CYBERCRIME AND YOUTH BEHAVIOUR IN EDO STATE, NIGERIA: A MIXED-METHODS INQUIRY INTO THE “YAHOO” SUBCULTURE

Abstract

The study investigated the nature and strength of the relationship between cybercrime involvement and youth behavioural outcomes in Edo State, Nigeria. The research was grounded in Merton’s Strain Theory, which explains how societal pressures and structurallimitations drive individuals toward innovative yet illicit adaptations to achieve success. Adopting a mixed-methods research design, quantitative data were collected from 1,200 respondents using cluster and stratified sampling methods, while qualitative data were collected via in-depth interviews with 9 purposefully selected interviewees from the "Yahoo" subculture. Statistical analysis, using the Pearson Product-Moment Correlation, revealed an extremely strong positive relationship between cybercrime and behavioural shifts (r = 0.8889; p < 0.05). The findings indicated that cybercrime involvement is a primary driver for the normalisation of digital deviance. The study concluded that cybercrime in Edo State has evolved from a peripheral offence into a central socio-structural identity that has reconfigured traditional values. The study recommended the establishment of digital incubation hubs and trauma-informed  rehabilitation services to redirect youth technical proficiencies toward legitimate global sectors.