Why has it been so difficult to Counteract Cyber Crime in Nigeria? Evidence from an Ethnographic Study

Efforts by governments, over the years, to curb cybercrime- yahoo-yahoo- in Nigeria have not yielded much positive results. The restrictive measures put in place by cyber security operatives, law enforcement agencies and the government have only largely resulted in operational dynamism of cybercriminals including introduction of spiritual/fetish dimensions to cybercrime- yahoo-yahoo- which has come to be known as yahoo-plus. The empirical basis for this paper was from in-depth interviews with 15 yahoo boys and 30 community members in Ajibode, Apete and Ring road regarding the community reactions and obstacles to curbing yahoo plus in Nigeria with Ibadan as case study. Findings suggest that yahoo boys get help from many places to perpetrate their crimes. Sources of help include the families, musicians, celebrities, religious leaders, politicians, police officers and bank officials. These sources of help to yahoo boys are obstacles to curbing yahoo boys- including yahoo plus activities, in Nigeria.