The chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has sermonised young Nigerians to halt crimes and embrace cyber values using the internet.

Mr Olukoyede gave the charge during FCT’s Next Generation Engagement forum held in Abuja on Tuesday.

Aisha Muhammed, the head of the enlightenment and reorientation unit of the commission, represented the EFCC boss.

Mr Olukoyede said value creation through the internet is a valuable alternative to cybercrimes that youths can explore.

“I want to see a generation that will lead a new fight against corruption through value creation. If we have youths heating up the polity by their criminality, we should also have youths challenging them by their integrity. Let us eliminate cybercrimes through cyber values,” he said.

Mr Olukoyede also bemoaned the loss of values exacerbated by undignified engagement with the internet, urging responsible use of the internet for personal and collective development.

“Nigeria has lost considerable financial and reputational wealth to cybercrimes. In 2022 alone, Nigeria lost about $500 million to the crime. The reputation issues we are having across the world are hideous. Besides, our youths are losing their sense of values and dignity to internet fraud.

“No world outlook that is focused on criminality can stand the test of time. Youths should redirect their focus to wealth creation through optimal use of their talents, acquired skills, useful emulation of strides of other youths around the world and development of novel innovations that can turn the world around,” he added.