Chapter One

Introduction

1.1 Background of the Study

Crime remains pervasive and forever strives to hide itself in the face of
development. As measures and techniques for detecting crimes and criminals
advance, criminals also look for means of hiding from these measures .

Nowadays, a huge part of the information present on the Web is delivered through
Social Media such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc., and User-Generated
Content (UGC) platforms, such as Quora, Wikipedia, YouTube, Yelp,
Slashdot.org, etc.

Social media today is one of the crux of today’s life. Virtually everyone Is
connected to one social media platform or the other. These identities created
Makes the world a global village and has been threatened by the emergence of
rampant cyber crimes today.

Obano (2017) asserts that the internet currently serve as a hiding place for
fraudsters who have simply migrated from the streets to an electronic
platform.

Okonigini (2012:25) defines computer crime as criminal activities, involving

information technology infrastructure, including illegal access of computer
data from or within a computer.

Similarly, Asokhia (2013) asserts that cyber crime, popularly called

“YAHOO” is an off-shoot of advance fee fraud which became popular in the early
90s. Today, it has produced “YAHOO” as its first offspring with mostly
young people (most especially the unemployed) as its practitioners.

Different nations have adopted different strategies to contend with crimes

depending on their nature and extent. Certainly, a nation with high incidence of
crime cannot grow or develop. For Nigeria, a nation in the process of saving her
face regarding cyber crimes, efforts are now being directed at the sources
and channels through which cyber crimes are being perpetuated the most
(Chiemeke, 2018).

Martins (2018) assert that “YAHOOISM” is an act of cyber crime that

defrauds unsuspecting victims in foreign countries of their hard-earned money. In
some instance, the unsuspecting victim is used to defraud banks, postal agencies,
shops, etc. the yahoos (perpetrator) sends fake cheque or postal money orders to
victims in any of the following countries: Canada, United States of America
and other European countries or Asia as the case may be.

He further notes that when the cheques or money order are cashed, the
victim is told to send the money through Western Union Money transfer
in Nigeria, while in other cases, the victim is told to send the money to
another country where the yahooist has built networks over time.

The mode of money collection is usually dependent on the modus operandi the
yahooist uses. In similar vein, Alemika (2017) notes that in Nigeria today, cyber
crime has found its root in the society. Like a cankerworm it has eaten
deeply in the society and finally been accepted by the same society.
It is difficult to deny youth support of the menace with yahooze shirts,
yahooze dance steps, yahooze songs from the likes of Olu Maintain. Even some
young people identify themselves as yahoo boys and girls.

Similarly, Martins (2018) notes that the paramount classification of

yahooism as a branch of cyber crime and transitional crime is not only expedient
in understanding its mystery, but propounding a lasting solution when
considering curbing the menace. Yahooism is the fastest growing
transnational crime in recent times, especially in Nigeria.

1.2 Statement of Research Problem

Nigeria in 2020 according to Wikipedia is said to be 11th largest oil producing

country in the world, but nevertheless, the majority of Nigerians are still living in
poverty.

Nigeria is also rated amongst one of the most corrupt countries of the
world.

Internet and social media usage in Nigeria has grown rapidly resulting in the
explosion of Internet Service Providers (ISPS) and Internet Access Point creating
an increase in the positive impacts on the socio-economic and educational
developments in the country.

Unfortunately, the country’s image has also suffered as a result of the

unscripted activities of some Nigerians using the internet as a channel for
the perpetration of criminal spamming activities.
The major implication of the unconscious acceptance of this menace in the
Nigerian society in the nearest future has created a high level of disinterest
in education and touting among young people.

In Nigeria today, young people mostly youths are the ones who engage in this
form of anti-social behaviour for the purpose of living a life of splendour.

In recent times Nigeria has been labelled as a corrupt nation. There is a

need for the Nigerian government to do something fast and urgent to curb this
menace of cyber crime.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

1. To find out how Nigerian IMT students perceive cybercrime.

2. To assess the ways federal government can curb the continued spread of
cybercrime among Nigerian youths and the general public.

3. To ascertain the factors that tends to cause young people’s involvement in

cybercrime in Nigeria.

