Investigating Undergraduate Students Levels of Cybercrime Awareness: A Study of Northwest University Sokoto, Sokoto State, Nigeria
Kamal Muhammad Sani, Mukhtar Abubakar Hassan, Mubarak Saidu, Suraj Kabiru, Umar Dahiru Tata · International Journal of Social Sciences and Educational Studies · 2024
The purpose of this study was to examine the levels of cybercrime awareness among undergraduate students at Northwest University Sokoto (NWUS), a private university located in Kalambaina, Wammako Local Government Area, Sokoto State, Nigeria. We used a structured questionnaire to collect data from a sample of 125 undergraduate students (70 male and 55 female students). According to the study’s results, the majority of the surveyed undergraduate students had a basic knowledge of prevalent cybercrimes such as identity theft, phishing attacks, revenge pornography, cyberbullying, and computer hacking, with males showing a higher awareness compared to their female pairs. However, the study discovered that the majority of the surveyed students showed a lack of awareness regarding cybercrime laws. These findings emphasized the need for educational institutions, including tertiary, secondary, and primary schools, to develop and integrate cybercrime education into the curriculum, which is crucial for equipping students, especially the vulnerable, with knowledge about cybercrime and cybersecurity to safeguard themselves. The study suggests that periodic seminars, workshops, and conferences should be organized for both students and staff to educate them about cybercrime and measures to prevent cybercrime victimization.