President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has expressed his displeasure with the misrepresentation and generalisation of Nigeria as the nation with the highest rate of cybercrime and other corrupt activities among its citizens.
He revealed that this makes it harder for most people to uphold the values of honesty and thoroughness.
This was said by the President on Wednesday during a public discussion about youth, religion, and the fight against corruption. It was also the first time that the interfaith guidebook and project on fraud risk assessment for ministries, departments, and agencies had been introduced.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) held a multifaceted stakeholder engagement event in the fight against economic and financial crimes.
Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Communications, said in a statement issued on Wednesday that Tinubu regretted that over the years, the entire Nigerian population has been linked to internet crimes without statistical proof, a development he said is out of sync with the way of life of the average Nigerian citizen.
The President, who was represented at the ceremony by Vice President Kashim Shettima, stated that Nigerians are diligent, authentic citizens who have made important contributions in a variety of disciplines throughout the world.
He said:
“Over the decades, Nigerians have been victims of mislabelling. Such a gross misrepresentation fails to reflect the true essence of our diverse and resilient nation.
“The association of internet crimes with the entire Nigerian populace lacks statistical evidence and does not align with the sociology of everyday Nigerians.
“Our nation comprises hardworking, honest citizens who contribute significantly to various fields globally, from artificial intelligence to medicine.
“While we reject blanket stereotyping that undermines the majority upholding the principles of integrity and diligence, we must face the fact that we function in an interconnected world where cybercrimes have evolved into a global phenomenon. This poses a threat not only to our nation but to the entire world.”
cc: Daily Post Ng
