The first lady said this on Tuesday at the 2024 National Cybersecurity Summit, organised by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Tuesday in Abuja.
The conference with the theme: “Alternatives to Cybercrime; Optimizing Cyber Skills for National Development,” aimed to raise awareness about the dangers of cybercrime and promote alternative uses of cyber skills.
It was organised with the support of the EU-funded Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC-Phase II) Programme of the International Institute of Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA).
Mrs Tinubu said that cybercrime was not just a crime against individuals or businesses but an assault on collective integrity, the nation’s economic stability and the future of the youth.
She expressed concern over the alarming rates of youth involvement in cybercrime and urged parents to guide their children appropriately by inculcating good values, morals and sense of patriotism in them.
The first lady lauded the EFCC chairman, Mr Ola Olukoyede, for organising the summit, which theme she said resonated deeply with current global challenges encountered globally.
“These includes parents, law enforcement agencies, educational institutions, the private sector, religious leaders, traditional rulers, business leaders, communities and civil societies.
“It is crucial that we emphasise and entrench the culture of hard work rooted in honesty and dignity of labour among our teeming youth.
“In this regard, parents play a pivotal role in raising and guiding their children and wards to be God-fearing.
“Bond of trust and understanding should be created between parents and their children to allow for open communication, whereby their fears and insecurities could be addressed,” she said.
Sen. Tinubu said that there was no economy that could thrive if its most active and talented youth were sold to crime.
“At the level of the government, the current administration led by President Bola Tinubu, is not oblivious of the challenge of youth involvement in cybercrime.
“Efforts are already being made to address the situation.
“The president in his national broadcast on the occasion of Nigeria’s 64th Independence Anniversary, announced plans to convene a National Youth Summit.
“Without preempting the agenda, I can say with certainty that some of the issues for discussion today will feature in the Summit,” she said.
Mrs Tinubu said her organisation, the Renewed Hope Initiative, had empowered women and youth through training and grants for small businesses, scholarships for undergraduates and other social investments to curb crimes.
She called on parents, religious leaders, traditional rulers, organisations and all handlers to take the responsibility of curbing cybercrimes in the society.
Also speaking, the EFCC chairman lauded the first lady for the various roles she had played in the society, and also thanked President Bola Tinubu for his administration’s fight against cybercrime.
He said that the commission was planning to launch a research and rehabilitation centre to educate people, especially ex-victims in order to create opportunities for them to stop committing crime.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event was attended by top government functionaries, traditional rulers, religious leaders, governors, the diplomatic community, national youth corps members, women and youth, among others.
They included Gov. Dauda Lawal of Zamfara; Gov. Dikko Radda of Katsina; Gov. Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of Kwara; Gov. Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe; and the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III.
Others included the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Achebe; the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, who was represented; and the President of Christian Association of Nigeria, Archbishop Daniel Okoh.