”
Mrs. Bello enjoined the students not to give in to peer pressure to engage in cybercrime but rather engage in meaningful and legitimate means of livelihood.
Responding to questions raised by the students on the legal ways of making money and the reason why people engage in the act, the Director, Planning, Research and Statistics in the Ministry, Mr. John McDonald, clarified that they can make money through legitimate means devoid of risks, by redirecting the same intelligence they should have used for criminal purposes into areas like ICT, the medical sciences among others.
He emphasized that these will help them build a more stable and sustainable source of income like a tree, and not unstable wealth that can easily crash.
