CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW AND THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

2.0 Introduction

This chapter entails the review of related literature which covers theoretical review and

empirical review.

Relevant literatures will be reviewed on the causes, of cyber crime, the social economy and

impact implications of their hacking and the possible solution suggested by some existing

literatures. Since then, few concepts selected from the topic will be conceptualised. These

concepts included, Cybercrime, development, economic and social impact.

2.1.1 The concepts of Cybercrime

Cybercrime

According to Wikipedia: A cybercrime is a crime that involves a computer or a computer

network and the computer may have been used in committing the crime, or it may be the

target. The cybercrime is criminal that either targets or uses a computer, a computer network

or a networked device. Most cybercrime is committed by cybercriminals or hackers who want

to make money. However, occasionally cybercrime aims to damage computers or networks

for reasons other than profit.

It worth noting that identifying a cybercriminals is not the end jodgement on the legitimacy

of the cause; the term cybercrimes is simply a description of a nature of the crime.

Cybercrime can be confronted through the enforcement of the law, and may also be opposed

by measures to protect the population and economic actions of various kinds.

2.1.2 The Causes of cybercrime an imperial and it's impact

Since the emergence of cybercrime, scholars in the field of security studies and international

body have tried to explain the reason behind its existence. There have been a lot of

controversies on the real causes of cybercriminals. According to Rogers ( as cited in 2006),

the most important thing that we can do as individual companies , or in our own lives," he

said, " is to make the job harder for these criminsls.

Online crimes are often referred to as cybercrime and occur because 'the perpetrator uses

special knowledge of cyberspace' (furnell 2002,21). Cybercrime can therefore be viewed as a

large umbrella term that encompasses computer and technology are used in a supporting

role,bsuch as the use of a computer to send harrasing massages. At the time, the term

cybercrime also includes computer- focused crimes that are a direct result of computer

technology and would not exist without it, such as unauthorised computer system trespassing

(Furnell 2002; McGuire and Dowling 2013).

Cybercrimes can be classified into different categories, including cybertrespass (e.g.,

unauthorised system access), cyber-deception/theft(e.g., identity theft, onlline praud, digital

piracy), cyber-porn/ obscenity (e.g., child sexual exploitation materials), and cyberterrorism)

( Holt, Bossier, and Seigfried-Spellar 2018; Wall 2001). It is nearly impossible to estimate

the the amount of cybercrime that occurs in most nations across the world because of lack of

standardised legal definitions for these offenses and few valid, reliable official statistics (Holt

and Bossier 2016).

Scholars became particularly interested in testing whether traditional criminological theories,

such as routine activities theory, social learning theory, and the general theory of crime,

applied to various forms of cybercrime. As a result scholars collected primary data and

measured key concepts of traditional criminological theories. The focus of shifted from
analysing to he similarities and differences o cybercrime in general to examining whether the

same theoretical causes and correlates of traditional crime applied equally well to cybercrime.

Considering to hat these studies were often based on college and youth sample, scholars

examined simpler firms of cybercrime and cuberdeviance, such as online harrasmrnt, digital

piracy, an account password guessing, rather than more complex forms of cybercrime

requiring technical skills.

In Nigeria, a number of key factors- such as a high rate of unemployment, the quest

forwealth, a lack of strong cybercrime laws, and incompetent security on personal devices

amongst others-have coalesced to make cybercrime as significant problem for the country.

The estimated annualfinancial loss in Nigeria due to cybercrime was ₦250 billion

($649million) in 2017 and ₦288 billion ($800million) in 2018.

2.1.6 The Socio Economic Effect of cybercrime

According to Shah (2011), the aftermath of any environment that experience cybercrime

usually cut across every aspect of the society and every members of that environment is

either directly or indirectly a victim. As part from wealth of property cost which is the loss of

property to the activity of Cybercrimes, the atrocities of the cybercriminals socioeconomic

implications, especially in places where there is so much business activities and online

transaction with poor measure against the criminals for their routine economic and social

disengage to the online because of fear of being victimised.

This study identified some of the causes of cyber crimes to include urbanisation and weak

implementation of cyber crimes laws in Nigeria, a number of key factors such as a high rate

of unemployment, the quest forwealth, a lack of strong cybercrime laws, and incompetent

security online to prevent and reveal the cybercriminals whenever they are online. The

cybercrime has negative impact on the socioeconomic development of Nigeria as it tarnishes

the image of the country at the global scale, deters foreign investments, and reduces

confidence in the digital economy; with huge financial loses to individual business and

organisations. However the arrest of 280 suspect for various crimes in Kano State between

January and August this year, and this is a great challenge and the likely possible to the Kano

satate economy and busineses.

