The Northern Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Rev. John Hayab, has warned Nigerian youths against cybercrime and money-making rituals, saying wealth acquired through fraudulent means cannot bring lasting prosperity.
Hayab gave the warning during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja on Tuesday, as he expressed concern over the growing involvement of young people in internet fraud, popularly known as Yahoo Yahoo and Yahoo-plus.
According to the cleric, while the Bible does not condemn wealth creation, it strongly cautions against the excessive love of money, which he described as the foundation of many societal vices.
He said money obtained through fraud or rituals does not belong to those who take it and urged youths engaging in such acts to desist, stressing that competing with others through criminal means was both dangerous and regrettable.
Hayab noted that society often disguises criminal behaviour with mild-sounding terms that fail to reflect the seriousness of such acts.
“Words like financial embezzlement may sound harmless, but it simply means stealing what is not yours. When you steal, you are a thief, and that is unacceptable,” he said.
He warned that if the trend continues unchecked, affected youths could grow into violent and dangerous adults capable of committing grave crimes, including abduction and ritual killings.
“When people begin to kill in order to make money, they lose their humanity and peace,” he added.
The CAN leader attributed the rise in cybercrime and ritual activities among youths to the decline in parental discipline, alleging that some parents now encourage or celebrate proceeds from such illegal activities.
According to him, moral decadence has deeply penetrated society, leading some families to accept fraudulent means of wealth acquisition, although he acknowledged that many parents still reject such practices.
Hayab further cautioned that allowing such youths to mature and seek political power could worsen governance, as ill-gotten wealth might be used to buy elective positions.
He urged parents to instil values of hard work, honesty, transparency, and integrity in their children, calling on the nation to collectively confront the menace.
The cleric, who is also the Country Director of the Global Peace Foundation, said the organisation had prioritised youth development as part of efforts to address the challenge.
He disclosed that the foundation promotes girl-child education across Nigeria, noting that educating young girls would help raise disciplined mothers capable of nurturing responsible future leaders.
According to him, mentoring and supporting girls to complete their education would also protect them from being lured into criminal networks.
“We help young girls stay in school and become responsible individuals. If they are neglected, they may be recruited by fraudsters, and that would be a tragedy,” he said.