EFCC chair advises Nigerian girls on avoiding sextortion

The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has advised Nigerian girls to stay away from sextortion and online fraud. He urged them to protect themselves from criminals who take advantage of personal relationships to steal money.

Mr Olukoyede gave this advice in Abuja on Monday at an event organized by the African Girl Guide to celebrate the International Day of the Girl Child.

"Girls need to be careful about relationships and not fall into the tricks of criminals and sextortionists," he said in a statement from the agency.

Some of the participants at the event

Mr Olukoyede, represented by Aisha Muhammed, who heads the EFCC’s Enlightenment and Re-orientation Unit, warned girls against cybercrime. He said they should not let fraudsters use their bank accounts to send or receive illegal money.

"If you engage in cybercrime; if you become an account mule for ‘Yahoo boys’; if you blackmail people online, you are not just committing a crime, you are damaging Nigeria’s image," he said.

He encouraged girls to learn skills that could help them earn money legally. He suggested options like coding, tailoring, baking, and content creation. He also advised them to save part of their earnings and understand the difference between their needs and wants.

"Don’t let anyone use your account to commit fraud. That account in your name can take you to prison," he warned.

Sextortion means threatening to share someone’s private images or videos unless the victim meets certain demands, like paying money or sending more sexual material. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has warned that some people may trick children into sharing sexual images and then use threats to exploit them.

Mr Olukoyede said the EFCC has set up Integrity Clubs and Zero Tolerance Clubs in schools across Nigeria. These clubs aim to promote good behavior among young people. He asked the girls to be ambassadors of integrity in their schools and communities.

Girl-child empowerment

Also speaking at the event, Denen Petronella, executive assistant to Jindu Peter, founder of the African Girl Guide, said girls need education, mentorship, protection, and opportunities to grow their talents.

Ms Petronella announced the launch of the African Girl Guide’s Camp Amani School Club. She said this club will give girls chances to build confidence and develop leadership and life skills throughout the school year.

"Our responsibility is not just to tell girls they can succeed. It is to help create the support systems that make that success possible," she said.

Representatives from government ministries, departments, and agencies, as well as students from secondary schools in Abuja, attended the event. The organizers held the event under the theme, "Invest in Her, Empower Her and Let Her Lead."