UK, Brighter Futures To Fight Cybercrime, Cultism

Brighter Futures programme, an initiative supported by the UK government, has launched the Thrive Online campaign as part of efforts to curb the rising cyber-related crimes in Nigeria.

The initiative also launched the Cancel Cultist campaign aimed at reducing cultism and other forms of serious organized crime in Nigeria.

The Thrive Online campaign aims to reach vulnerable youths and educate them on the dangers of cybercrime while providing alternative pathways to building sustainable livelihoods.

Speaking on the campaign during a radio program in Lagos State, Mr. Oladokun Olajde, a mentorship coach on the campaign, stated that Thrive Online is a sustainable development campaign that addresses legitimate ways for youths to be financially independent, and the dangers of serious and organized crimes to themselves, their families, community and the image of the Country.

“We enlighten youths on their roles and responsibilities as citizens in making Nigeria a better place to thrive – both online and globally”, he was quoted saying in a statement issued by the management team of the campaign on Friday.

Over the past decades, serious organized crime (SOC), particularly cybercrime, has caused significant damage to individuals, families, and businesses in Nigeria. The impact of cybercrime can be seen in the data that reveals the devastating consequences it has caused.

According to the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS), Nigerian banks lost N3.5 billion between July and September 2020 to fraud-related incidents, representing a 534-percent increase from the same period in 2019, when it was N552 million.