Crime Is Not An Issue In Nigeria - Aisha Yesufu Reacts As EFCC Hires Social Media Influencer Arrested For Fraud To Sensitize Corps Members

Activist, Aisha Yesufu has reacted to the decision of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to engage social media influencer, Adedamola Adewale, better known as Adeherself, who is being tried for fraud to sensitize serving corps members on the dangers of cybercrime.

Adeherself, who is standing trial for the N7.9 million fraud case, was accused of being a ‘picker’ in a cyber fraud after the EFCC first arrested her in June 2020 during a raid.

The anti-graft agency subsequently arraigned the social media influencer on a one-count charge of possessing fraudulent documents with intent to defraud.

In February 2023, the agency amended the charges and re-arraigned her on a three-count charge of conspiracy to obtain money by false pretences, attempt to obtain money by false pretences and retention of proceeds of criminal conduct.

However, in a twisted turn of events, the anti-graft agency said the defendant was now a stakeholder in the anti-graft war and further engaged her to admonish corps members to shun cybercrime.

The EFCC, in a post on the social media platform, X, said Adewale (Adeherself) was a speaker during a sensitization programme organized by the commission at the NYSC orientation camp in Iyana Ipaja, Lagos.

Reacting to the development, Yesufu said crime is not an issue in Nigeria, considering it is also done to a large extent by prominent personalities, adding that only petty crime is criminalized.

Quoting a tweet, she wrote: “In Nigeria, crime is not the issue as long as it is done big time. Petty crime is what is criminalized.”