Yahoo Yahoo – menace community leaders are not observing

The internet fraud popularly called “Yahoo Yahoo” is a very big menace in our communities that the community leaders are yet to identify. Community Development Associations (CDAs) are playing tremendous roles in complimenting the effort of the government in terms of infrastructure, security among other things; several CDAs spent hundreds of thousands naira to secure their communities but failed to identify the root cause of insecurity in their communities.

There are several causes of insecurity but this article will focus more on internet fraud as it poses greater challenge to us and can go out of hand, if the right thing is not done. In my research and observation, I have discovered that young boys in our communities have flair and passion for “Yahoo Yahoo”, which some children of community leaders are not left out. Even some of these boys are now acquiring the knowledge of how to do Yahoo Yahoo, they have leaders and masters training them to that under our nose; this is a common practice among the secondary school students and those that just finish their SSCE.

Some landlords and community leaders consciously or unconsciously rent out their apartment to these fraudsters, probably because they pay higher rent.
Research have also shown that Yahoo Yahoo have taken another dimension, called Yahoo Plus. The effect of this is so enormous as the fraudsters now engage in several barbaric acts such as money ritual and killing of innocent people for ritual in order to boost their fraudulent activities, which exposes our communities to a greater danger.

Having said that, what are the ways to curb this illegal act? Below are some of the ways the fraudulent activities can be curbed.

1. Parents should engage their children: Parents should ensure that they keep their children busy, especially those that just finish secondary school. While awaiting their results, they should have something meaningful doing, like learning new skill.

2. Landlords should verify before letting out their apartment: Research have shown that most internet fraudster are now migrating from the urban areas to the rural areas. This is to enable them perform their illicit acts with little or no fear. One of the ways to recognize them is that they are ready to rent your apartment at all cost or at any amount.

3. Parents should monitor the activities of their children on the internet: Parents are expected to keep their eyes on the activities of their children online. Parents can check who their children friends are on Facebook for instance, check the kind of post their children usually react to, among other things.

4. Sensitization programme: Community leaders should be organizing sensitization programmes for teenagers and youths on a regular basis. Educational programmes that will motivate them should not be left out.

5. Community database: It is advisable that each CDA should have comprehensive data of all her residents. Information such as name, occupation, marital status, among other things should always be at CDA chairmen/chairperson disposal. It is expected that each landlord should cooperate with the community leaders to supply the data of their tenants.