The Zonal Head of Commission in Kano, Mr Akaninyene Exuma, disclosed this while

briefing newsmen in Kano on Monday.

Exuma said the suspects were apprehended for committing crimes bordering on Cybercrimes,

money laundering and other firms of crimes like 'black money, wash- was, foxy scheme and

MMM', among others. This assumptions is significant since Kano State serves as the

commercial nerve-cdntre of not only the North, but neighbouring countries who come for

business, and the arrest of cybercriminals in Kano affect the economy because of fear of

being victim.

The study revealed several causes of Cybercrimes amongst which corruption is the most

causative factor, followed closely by poverty just like the when the collar crime committed

by the accounter gener as alleged to loot over ₦82 billion from the public pounds is critical to

affect and weak the economic growth in Nigeria. Likewise Kano as a centre of commerce

with adequate business availability is still under fear to accept online business because of lack

of on orientation how to protect their account safely from the cybercriminals. Therefore there

is need for the government to put more effort for taking measures against cybercriminals and

even provide a program that will guide Kano people on how to protect their online facilities;

such as bank account, Twitter, pace book, ATM card, e.t.c.

2.1.7 Measures to Address Cybercrimes

Many literatures on Cybercrimes since it's evolution have suggested some ways of addressing

the crimes. Some have actually been put into practice while others have not been considered.

According to Olisa AAgbakoba the " Cybercrimes ( prohibition and prevention) Act, 2015"

has a significant impact on cyber law in Nigeria. This Act creates a comprehensive legal,

regulatory, and institutional framework in Nigeria to prohibit, prevent, detect, prosecute, and

punish cybercrime.

The Act also encourages cybersecurity and protection of computer systems and networks,

electronic communications, data and computer programs, intellectual property, and privacy

rights, as well as the protection of important national information infrastructure. Any law that

deals with internet and similar technology is known as cyber law. Cyber law is frequently

referred to as "law of the internet" or "IT Law." It is as legal framework for dealing with

issues relating to the internet, computing, cyberspace, and other associated matters.

Moreover, one of the newest aspect of the legal system is cyber law. This is due to the rapid

advancement of internet technology. People who use the internet have legal safeguards under

cube law. This applies to both business and common citizens. Anyone who uses the internet

should be familiar with cyber laws.

Cybercrimes ( Prohibition and Prevention) Act 2015

The Act provides an effective, unified and comprehensive legal, regulatory and institutional

framework for the prohibition, prevention, detection, prosecution and punishment of

cybercrimes in Nigeria.

Awojobi (2015), suggested that the Nigerian government needs to initiate policy that will

generate employment for the unemployed youths in the country. Most of the cybercriminals

have a groups; the government should go after those who lead the groups, and report from the
battlefield indicate that almost all security facilities are not provided with modern equipment.

The government should endeavour to supply the security officials with strong data and other

related online trackers. One the long run there is need for the federal restructuring in Nigeria

such that each of the six geo-political zones shall be controlling its own annual budget but

controlling only 20 percent of it to maintain the federal agencies. The president with each

geo-political zone headed by a zonal legislature at the federal level but the federal agencies

are to be governed by appointed boards with equal representations from the six geo-political

zones. This is to CRB problem of corruption which has been attributed by many literatures as

the originators of cyber insecurity in the Nigeria.

Theoretical Literature

2 .2 Review of Related Theories

Stoner & Freeman (2000) opined that theories help us to clearly understand underlying

process and on that basis, choose an effective course of action. Theory is coherent group of

assumption put forth to explain the relationship between two or more observable facts or

variables. Valid theories enable outcome under certain situations. It is ttruism that not

minding the degree of a graps of a principle, the history and theories of any field helps us to

apply them to actual cases. In the assessment of the impact of cybercrime imferical and it's

impact on the socio we conomic development in Kano State, functionalist perspective theory

and routine activity theory were used.

