Who Dem Be: Profiling the Yahoo Boys in Metropolitan Lagos

Abstract

The increasing involvement of young people in cybercrime in Nigeria has become a major concern for scholars, policymakers, and security institutions. This paper examines the features of young cybercrime offenders in Lagos State with a view to understanding their socio-demographic and psycho-demographic characteristics. Employing a mixed-method approach, data were collected through structured questionnaires administered to 277 convicted cybercrime offenders and 20 key informant interviews with law enforcement agents. Drawing on both quantitative and qualitative data obtained from correctional centres and key informant interviews (KIIs) with law enforcement agents, the study found that most offenders are male youths between 18 and 29 years, predominantly from the southern part of Nigeria. Psycho-demographically, they exhibit traits such as lavish spending, substance use, low empathy, and a quest for quick wealth. The paper employs Space Transition Theory to explain how anonymity in cyberspace allows offenders to drift from conformity in physical space to deviant behavior online. The findings provide insight into the evolving identity, motivations, and social organization of young cybercrime offenders, offering policy implications for intervention and rehabilitation.