Landlords risk 15-year jail term for renting house to ‘yahoo boys’ — EFCC
…Nigerians react
By Abimbola Abatta
Landlords in the country may risk 15-year imprisonment for renting out their houses to Yahoo boys, Nigerian NewsDirect reports.
The Economic Financial Commission Commission (EFCC) made the disclosure yesterday via its Twitter handle ahead of its next edition of public conversation series tagged, “#EFCCConnect.”
The conversation series has been scheduled to take place by 6 p.m. on Twitter Space today, June 29th, 2022.
At the forum, the Commission’s Deputy Director, Legal and Prosecution, Sylvanus Tahir and Assistant Director, Legal and Prosecution, Cosmos Ugwu will be speaking on the topic, “Give your house to Yahoo boys, spend 15 years in jail.”
Recall that the EFCC had repeatedly warned house owners and commercial real estate agents against making properties available to cyber criminals and fraudsters.
The EFCC Chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa, had earlier met with hotel owners in Ilorin, the Kwara capital to sensitise the hospitality business community on how to work with the Commission to tame the tide of cyber crimes.
EFCC Zonal Commander, Michael Nzekwe expressed concern about what he described as the “cold complicity by hospitality entrepreneurs.”
Nzekwe accused some of the hotel owners of working with suspected fraudsters by housing them over a long period and making internet facilities available.
He said, “The section provides for a prison term of between five and 15 years without option of fine for any person who permits his premises to be used for any offense under the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offenses Act, 2006.”
Meanwhile, mixed reactions have trailed the announcement by the EFCC as many Nigerians took to social media to share their thoughts on the latest development.
According to @jesse_piccasoh_, “On the bright side of this. At least landlord will have to reduce their rent now coz it’s only yahoo boys that can afford those expensive houses.”
@lekwanya said, “Just how do you spot a fraudster while leasing your property? Not to forget this will create avenue for harassment and a lot of prying eyes as a young person renting an apartment.”
For @Prinxcharles01, there is “Nothing to applaud with this news. Young legit Nigerians would be victims of more stereotypes. It is already difficult to get an apartment as an unmarried Youth.
“How do you explain to a naive landlord that coding isn’t yahoo, and your remote job requires you to work all night?” he asked.
According to @paulategie, “Everywhere in the world, remote work is being embraced. In Nigeria, the government and the EFCC are making it harder to work from home. Landlords will start getting suspicious of every young tenant who works from home.”
Another Twitter user, Salisu Sagir, said, “Interesting development to talk on this issue that’s so important. The bottle neck of all this is to find the solutions on how to stop the youths from going into this crime which they see now as passion or legal thing.”
In his reaction to the announcement, Ikechukwu addressed the EFCC as “Dogs that can’t bite politicians.
“All you do is chase small small boys around while you ignore the big thieves. What happened to the accountant that stole our 200bn? Case is closed, yeah?” he added.
In Shuanky’s words, “So now the youths are now the problem of Nigeria because I don’t understand. The energy you people are using to work on yahoo boys. Why can’t you people use the same energy to work on the bad government maybe Nigeria will be a better place?”
For @The Landlord, “Even though this may be a good development as the security of the nation is a general/public responsibility but landlords are not constitutionally obligated to do @officialefcc job and yahoo is a cyber crime in which most landlords in Nigeria have little to no knowledge about 21st century internet operation.
“The landlords should not be convicted for another person’s crime. And the landlord may not do this for @officialEFCC because they need the returns on their property investment.
“Advise the @NigeriaGov to tackle the root of the nation’s problems, not the fruits of the problems. Private sectors are providing more housing and more jobs and no government organisation is coming out to compensate the good deeds. Kindly reconsider your jail terms,” he added.