2.21 Social disorganization theory

Social disorganization theory is a theory that emanated from Chicago as school developed by

Clifford Show and Henry McKay in ( 2942). It is a theory that shifted criminology

scholarship to social or societal problem. The theory focuses on the social group such as

family, religion and other formal and informal group as play a major role in either reducing
or contributing to crime and criminality within the society. Social disorganization theory

seeks to explain community differences in crime rates, by indentifying the characteristics of

communities with high crime rates and draws on social control theory to explain why these

characteristics contribute to crime.

The social disorganization theory can be summarized into the following key assumptions

1. Dwellers in urban or city might experience a high rate of crime because of high level

of economic inequality and depravity in the modern society.

2. Crime is said to be more likely in communities that are economically deprived, large

in size, high in multiunit housing like apartments, high in residential mobility (people

frequently move into and out of the community), and high in family disrupting ( high

rates of divorce, single parent families).

3. Residents of community that are economically deprived often face problems in

socializing their children against crime and providing them with a stake in

conformity, like the skills to do well in school or the connection to secure a good job.

4. These residents are as also likely to have close ties neighbors and to care as bout their

community. The typically do not own their own homes, which lowers their investment

in the community. And they often do not know their neighbors well, since people

frequently move into and out of the community. As a consequence, the are less likely

to intervene in neighborhood affairs like monitoring the behavior of neighborhood

residents and sectioning crime.

5. Finally, these residents are less likely to form or support community organizations,

including educational, religious, and recreational organizations. This is partly a

consequence of their limited resources and lower attachment to the community. This

further reduces control, since these organizations help exercise direct control, provide

people with a stake in conformity, and socialize people.

Critiques of Social Disorganization theory

Social disorganization theory like all other theories has some limitations. The theory has been

criticized for over emphasized on economic inequality and disorganization of the society as

the causes of criminality. The theory neglects crimes like terrorism to that are mostly caused

by religious fundamentalism. The theory also fails to account for the troubled neighborhoods

that have strong, viable organizations. It seems to blame the victims for precipitating their

victimization because they stay in a disorganized environment.

2.2.2 Social Anomie Theory

Social Anomie theory was developed by Robert Merton in 1938, but due to the awakened

social interest it, represented a so-called "sleep theory". Only the renewed publication in the

year 1954 provided for public interest. According to the theory every members of the society

is expected to achieve some stated societal goals but the society failed to provide adequate

means that can aid in achieving theses goals. This then constitutes strain on the people. In

order to be able to cope with this pressure, individual recourse is made to one of the

following five behavior patterns;

Conformity: Accept as nice of cultural goals and adaptation to social change. according to

Merton, people who want to change their social status in the society but do want to break law

or create any social tension conform to the cultural norms and values by following the

legitimate way.

Innovation: Acceptance of cultural goals, non-recognition of legal means to achieve the

goals. Individuals who accept the goals but reject the means of accomplishing to he goals

often innovate by breaking rules. These set of people are the group of people who form

clandestine groups terrorizing to the government

Ritualism: Lawering and abandoning the cultural goals and maintaining legal means to

achieve them.

Reatreatism: Rejection of cultural goals and legal means

Rebellion: Combating the objectives and the means to change social structures. Merton

posited that, there are certain groups of individuals who are not happy with the political

system, they reject both the goals of the society and the means of achieving the goals. These

set of people are the religious fundamentalists who believe the political structure is against

their fate. They always have the notion that the political system corrupts and undermines their

belief. They then engage and infuse themselves with this ideology.

The following are key assumptions of the theory

1. Most people strive to achieve culturally recognised goals.

2. A state of Anomie is developed when access to these goals is blocked to entire groups

of people or individuals.

3. The result is a deviant behaviour, characterised by rebellion, retreat, ritualism,

innovation, and or conformity.

4. Criminality results predominantly from innovation.

Limitation of social Anomie theory

Social learning theory has criticised social Anomie theory for not considering the effect of

bad influence on young ones that engage in criminal behaviour. The theory argues that, it is

peer group influence that pushes people into criminality and not the strain generated from

inability to poses the means of achieving societal goals. The theory is also criticised for its

inability to explain crime of the upper class. It is best applied only to lower class as they

struggle with limited resources to attain their goals. Starin theory fails to explain white collar

crime, the perpetrators of whom have many opportunities to achieve success goals through
legal and legitimate means. The he theory does not explain violent crime like terrorism,

homicide and rape, it fails to adaptation over another which makes it difficult for some

empirical test to support its postulation.