4. To find out if the social media is used as a channel for the perpetration of
criminal spamming activities.

1.4 Research Questions

1. In what way do IMT students perceive cybercrime?

2. What are the ways Federal Government can curb the continued spread of
cybercrime among Nigerian youth and the general public?
3. Is the internet used as a channel for the perpetration of criminal
spamming activities?

1.5 Research Hypotheses

H0: IMT students do not perceive Cyber-crime as bad

H1: IMT students Perceive Cyber-crime as bad

H0: internet is not used as a channel for the perpetration of criminal

spamming activities.

H2: internet is used as a channel for the perpetration of criminal spamming

activities.

H0: the Federal Government cannot curb the continued spread of

cybercrime among Nigerian youths and the general public.

H3: the Federal Government can curb the continued spread of cybercrime among
Nigerian youths and the general public.

1.6 Significance of the Study

This study, which is primarily aimed at explaining how cybercrime has

impacted on the perception of IMT students will provide an insight into the
problems associated with cybercrime.

This report would be of great benefit for youths, to expose them to the
factors that tend to cause young people’s involvement in cybercrime in Nigeria.
It would be useful to the government and related stakeholders to enable
them adequately understand factors responsible for and how to curb
the continue spread of cybercrime among Nigerian youths [and the general
public].

The findings will be useful for researchers to further generate knowledge in the
field.

1.7 Theoretical Framework

This research study perception of cyber-crime among the youths falls within the
self-perception theory.

The Self-perception theory is an account of attitude change developed by

psychologist Daryl Bem. It asserts that people develop their attitudes by observing
their behaviour and concluding what attitudes must have caused them. The
theory is counterintuitive in nature, as the conventional wisdom is that attitude
comes prior to behaviors. Furthermore, the theory suggests that a person
induces attitudes without accessing internal cognition and mood states. The
person reasons their own overt behaviours rationally in the same way they
attempt to explain others’ behaviours.

The issue of perception or image is so complex that it has to be analysed within a

fitting theoretical framework. This is so because there is a strong likelihood that
individuals have different perceptions of objects.

1.8 Scope of the Study

This study focused on the perception of cybercrime among Nigerian, using

students in Institute of Management and Technology, Enugu as the study group.
1.9 Limitations of the Study

Limitations to the study were: duration of the work is relatively short; stress from
other academic activities acted as a constraint and financial constraint.

1.9 Definition of Terms

Operational Definition of Terms

Social Media: forms of electronic communication (such as websites for social

networking and microblogging) through which users create online communities to
share information, ideas, personal messages, and other content (such as videos)

Perception: IMT students’ attitude towards cybercrime among Nigerian youths.

Cyber: The use of computers, information systems or the internet by the

Nigerian youths.

Crime: The display of illegal act characterized by decent, contentment or

violation of trust of the youths.

Youth: It is when a young person is young especially the time before a child
becomes an adult.
 Chapter Two

Literature Review

2.2 Conceptual Framework

2.2.1 The Concept of Perception

The central concept of the study was perception. Peoples’ reaction to a message
depends mainly on their perception of it. This has made perception a core
psychological field that draws more attention than other subject matters in
psychology. Although much work and studies have been done in the field,
psychologists are still unable to arrive at a commonly acceptable definition for
perception.

Fantino Reynolds (2015) define perception as the organizing principle by which

we interpret our sensory input. This goes a long way in that perception is the way
an individual reads and acknowledges his environment. In the same vein,
perception is the process of discriminating among stimuli and of interpreting their
meaning. Humans have a tendency perceptually as well as cognitively to seek
completeness. We read the unsaid and visualize the unseen.

We can listen to two people talking about different things, but sooner or later, you
have to abandon one person to be able to listen to other, for you to understand
him/her thoroughly.

Perception is objective in the sense that it is related to objects, events, issues,

situations, etc.

2.2.2 Social Perception

The term perception is subject to so many definitions. Oxford Advanced Learners

dictionary, 7th edition, defines perception as the way you notice things, especially
with senses.

American Encyclopedia (2010) defines perception as a concept in psychology and

dealing with a family of meaning.

Alfred Lindersmith and Anselm Strauss referred to it as ways an organism

responds to stimuli picked up by the sense organs.

