The Building Youth Resilience Against Cybercrime (BYRAC) project was initiated to address the increasing involvement of youths in cybercrimes in Lagos State, Nigeria. Cybercrimes have emerged as a menace that is voraciously eating deep into the fabric of the digital world. Many victims have lost their life savings, property, and even their lives because of these crimes. However, the perpetrators, oblivious and sometimes adamant about the consequences of their actions, continue to promote and recruit more youths into committing the crimes. This is especially prevalent in the slum areas of Lagos where the majority of the youths grow up in lack which pushes them to embrace any means of escaping poverty. It is because of this imbroglio that the BYRAC project sought to empower participants with the knowledge, tools, and support systems needed to resist the allure of cybercrime and pursue legitimate pathways to success.
The BYRAC project was conceived as a proactive intervention strategy to address the root causes of youth vulnerability to cybercrime. By targeting at-risk youths in Ajeromi Ifelodun, Ifako-Ijaiye, and Ikorodu local governments in Lagos, the project aimed to build resilience, foster digital literacy, and create a supportive environment for positive behavioural change. Through a combination of resilience-building sessions, digital skills training, movie screenings, and the establishment of a virtual safe space, the project sought to mitigate the risk factors associated with cybercrime involvement and promote positive behavioural change.
The implementation of the BYRAC project yielded several notable outcomes, including: