Use Social Media Wisely, EFCC Advises Students
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has tasked Nigerian students to apply wisdom in the use of the internet, especially in relating with the public to avoid becoming a victim of internet fraud and cyberbullying.
A representative of the Commission, Sa’ad Ahmed, who also heads the Cybercrime Unit at EFCC headquarters, called on Nigerian students to stand up and be counted in the fight against corruption and financial crimes.
Speaking on ‘Cyber hygiene,’ Ahmed pointed out the dangers in the misuse of mobile phones and social media especially in downloading applications that require them to give access to their mobile devices, noting that such requests are inimical to their privacy because the administrator of such apps is interested in the phone numbers, passwords, contacts, emails and other vital information stored in the phones.
He advised the students to protect their phones and other communication gadgets by activating their screen locks and changing of their passwords regularly to minimize the chances of hacking by internet fraudsters.
He also counselled the students to refrain from storing compromising files like pictures and photos but always try to configure their devices’ privacy and browser setting to enable device encryption.
Another staff of the Commission, Mrs. Chinwendu Ndubueze, who spoke on the role of lawyers in the fight against corruption, called on the students to be guided by the law and their conscience.
“Lawyers are the fulcrum in the fight against corruption because of the role they play. A lawyer must, first of all, obey his conscience before that of the clients. If a lawyer can get it right in the fight against corruption, then half of our problem will be solved”, she added.
“When we talk about corruption, we talk about money and people who stole billions will be willing to give you millions of naira to cover it. They will test your integrity, your conscience. So you have to stand on the side of the truth and don’t compromise,” she said.
A lecturer in the Department of Legal Studies of the university, Tosin Oke, while appreciating the efforts of the Commission in the fight against corruption, urged the EFCC not to relent.
In a related development, students of Intelligence Quotient Academy, Abuja, who came on an excursion to the Commission on Wednesday, November 6, were advised to be careful in posting information regarding their private lives, family and other social engagements as such disclosures could increase their vulnerability to cybercrime.
“Any place you go and find out that there is free internet access, do not connect to that internet. It is dangerous. Do not shop online if the IP address didn’t contain http and sign of padlock in the address.”
