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TACKLING CYBERCRIME IN NIGERIA USING INFORMATION & COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY AS A KEY
ABSTRACT
This study investigated the use of information and Communication Technology (ICT) and its impact in tackling cybercrimes in Nigeria as a case study. In order to achieve the purpose of this study, questionnaire was used to elicit information from the respondents. The sample size for the study is one hundred and five (105), which was selected from amongst staff of the Economic and financial Crime Commission (EFCC), Akwa Ibom State headquarters. The data collected were critically analyzed and the major findings revealed the following: that yahoo attack (also called 419) and hacking are the most prevalent cybercrimes in Nigeria, that financial losses and dent of Nigeria’s international image are the major impacts of cybercrime in Nigeria, that unemployment and quest for wealth are the major cause of cybercrimes in Nigeria and that ICT has helped in enhancing intelligence gathering among security agencies in tackling cyber crimes in Nigeria.. Finally, recommendations were made that control measures should be adopted by the various agencies concerned in order to curb cybercrimes in Nigeria. .It is hoped that the findings in this research work would help in curbing the problems of crime in Nigeria. The study would also help to stimulate further research in this area.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
The advent of digital technology gave birth to modern communication hardwares, internet service and powerful computer systems to process data (Hunda, Singh & Singh. 2014). Society‟s reliance on computer system has a profound human dimension. In recent years, computers and sharing of information have penetrated nearly every aspect of human life and offers gargantuan benefits to the society (Olumoye, 2013). This has also presented plenty of opportunities for anti-social and criminal behaviour in non-traditional ways. The rapid expression of large-scale computer networks with the ability to access many systems through regular telecommunication lines increase the vulnerability of these systems and the opportunity for misuse or criminal activity.
Cybercrime is any criminal offenses committed using the internet or another computer network as a component of the crime. They are offences that are committed against individual or group of individuals with a criminal motive to internationally harm the reputation of the victim or cause physical or mental harm to the victim directly or indirectly using modern telecommunication networks such as internet and mobile phones (Akogwu, 2012).
Cybercrime is ever becoming prevalent in developing countries. In Nigeria, for example, the cyber criminals are being nick named the “yahoo boys”. However, existing laws are likely to be unenforceable against such crimes. This lack of legal protection means that businesses and governments must rely solely on technical measures to protect themselves from those who would steal, deny access to valuable information (McConnell, 2010). Herselman and Warren (2013) sermonized that cybercrime has no borders or physical boundaries, it is also not subject to importation, customs or forex constraints thus making it a target by anyone from anywhere in the world (Herselman & Warren, 2013). Estimating the incidence, prevalence cost or some other measures of computer related crimes is a very difficult task because cybercrime cannot be quantified unlike some other criminal acts such as theft. This is also due to the fact that most critical crimes perpetuated are not detected, not even by their victims because disclosure of such crime could prove embarrassing or inconveniencing to victims.
Hence, new technologies to fight these types of attacks are on their way, but there is need to be proper laws, policies and methods of actually catching the perpetrators and making them pay for the damage they cause (Albrecht, 2015). Consequently, it become imperative to keep pace in tracking down computer related illegalities through policies, updated laws and methods of actually holding the perpetrators and making them to face the wrath of the law in order to protect the computer systems, networks and the data stored on them. Therefore, this study is aimed at investigating information and communication technology (ICT) use in combating cybercrimes in Nigeria as a case study.
STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
Over the past decades, the growth of the internet and its use afforded everyone the opportunity to make use of the technology. However, information technology revolution associated with the internet has brought about two edge functions: that is on one hand, it has contributed positive values to the world. While on the other hand, it has produced so many maladies that threaten the order of the society and also producing a new wave of crime to the world. Advancement in technology has also benefitted criminals by providing sophisticated tools and making networked-crime possible in the society.
Given the failed security system in most developing countries (Nigeria inclusive), this new wave of crime has so far eluded the intelligence of responsible agencies given its unusual nature. Hence, the need for the adoption of new technologies in tackling this new wave of crime has become imperative. Hence, this study intends to examine the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in tackling Cybercrime In Nigeria.
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The main purpose of the study is to investigate information and communication technology (ICT) use in tackling cybercrimes in Nigeria . The specific objectives of the study are to;
- identify the various types of cybercrimes most prevalent in Nigeria.
- examine the effect of cybercrimes and technology misuse on the development of Nigeria.
- investigate the causes of cybercrimes prevalence in Nigeria
- Assess the role of ICT in curbing cybercrimes in Nigeria
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The following research questions were put forward to guide the study;
- What are the various types of cybercrimes most prevalent in Nigeria?
- What are the effects of cybercrimes and technology misuse on the development of Nigeria?
- What are the causes of cybercrimes prevalence in in Nigeria?
- What ways has ICT helped in curbing cybercrime in Nigeria?
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The study has both theoretical and practical significance.
Theoretically, it will add to existing research works and literatures to be used for educational purposes. Hence, it will serve as a databank for any student (or researcher) carrying out a study related to the subject matter. Also, the research findings could lead to further research.
Practically, the study will be useful to relevant security agencies in Nigeria by identifying new technologies and ways of using ICT to detect crimes and enhance security in Nigeria. The study will be useful to security agencies in policing by exposing new technologies that can be used to detect cyber criminal activities in Nigeria. By employing the use of ICT for crime detection and security, more criminals will easily be detected and caught.
To the society in general which is the potential victims of uncontrolled crimes, the information obtained from the study will create a consciousness of concerted effort towards a safer society.
SCOPE OF THE STUDY
This study focused on “ Tackling Cybercrime In Nigeria Using Information & Communication Technology As A Key”. However, the researcher is very much constrained by time and resources to confine the study to staff of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Akwa Ibom State Headquarters because they are majorly concerned with the issue of crime in Nigeria and are more easily accessible to the researcher. Recommendations are made on how to use ICT tools to detect cyber crimes and improve the security environment in Nigeria.