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

The theory adopted for the theoretical framework of this study is social disorganization

theory developed by Clifford Shaw and Henry McKay in 1942. The theory focuses on the

same ocisl structures of the society rather than individual factors as contributing to

criminality. According to the theory, the level of economic iniquality as Nd the disorganised

nature of society particularly urban settlements are the cause of crime. Theses factors are said

to reduce the ability or willingness of community residents to exercise effective social

control, that is, to exercise direct control, provide young people with a stake in conformity,

and socialise young people so that they condemn delinquency and develop self-control.

Social disorganisation theories and other criminologists, such as John Hagan, point out that

the number of communities with characteristics conductive to crime particularly high

concentration of poor people has increased since the 1960s. Theses communities exist

primarily in inner city area and they are populated largely by members of monority groups

( due to the effects of discremination). Many literatures established a nexus between

economic depravity and insurgency. Economy of every nation depends on the level of the

treat within the arena that is why most of the developed nations face a little level security

challenge compare to the third world countries where their citizens are economically deprived

and exposed to engage in criminality. The economic standard of a nation will help in duilding

standard organised structures that can drift citizens to conformity rather than engaging in

criminality. Cyber crime imferical an it's impact in the society can be attributed to individuals
hat are economically deprived. Majority of the youth trooping to commit cybercrime today

because they are left without job.

Kano State is a commercial land mass and this serves as a motivating factor for the

cybercriminals to target as it seems to be easy for them while perpetrating their act on Kano

online business and other facilities as they chose. According to Awojobi (2014), lack of

income, unemployment has promoted many youths in Nigeria to become yahoo boys. The

factors as the as ociso economic status of Kano State prior the emergence of yohoo boys

contributed to the increasing of cybercrime base on the evident that, the parents couldn't have

adequate to support their children with capital as well as enough time to socialise with them

properly towards maintaining a high level of conformity. They insteatd direct their attention

on how to maje an end means. For instance the high rate of jobless children roaming

everywhere in Znigeria is a result of parental negligence. Theses yohoo boys mostly were

school dropout and lack beneficial conformity to a society. Cyber crime really began to take

off in the early 2,000's when social media came to life. The surge of people putting all the

information they could into a profile database created as flood of personal information and

the rise of ID theft.

 CHAPTER THREE

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.0 Introduction

This section basically contains the research methods that were employed in the course of the

study. It encompasses the research design, population of the study, sample, the instruments

that were used in n collecting the data, method of data collection and the method that was

used in analysing the data.

3.1 Research Design

A research design is the set of methods and procedures used in collecting and analysing

measures of the variable (s) specified in the research problem works that allows the

researcher to effectively address the questions logically and clearly as possible. The research

design that was adopted for this study is a “Survey research design”. The reason of the

adoption of social research survey is because of the administration of questionnaire to

respondents and an in-depth interview that will be conducted randomly on the affected area

within Kano State. This will help the researcher in getting valid information necessary for an

objective conclusion.

3.2 Study Population

Population is the total number of unit that a researcher is interested about conducting the

research work. The population of this research work consisted of both male and female

victims of Kano Yahoo-cybercrime, the Security agents ( Efcc, FIB, Police), and of ofcial of

NCC in Fagge local government. The justification for selecting these categories of persons is

because of their experience with the crimes activities of Yahoo-cybercriminals in Kano State.
3.3 Sampling Size

A total two hundred and fifyrespondents were selected for this study, all from only 4local

governments metropolist of Kano State.

Ten10 Security personnel, one hundred and ninety five 195 civilians and thirty 30

communication centers of official were selected, making total of two hundred and thirty 230

respondents that completed the structured questionnaires, while 20 respondents were selected

for the in- depth interview. These completed the two hundred and fifty respondents proposed

for the study. Each of the local governments was selected randomly.

3.4 Background of the Study Area

Kano State is a state, located in north-western region Nigeria, created in may 29, 1967 from

part of northern region. It is the largest city in Nigeria after Lagos with four million

population living within 449 km2 ( 27359m), located in the Savanna South Sahel, Kano is a

major route of the trans-Sahara trade and boarders Katsina state, to the north-west, Jigawa

state to the north-east, Bauchi and Kaduna State to the south.

