CYBERCRIME AND YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT IN NIGERIA: THE DRIFT TOWARDS AN INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC LAW

Abstract

Cybercrime has been the bane of the financial sector and indeed every other facet of human existence from commerce to leisure. This research paper evaluates the nature and advent of cybercrime as well as its scope and recent trends. Using the doctrinal legal research method, the authors evaluate the recent foray of a significant population of Nigerian youth into this mode of crime. It was revealed that the paucity of employment opportunities for the teeming youth population, lack of effective legislation, hurdles regarding jurisdiction, extradition procedures, and conflict of law situations arising from diversities in legal systems have altogether been the driving force that attracts these impressionable generation of young people into embracing this online criminal activity. It was equally observed that given the trans-boundary nature of this crime, especially the fact that it is usually committed online within the cyberspace with the victims and perpetrators being in different locations, domestic legal frameworks are ineffectual for cybercrime regulation. It was further revealed that the weak laws and institutional frameworks in some developing countries such as Nigeria makes these destinations safe havens for these cybercriminals who take advantage of such lapses to strike their victims from remote locations undetected. It was concluded that in the face of the obvious shortcomings and manifest ineffectiveness of the domestic legal and institutional frameworks of most countries, an International Economic Law regime remains the only practical way to go using proactive methods particularly mutual legal assistance and cooperation among both the judicial and law enforcement authorities of countries across the globe. It was recommended inter alia that priority should be given to the ratification and domestication of international Conventions and Treaties regarding cybercrime, while state parties are encouraged to align their domestic legislations with these international legal instruments for greater effectiveness.