PORT HARCOURT: AN OMPHALOS FOR INTERNET FRAUDSTERS?

By:
Ajukura, Fidelis O.
ajukurafidelisobi@gmail.com
11th August, 2022.

Port Harcourt is the capital of oil Rivers State. Port Harcourt is also known as the garden city of Nigeria because of its greenery and cleanliness. The city of Port Harcourt has a high concentration of economic activities. Port Harcourt is a city bubbling with abundant opportunities in the area of trade and commerce. The city is adorned with the beauty of modern architecture: it boasts of beautiful residential, commercial and industrial layouts. Because of the abundant economic opportunities it offers, it has become a destination for "the good, the bad and the ugly".

The influx of all manner of people into Port Harcourt has presented the city with numerous challenges such as; housing deficit, traffic congestion, increased criminal activities etc but kudos must be given to the state government for its unwavering determination to keep the vermin (criminals) at bay. Owing to the inability of these criminals to operate freely in the streets of Port Harcourt, they have resorted to defrauding members of the society from behind closed doors. These shadow-like figures operate in obscurity, they are popularly known as "yahoo-yahoo" boys, they survive through peoples tears and blood. The city of Port Harcourt is replete with these serpentine creatures. They are the epitome of fake life.

From the proceeds of fraud, internet fraudsters live extravagant lifestyle; drive exotic cars and wear expensive clothes, shoes and jewelries. Many of them own properties in choice areas of Port Harcourt but, like the saying goes, "every day for the thief, one day is for the owner" (their last song is usually that of regret). Few days ago, precisely on the 4th of August, 47 internet fraudsters, in what has been described as a sting operation was carried out by officers of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) were arrested in different locations in Port Harcourt. Items ranging from cars, laptop computers, wrist watches, cameras, monies etc were recovered from the culprits. The arrest revealed that majority of the arrested fellows were non indigenes of the state - they may have entered the state purely for the purpose of carrying out their nefarious activities.

The EFCC is by this operation highly applauded - the state government must give them all the necessary support in order to rid the state of internet fraudsters.

On God

The brighter the light , the bigger it's shadow

This may sound odd, but crime is apart of the society whether we like it or not, I am not supporting commiting crime, but instead of handcuffing men and brandishing them as evil, we should ask the question why are they commiting crime?

In a film, tv series, to be specific titled Manhunt Unabomber, an FBI agent defined Evil as the emptiness that is felt when good is absent
So in short if everybody does no good in our society, then all that will be left is evil.
So to reduce evil( don't let me deceive you, evil can only be reduced), we have to encourage people to be doing good again, that's all.
And make people see good in doing good.

A scholar once said, the world won't be destroyed because people were doing bad but because people were doing bad and those who supposed to tell them kept quiet