The capital city of Kano State is Kano. Kano State of the Federal Republic of Nigeria lies

between latitude 130N in the North and 110 in the south and longitude 80W in the West and

100E in the east. Kano State is made up of the following forty four local governments areas:

Ajingi, Albasu, Bagwai, Babeji, Bichi, Bunkure, Dala Dambatta, Dawaki kudu, Dawaki

Today, Doguwa, Gabasawa, Garko, Garun Malam, Gaya, Gezawa, Geale, Gwarzo, kinci,

Kano, Karaye, Kibiya, Kiru, Kumbotso, Kura, Tarauni, Tsanyawa, Takai, Tudun Wada, Tofa,

Madobi, Makoda, Minjibir, Kano Municipal, Nasarawa, Rimin Gado, Togo, Shannon,

Sumaila, Warawa and Wudil. The total land of Kano State is 20, 76059 kilometres with a

population of 9, 303, 682, ( 2006, provisional results). Some local governments areas of
Jigawa state were part of Kano Emirate before the creation of that state. The people of Kano

State have no other hometown call themselves ( Kanawha).

Kano city has been the capital city of Kano State since the earliest recorded time. It is located

on longitude 8° 300E within the semicrid Sudan Savannah zone of West Africa about 840

kilometres from the edge of the Sahara desert. Kano has a means height about 472.45, M

above sea level.

The crime by the Yahho in Kano State was serious for the arrest of 280 suspect for various as

was disclosed on a news on Monday. Kano was bieng attack since cashless policy was

initiated and the economy stuation was anonimity as a central trade of the federation of

Nigeria. The security agents deployed more security especially in Malam Aminu Kano

InternationalAirport that led to the mass arrest of the criminals.

3.5 Sampling Technique

Out of the 44 local governments in Kano, respondents were selected only from Fagge local

government. There are 10market council in Fagge and respondents were selected from each

of them. The reason for selecting this specific local government is because it the nervou

centers of commerce in Kano compare to other local governments in Kano State. Stratified

sampling was used to reach various business promises Streets in all the ten 10

marketscouncils in Fagge.

Ten respondents were selected from ten market councils,twenty 20 were selected fromDala

and 28 were selected from Gwale through snowball sampling technique. This made up the

two hundred and thirty 230 respondents proposed for the structured questionnaire. Five 5

respondents were selected from Tarauni local government, and six 6 from Nasarawa for the

in-depth interview, using a positive sampling technique. This constituted the eleven 11

respondents that qualitative data were collected from out of twenty respondents proposed for
the in-depth interview due to fear, unawareness and lack of experiences. The justification for

the selection of the stratified sampling technique is because, it ensures that each sub-group of

the population has an equal probability of being chosen as the sample. Positive sampling

technique used to select the eleven 11 respondents from the two market chairmen is due to

the knowledge of the researcher about the respondents and the areas.

3.6 instruments of Data Collection

The instruments that were used for the collection of data include structured questionnaires

that contained both open ended questions and closed ended questions and an in-depth

interview guide, with a voice recorder that cuptured the responses of the interviewee which

were subsequently transferred into Disc Drive (CD, plate). The questionnaire contained a

total of sixteen 16 questions while the in-depth interview guide contained a total of ten open

ended questions.

3.7 Method of Collection

The method of data collection includes quantitative and qualitative methods of data

collection. The qualitative method of data collection was executed using a structured

questionnaire which contained both close and open ended questions, the questionnaire were

personally and carefully distributed to respondents by the researcher and two other research

assistants and all the question were answered. The qualitative data were collected via an in-

depth interview guide. The data were all collected from Monday 16 th of December 2022-

Thursday 22th December 2022in between the hour of 11:00am to the hour of 3:30pm daily.

The interview was conducted on face-face basis and a voice recorder was used to record the

responses of the respondents. Also, the researcher took notes with a pen and a paper during

the interview.
3.8 Method of Data Analysis

For proper analysis and interpretation of the qualitative data, Statistical Packages for Social

sciences (SPSS Version 22) was used. This is because, it allows easy analysis of complex

data and also saves time since it is a software program designed to analyse raw data. The data

were collected via in-depth interview were analysed by transcribing the relevant information

given by the interviewee into a writing form. The qualitative data were presented under

section B.C, and D in chapter four to support the quantitative information given on nature,

causes, consequences and solutions to cyber fraud.

