The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Anambra State Command, has cautioned youths to be mindful of the risks associated with an unchecked pursuit of instant wealth.
The state commandant, Maku Olatunde, issued the warning on Tuesday in Awka, during a press conference on a national campaign to raise security awareness and combat the ‘Get-Rich-Quick’ syndrome, organised by the National Orientation Agency.
The commandant, represented by the Head of Media and Tactical, Okadigbo Edwin, attributed the surge in crime, lawlessness and heinous acts such as kidnapping and killings for money rituals to a societal obsession with instant wealth.
“This obsession can lead individuals to prioritise financial gain over moral principles, contributing to the breakdown of law and order.
“In a society where materialism and desire to belong in the elite is the order of the day, there is always an alarming rate of crime and social vices.
“Many of our youths are no longer interested in doing the right thing, some dropped out of school to embark on kidnapping, killings and cybercrime also known as yahoo yahoo, favouring shortcuts that often lead to dead ends”, Olatunde stated.
He called on youths to channel their energy and ambition towards legitimate opportunities for wealth creation, emphasising the importance of prioritising integrity, hard work and moral values.
Olatunde enjoined parents to give their wards adequate orientation to divert their minds from quick wealth syndrome.
He reaffirmed the commitment of security agencies to ramp up efforts aimed at ensuring the safety and security of lives and property.
While calling on the members of the public to be vigilant, he maintained that providing credible information on suspicious activities to the security agencies would help tackle the menace of crime and criminality.