A Nigerian secondary school student has sparked debate after arguing that government failures, unemployment and economic hardship are contributing to the growing involvement of young people in fr@udulent activities.

The Senior Secondary School Two (SS2) student made the argument during a school debate while supporting the motion that the government bears responsibility for the rise in fraud across the country.

The student cited widespread unemployment, poverty and poor leadership as some of the factors pushing young Nigerians towards internet fr@ud, popularly known as Yahoo Yahoo.

According to the student, many university graduates spend between five and ten years searching for employment, while factories shut down, businesses struggle and inflation continues to worsen economic conditions.

The student argued that these challenges have left some young people frustrated and vulnerable to criminal activities as they struggle to survive.

The student also pointed to rising fuel prices, school fees and electricity bills, arguing that workers’ salaries have largely failed to keep pace with the increasing cost of living.

The student maintained that economic pressure has driven some people towards begging, deception, the sale of counterfeit products and other illegal activities.

“People start begging, lying, selling fake products and engaging in other cr!mes to survive. The government creates that survival mode,” the student argued.

The student further criticised the state of Nigeria’s education system and youth empowerment initiatives, alleging that some programmes designed to support young people are undermined by corruption and the diversion of funds.

The student argued that government officials who fail to demonstrate integrity cannot reasonably expect citizens to uphold high moral standards.

“A government that does not act morally cannot expect its citizens to be morally upright,” the student added.

Concluding the speech, the student maintained that the government had failed to adequately fulfil its responsibilities towards citizens’ welfare and security, arguing that its policies and shortcomings contribute to the conditions in which fraudulent activities thrive.

Although the speech places significant responsibility on the government, economic hardship does not justify fraud, and individual responsibility remains an important part of the debate.