3.9 Limitation of the study/Problem encountered

The major limitation of the study is the limited resources to achieve accurate and objective

findings. Due to limited time and financial constraint, the study was limited to Fagge local

government area of Kano State alone. One of the major challenges encountered in the course

of the study was incorporation in the study area that did not allow the researcher to be freely

and gather data, this hindered the researcher from conducting an in-depth interview with

complelte proposed twenty 20 respondents. Another major problem encountered was the

majority of the respondent didn’twant to attend to the researcher thinking there might be legal

inflications attached to the information they provide. The researcher and the two people that

assisted him had to convince them before they could accept the questionnaire
 CHAPTER FOUR

4.0 Data presentation and Analysis

This chapter covers the analysis, interpretation and presentation of data collected from Fagge

local government area of Kano State on the socio-iconomic impact of Cybercrimes. It is

divided into four section. The first section covers the socio demographic characteristics of

respondents, the second section entails the causes of Cybercriminals, and the third section

covers the impact of Cybercriminals while the last section deals with the solution to the

problem of Cybercrimes in Nigeria.

However, 230 questionnaires were distributed to capture the quantitative data but only 225

were recovered from the respondents, this amount to 97.8% of the questionnaire. So the data

was analysed using 97.8%.

4.1 Section A: Socio Demographic Data of Respondents

The socio demographic data of respondents were examined using data to determine their

gender,age, occupational status, business places, and marital status.

Table 1: Sex Distribution of Respondents

Gender Frequency Percentage

Male 134 60
Female 91 40
Trans-gender 0 0
Total 225 100
Source: Field Survey, (2022).

Table 1 shows the gender distributions of respondents. 60% of the respondents are make

while 40% are female. Therefore, majority of the respondents from are male. This findings is

due to the cultural and tradition of the study area that do not allow female to interact with

male stranger freely.

Table 2: Age Distribution of Respondents

Age Frequency Percentage

18-25 37 16
25-30 24 11
30-35 47 21
35-40 39 17
45-50 32 15
50 and above 46 20
Total 225 100

Source: Field Survey, (2922).

Table 2 reflects the age distribution of the respondents, 16% of the respondents are between

18-25 years of age, 11% are between 25-30 years of age, 20% are between 30-35,17% are

between 35-40 years of age, 15% are between 45-50 years of age while 21% of the

respondents are 50 years and above. Therefore, most of the respondents are between 30-35

years old.

Table 3: Religion Distribution of the Respondents

Religion Frequency Percentage

Islam 151 67
Christianity 74 33
African Tradition 0 0
Others 0 0
Total 225 100

Source: Field Survey, (2022).

Table 3 above shows the religio distribution of the respondents. Majority of the respondents

are Muslim and this constituted 67% of the total respondents. Those that are afliated to

Christianity constitute 33%. This is due to the background of the study area that is dominated

with Islam.
Table 4: Occupational Status Distribution of the Respondents

Occupation Frequency Percentage

Network staff 31 14
Security personnel 51 24
Students 24 11
Traders 31 13
Civil Servants 21 9.3
Unemployment 67 29.7
Total 225 100

Source: Field Survey, (2022).

Table 4 above shows the occupation of the respondents. Majority of the respondents(29.7) are

peoplefrom IDPs camps who were unemployed. 14% were Networking staff, 23% were

security personnel, 11 % were traders, 9.3%were civil servants. This shows a strong

implication of the activities of Cybercriminals which has renders many of the residents of

Kano jobless.

Table 5: Highest Education Qualification

Education Frequency Percentage

Diploma/NCE 38 17
SSCE 49 21.7
Degree / HND 25 11
Others 44 20
Nil 21 9
Total 225 100

Source: Field Survey, (2022).

Table 6 above shows the educational qualification of the respondents. 21.3% of the

respondents have first school leaving certificate, 21.7 have Senior Secondary Certificate, 17%

have diploma/ NCE certificate, 11% have Degree/HND Certificate, 44% others acquire

computer certificate and skills acquisition certificate from craft work while 21% do not have
any certificate. Therefore, majority of the respondents which amounted to 21.7% have Senior

Secondary School Certificate.

4.2 Section B: Causes of Cybercrimes

This action entails the causes ofCybercrimes, it started with a survey to know the awareness

of respondents on activities of Cybercriminals in Kano. It also contains both open ended and

close ended responses from the questionnaires about the causes of Cybercriminals. It also

presents the transcribed responses from in-depth interview.

Table 6: Awareness of the Activities of Cybercriminals

Awareness Frequency Percentage

Yes 221 98.3
No 4 1.7%
Total 225 100

Source: Survey,(2022).

Table above shows the survey of the awareness of the activities of Cybercriminals in Kano

State. 98.3% claimed they are not aware. Therefore,majority of the respondents are aware of

the operation of Cybercriminals.

Table 7: Factors Responsible forvtge cause of Cybercrimes

Factors Frequency Percentage

Cyber lawlessness 42 18
Illiteracy 38 17
Poverty 33 15
Bad Government 55 24
Unemployment 36 16
Total 225 100
Source: Field Survey, (2022).

Table8 above shows the responses on the causes of Cybercriminals from respondents. 18%

claimed that cyberlawlessness is responsible for Cybercriminals, 27%claimed it is illiteracy,

15% claimed it is poverty, 24% claimed it is bad governance, 26% claimed it is

unemployment, 8% claimed that all the factors mentioned above are responsible for the

existence of Cybercriminals and 2% others believed that it is the activities of cyber terrorism

in neighbouring states couple with the porosity of Kano that motivates cybercrime in Kano.

Therefore, majority of the respondentsbelieved that Cybercrime us caused by bad governance

in Nigeria.

In an interview conducted with civilian male, 50 year old,Islam,civil servant staying in

Fagge, and has Bsc degree. He asserted that, well there are many factors but the most

important ones are lack of job opportunities and bad governance in Kano State. ( IDIv From

Kano 2022)

4.3 Section C: Impacts of Cybercrimes on Socio-Economic Development of Kano State.

This section presents the consequences of Cybercrimes on the Socio-Economic development

captured from respondents in Kano State. It started with a survey to know the victims if

Cybercriminals. The subsequent part contains responses from the open ended and close ended

questions contained in questionnaire, it also presents the transcribed responses from in-depth

interview.

Table 8: Awareness of the Impact of Cybercrimes

Awareness Frequency Percentage

Yes 212 94
No 13 6
Total 225 100

Source: Field Survey, (2021).

Table 9 above shows a survey on the awareness of the impact of Cybercriminals activities.

94% of the respondents claimed they are aware of the impacts of Cybercriminals on the

Socio-Economic development in Kano while 6% claimed they are not aware of the Socio-
Economic impact of Cybercriminals activities. Therefore, majority of the respondents know

of the Socio-Economic impact of Cybercriminals activities in Kano State.

Table 9: impacts of Cybercrimes on Socio-Economic Development in Kano State

Impact of Cybercriminals Frequency Percentage

Distribution of businesses activities 47 21

Loss of human capital 54 24
Halt tourism activities 48 21
Destabilize online business 50 22
Others 26 12
Total 225 100
Source: Field Survey, (2022).

Table 10 above indicates the responses on the impact of Cybercriminals on Socio-Economic

development in Kano. 21% of the respondents claimed that Cybercriminals destroy business

activities, 24% believed it has led to serious loss of capital, 21% claimed it has halt tourist for

the on line business activities, 22% believed it destabilise bank cash withdrawal while 12%

others claimed that Cybercriminals has led the loss of peace and destruction of companies

and business transaction in the region. Therefore, majority of the respondents believed that

Cybercriminals has led to a loss of capital in Kano State.

A respondent explained that:

I can say the Socio-Economic implication of Cybercriminals in Kano State is that, it affects

youths and even tourist because before the involving of Cybercriminals many people were on

transferring money to Kano business people to ease their activities, apart from many who

ware ended of being the victims of Cybercriminals.

4.4 Section D: Solution to the problem of Cybercrimes in Kano

This section presents the solution suggested by respondents in addressing the menace of

Cybercriminals in Kano. It started by conducting a survey in other to know the perception of

respondents towards solving the problem of Cybercriminals in Nigeria. It subsequently

presents responses from questionnaires and in-depth interview.

Table 10: Ways of Addressing the Cybercrimes

Response Frequency Percentage

Yes 191 85
No 34 15
Total 225 100
Source: Field Survey, (2022).

Table 11 above reflects a survey from respondents to know if the problem of Cybercriminals

can be addressed. 85% of the respondents believed that the problem can be addressed while

25% cannot be solved. Therefore, majority of the respondents believed the problem of

Cybercriminals can be brought to an end.

Table 11: Solution to cybercrime

Solution Frequency Percentage

Creation of job opportunities 57 25.3

Robust poverty alleviation programs 61 27.1
Improve cyber law and tracker equipment 43 19.1
Public enlightenment compaign 18 8
Improve education 34 15.1
Others 12 5.3
Total 225 100
Source: Field Survey, (2022).