In giving clarity to perception, Dennis and Defleur (2011) observed that, when a
receiver perceives a word, he or she must identify the incoming pattern of physical
events known as language symbol rather than other types of event

Folarin (2013) explains that perception depends on complex variables such as

psychological disposition, past experiences, needs, cultural expectations and social
relationship. In other words, each of us tends to perceive and then decide
communication message in the light of our previous experiences and current
disposition, needs, belief and memories.

Alfred and Anslem, identified the processes affecting perception in the following
variants.

Selectivity of perception: you see what you want to see while you neglect others.
Frequency of previous experiences with particular stimulus and responses, which
affects present stimuli.

Experience with stimuli and responses that have been positively or negatively
reinforced.

The contemporary factor prevailing at the moment of perception, such conditions

include, hunger, fatigue or anxiety, which may affect what, is perceived.

Folarin (2013) also noted that selective interpretation of a given message causes
an undue internal dissonance. That is, the receiver of the message may decide to
forget the message.

2.2.3 Perception and Image

An image is a set of beliefs about an object (Krecht et al., 2016).

According to Oxford Advanced Learners dictionary, 7th edition, (743), image is

the impression that a person, an organization or a product, etc. gives the public. A
person’s image of an object does not necessarily reveal his attitude towards an
object.

However, the image of an object varies from person to person. This is largely due
to the person’s beliefs, needs and past experiences with the object. Also, images
vary in their clarity and complexity. People at times, or have fuzzy or other related
impressions.

2.2.4 Perception of Cybercrimes Committed by Nigerian Youths

Various scholars have examined the term “perception. People perceive things in a
way that accord to their beliefs, interests, motives, needs and learning.

According to Obono (2013), cybercrime describes “those criminal acts either

committed in cyberspace, such as various forms of identity theft and bank fraud,
or acts that have a physical component and are simply facilitated by the use
of internet-based tools”. Such acts commonly include distribution of
fraudulent e-mails, and pornography on the internet.

He further notes that cybercrimes are illegal activities perpetrated by one or more
people using the cyberspace through the medium of networked
computers, telephones and other information and communication technology
equipment. There is hardly any crime committed in the world today that does not
have cybercrimes undertone, because of high of dependence on modern
technology.

According to Oketola (2014) some young people use the web for
information on current issues in health, education, politics, researches,
sports, and for personal development as well as building skills. While others,
misuse it for unconstructive activities.

It is perceived by many, that what constitutes young people’s involvement in

cybercrimes largely depends on their low level of moral standards, peer
pressure corruption, greed, poverty, and get-rich-quick-syndrome, lack of
parental guidance and lack of jobs.
2.2 Empirical Review

Many Scholars have conducted researches on the perception of

Cybercrime among Nigerian Youths.

The following are some of the studies carried out on this Subject matter;

Asokhia (2013) in his work, titled “Enhancing National Development and

Growth through Combating Cybercrime/ Internet Fraud”, carried out
a comparative study of young adults perception of cybercrime in two
Local Government Area of Edo State. His findings were that cybercrime
were very prevalent in two Local Government Areas. More revealing is the fact
the impact of television that the young people are aware of and the uncensored
video and radio programmes also evolve in one kind of cybercrime or the other.

Adam (2016) in his work, “The impact of internet crime on

development”, concludes that the internet is overwhelmingly a powerful tool for
development. Paradoxically, the internet is a “double- edged sword”,
providing many opportunities for individuals and organizations to develop but at
the same time, has brought with it new opportunities to commit crime. He argues
that the internet presents new challenges to law enforcement in both
development and developing countries. However, developing countries suffer
greatly from the activities of internet crime more than their developed
counterparts as developing countries have inadequate technology,
infrastructure and insufficient law enforcement expertise.

THE MISSPIN AMBASSADORS- the Misspin Ambassadors are a team of

twenty four young people who were selected to contribute to sensitizing and
creating awareness around cybercrime issues. They are located all over
Nigeria and, for the last 12 months, have held various- activities from
workshops to media campaigns.

OLUMIDE one of the MISSPIN Ambassadors, in partnership with AIESEC

and a 400 Level Student of Computer Science at the University of Abuja, has
within the last one year of the MISSPIN campaign engaged young people within
and around the University campus in anti-cybercrime campaigns. He has
coordinated a campus –wide rally against cybercrimes while also
sensitizing internet café operators in the area against the danger of permitting
scammers and the sending of scam mails within the precincts of their cyber cafes.

