On an E-flier on Twitter, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) threw a warning to landlords. If anyone rents a home to partisans of the advance fee fraud community, often called Yahoo Boys, they will risk 15 years in jail.

The EFCC is serious about this, and its language is crisp in its portent: “‘Give Your House To Yahoo Boys, Spend 15 Years In Jail.”

The agency followed this with an online engagement to Nigerians and made its point even in pidgin English to relate its message to the grassroots. “Okay, now! What a juicy topic! E go, sweet wella! Landlord way yahoo-boy dey stay for him house, my people, na 15 years imprisonment for the landlord o! E don set!”

In making its case, the EFCC adverts to the law. It is section 3 of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 which stipulates thus: “A person who, being the occupier or is concerned in the management of any premises, causes or knowingly permits the premises to be used for any purpose which constitutes an offence under this Act is guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term of not less than five years without the option of a fine.”

The heart of the agency may be in the right place, and so is the law. But it is tricky to execute.

It is not as easy for a landlord to know if a prospective tenant is a Yahoo Boy simply by following due process. EFCC’s deputy director, legal and prosecution, Sylvanus Tahir, and assistant director, legal and prosecution, Cosmos Ugwu, have harped on the exigency of landlords to rise up to the challenge. They insist it is in the collective interest of landlords, caretakers to do due diligence or else they would fall guilty of extant laws.

Tahir said: “It is in the collective interest of landlords, caretakers. The menace faced from activities of Yahoo boys cannot be overstated. If you have not fallen a victim, you will not understand.”

What we need from government is data. Background checks in Nigeria do not always work in a society without clear data about people’s background, criminal labour, parentage, schools, and other associations.

We appreciate EFCC’s zeal, especially when it takes the path of public enlightenment.

Ugwu said: “The commission is mindful of what breach of this entails hence we are going out to sensitise. It is left for landlords to make an effort to educate themselves. Ignorance is not an excuse. The National Assembly has passed the law. People would make an effort to know what the law is and advise accordingly. The menace of ‘Yahoo Yahoo’ and other crimes deals a deadly blow to this country.”

We fear that innocent citizens may be mixed up with felons, and that may complicate the matter.

We agree with Tahir that “there are things we do ignorantly. Those who have heard should pass the information to others. The law criminalises the use of premises for wrong reasons or to cause somebody to use your premises for cybercrimes and other crimes.”

It is better pontificated than executed.

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