The EFCC has announced plans to rehabilitate convicted internet fraudsters, also known as ‘Yahoo Boys,’ in an effort to reduce recidivism and combat this type of crime.
On Thursday, March 21, the Chairman of the EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, announced the proposed rehabilitation program at a press conference in Abuja. He emphasized the importance of addressing the root causes of internet fraud and helping offenders lead productive, law-abiding lives.
According to a statement by the commission on Friday, Olukoyede said: “We have a plan to rehabilitate convicted internet fraudsters with lesser sentences. The plan is to work with the correctional centre to make them useful and more productive in society.
“When you think deeply, that tag ‘ex-convict’ is not a good thing. You can never tell where you will find yourself tomorrow, and they will want to profile you and discover that you are an ex-convict.
“So, it is even in the interest of the youth that the EFCC is doing what it is doing to prevent them from indulging in the heinous act of cybercrime.”