Table 12 above indicates the suggested solution to the problem of Cybercriminals by

respondents. 25.3% believed that creation of job opportunities for unemployed youth will

solve the problem, 27.1% believed the adoption of robust poverty alleviation programs,

19.1% believed in improving the security forces equipment, 8% believed public

enlightenment campaign will help,15.1% believed that Cybercriminals should be punish by

security forces if arrested and further to prosecution. Therefore, most of the respondents
believed that developing robust poverty program will help in solving problem of

Cybercrimes.

An interview respondent added that:

“The problem can be address but it has to be approach from different perspective. First of all

there has to be kind mutual cooperations between bankers of Kano State and the security

agencies and there has to be synergy between all the security anencies serving in Kano State.

I mean all the security agencies who are in line to cybercrime supposed to be working hand in

hand”

4.5 Discussion of the Major Finding

This section is made up of the discussion of the major findings which was done in line with

the objectives of the study. It is devided into four sections. The first section covers the Socio-

Economic characteristic of the respondents, the second section deals with the causes of

Cybercrimes in Kano, the third section covers the impacts of Cybercriminals on Socio-

Economic development in Kano while the last section covers solution to the problem of

Cybercrime in Kano State.

4.5.1 the Socio-Economic and demographic characteristics of the respondents

The result of the gender distribution collectedindicated that, most of the respondents are male

probably due to the cultural and religious practice that limit the rate at which female relate

and interact with their male counterparts that are not family members. Tha age distribution

was represented and range between 18 years to 50 years and above where by age bracket 30-

35 constitute the majority. The religion distribution of the study revealed that Muslim

constitute an overwhelming number of respondents due to the facts that the study was carried

out a Muslim dominated region. The occupational status of the respondent shows that

majority were unemployed people who are engaged to Cybercrimes. Majority of the
respondents stayed in Kano. On the educational qualification, majority of the respondents

were SSCE holder.

4.5.2 Causes of Cybercrimes

The findings of the study have revealed that it is bad governance in the study area that has led

to the proliferation of Cybercrimes. This finding is corroborated with the assertion of Daniel (

as cited in Monsuru 2004), who asserted that, the crisis and insurgency in North and North

East of Nigeria with high intensity majorly is about corruption and unfair distribution of

power equality by the government. Okechukwu (2012) also supported this idea by arguing

that the post-election violence that occurred in several northern cities reflected strong

dissatisfaction with elites who protestors thought controlled the election process. Public

opinion polls and news reports suggest that there is a strong sentiment through out the

country, but especially in the North, that government is not on the side of the people; and that

their poverty is a result of government neglect, corruption, and abuse. This is the type of

popular narrative that is ripe an insurgent group to hijack for its own purpose.

4.5.2 impacts of Cybercrimes on the Socio-Economic development of Kano State.

The study discovered that the most common impacts of Cybercriminals on the Socio-

Economic development of Kano is the greatest of capital resulted from Cybercriminals. This

is because; millions of wealth have been lost to Cybercriminals. These millions lost were

originally supposed to constitute the labor strength of the economy. Thus, the findings are in

line with what Shah ( 2011), said “the aftermath of any environment that experience

insurgency usually cut cross every respect of the society and every member of that

environment is either directly or indirectly a victim. Apart from the amount of cost which is

the lost of properties to the Cybercriminals”. In the same vein, to Ben (2012), supported these
findings by asserting that the activities of Cybercriminals” have led to the lost of billions of

Naira.

4.5.3 Solution to the problem Cybercrime in Kano

This study unveiled that the adoption of a robust poverty alleviation programs vwill help in

addressing the problem of yahoo. However, the findings agreed with that of Awojobi (2015),

he argued that the Nigeria government needs to initiate policy that will generate employment

for the unemployed youth and reduce the rate of poverty in the country. Furthermore,

Okechukwu (2017), posited that, Cybercriminals has grown and increasingly more over to the

past one decade, and to stop yahoo will require a strong strategy that employs the

establishment of a comprehensive plan rather than the imposition of more CB martial law. He

added that while more sophisticated and targeted security efforts are necessary to contain

Cybercriminals acts and to capture and prosecute them, the government must also win over

the population by addressing the social and economic problems that have created the

environment in which Cybercriminals can thrive.