The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), JCC/Kwara Axis has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) not to prosecute but rehabilitate students arrested for internet fraud in the state.
The student body, who met with the zonal head of the EFCC, at its Ilorin office on Friday, expressed dissatisfaction over the bursting of students’ environment across the state as a way of fighting crime.
The Association’s chairman, Comrade Saleeman Yusuf Isaah, AAT, ACA, proposed a town hall Meeting among the concerned stakeholders within the state which would be geared towards mapping out modalities and techniques through which cyber crime or any form of fraudulent activities can be eradicated in our society.
“It’s a known fact that most students found themselves in these criminal acts as a result of peer influence or financial pressure, consequently, there is a need to be considerate with these categories of students while taking into cognizance the position of the law. The aforementioned point has proven that these students didn’t join the group out of their will but as a result of the unbearable situation, they found themselves. However, if this set of students can be rehabilitated instead of being prosecuted, it will, undoubtedly, go a long way in restructuring their state of mind and be exposed to series of legit opportunities that would improve their style of living,” Isaah said.
The association meanwhile urged the students to stay away from cybercrime and all other criminal activities.
For their part, the zonal head of the antigraft body, who commended the courage summoned by the leadership of NANS Kwara and her commitment towards protecting the interest of the students, stressed that there was no intention of causing any form of distress in any students’ community but their operation is usually carried out based on the information received and the result of their investigation.
He further maintained that the commission would be ready to collaborate with the students’ Apex body on any policy put in place to minimize the growing number of cybercrime among the students in the state.