Robert who is also a MISSPIN Ambassador, in partnership with

Dtalkshop, publishers of Takaii Law magazine, with the support of the
Association of Nigeria Authors, Robert has taken the MISSPIN campaign to
several Secondary Schools in Lagos and Calabar. Among other campaign
efforts, Robert coordinates an anti- cybercrime media advocacy through the
publication of Blingz Magazine, a youth- led magazine dedicated to
celebrating positive virtues among Nigeria’s legitimately enterprising
youths.

Ajayi (2012), he examined cybercrime as a phenomenon that is dysfunctional to

the country. Evidence abound that is not only the persons that are duped that suffer
for this, the immediate family dependants as well as the society where these
victims are from, directly feel the effect of this act. The perpetrators
country, also suffers the image problem, even to the extent of losing billions of
naira, legitimate investment that is supposed to come to the country. Hence, the
companies that ought have established and employed the unemployed Nigerian
cannot come to the country. Thus, unemployment continues to rampage the
country.

2.4 Summary of Literature Review

The whole business of this review has been to discuss some empirical studies and
postulations by scholars in various fields, to see if they would give a theoretical
backing to the study. The effort is meaningful, since most literature reviewed has
more or less, direct relationship with the study.

The review centered on the self- perception theory of mass communication, since
it has a direct bearing on the study which is,” perception of cybercrime among
Nigerian youths: a study of students of IMT Enugu” .The review pointed out that
individuals develop their attitudes by observing their behavior and concluding
what attitudes must have caused those responses.

Furthermore, it further stressed that individuals tend reasons their own overt
behaviors rationally in the way they attempt to explain other’s behaviors. It is very
evident in this review that there is a strong likelihood that individuals have
different perceptions of objects.
 Chapter Three

Research Methodology

This chapter describes the methodology used in this research study. It describes
the method of research design, population sample and sampling technique,
instrumentation as well as the method of data collection and data analysis. This is
to ensure that the researcher’s work is authentic verifiable and error free.

3.1 Research Method

Research method is a systematic way of producing knowledge through which

findings of a subject are either accepted or rejected.
The research method used for this study was the survey method. This method was
considered most appropriate because it is a method involving the search for
opinions.

3.2 Area of the Study

The area of study is Institute of Management and Technology,Enugu state.

3.3 Population of the Study

The population of the study comprises of male and female students who reside in
the hostels of residence of IMT Enugu and off campus occupants. The population
is nineteen thousand eight hundred and fifty (19,850).

3.4 RESEARCH SAMPLING TECHNIQUE AND SAMPLE SIZE

In order to get the sample size for the study, the Taro Yamane formular was used.
Taro Yamane is presented as follows:

N
n = 1+ N ¿ ¿

Where,

n= sample size to be determined

N= Population (19,850)

1= Fixed Number Factor

e= margin of error usually 0.05%

N
n= 1+ N (e) ²
n = 19850

1 + 19850(0.05)2

n = 19850

1 + 19850(0.0025)

n = 19850

1 + 49.625

n = 19850

50.625

n = 392.1 ≈ 392

Therefore the sample size (n) = 392

3.5 Instrument for Data Collection

The questionnaire was self-administered to the respondents. This enabled the

respondents to feel free in expressing themselves on the subject matter. And it was
administered to the students.

3.6 Validity of the Instrument

The research instruments were developed by the researcher. The instruments were
handed over to test experts for corrections. The validity of the instruments was
ascertained through this process.

3.7 Method of Data Collection

A total of three hundred and fifty four (392) copies of questionnaire will be
administered to the selected respondents of Caritas University. The researcher
shall use the direct contact approach i.e. meeting the respondents in their hostels.
This will help to minimize the percentage of distraction, unnecessary delays, and it
will finally help to ensure an error free study.

3.8 Method of Data Analysis

The major techniques that will be used in data analysis shall be the chi- square
(x2) statistical analysis, which is aimed at establishing any significant difference
that might exist among respondent’s frequencies. Chi-square is a non- parametric
statistical tool which can conveniently be used in testing hypotheses when dealing
with contented data. Chi-square formular is presented as follows:

X2=∑

Where X2= chi-square

∑ = Summation

O= Observed frequency

e= expected frequency