By David Onwuchekwa
There has been outcry in recent time over the activities of “Yahoo Boys” and increase in house rents across Anambra State, a situation that has given serious concerns to ordinary citizens who seek accommodations especially in major urban areas in Anambra.
“Yahoo boys” is a colloquial term used to describe individuals involved in cybercrime, particularly online scams and fraud.
In Anambra State, there have been reports of “Yahoo Boys” contributing to an increase in house rents in major towns like Onitsha, Nnewi, Awka and other sub-urbans.
According to findings, the “Yahoo boys” often have a high disposable income, which they use to rent luxurious apartments and houses.
This increased demand for high-end housing drives up rents, making it difficult for ordinary citizens to afford accommodations. The “Yahoo boys” usually engage in bidding wars for properties, which drive up rents.
Some landlords as discovered prefer renting to “Yahoo Boys” due to their ability to pay higher rents. This leads to a situation where landlords prioritize renting to them over other tenants.
This is quite challenging and calls for urgent government attention to address it and save citizens the nightmare of accommodation problems especially under the current hard economic situation.
The government can establish rent control policies to regulate the rents payable for any accommodation in Anambra State. This can help prevent exorbitant rent increases and ensure that housing remains affordable for all citizens.
Government can invest in building more affordable housing units spread across the major urban cities, which can help reduce the demand for luxury housing and drive down rents.
It is imperative for government to strengthen its efforts to enforce anti-money laundering laws, making it more difficult for “Yahoo Boys” to launder their illicit funds and use them to drive up housing rents.
The State government can promote alternative sources of income and entrepreneurship opportunities, reducing the reliance on cybercrime and encouraging legitimate economic activities.
The State government’s recent approach using a security outfit “Agunechemba” to fish out perpetrators should also be sustained to arrest and prosecute the “Yahoo Boys” wherever they are caught in the State.
The landlords who deliberately give housing accommodations to the “Yahoo Boys” as the “highest bidders” should be held accountable by the State and be made to face the necessary sanction.
We, therefore, believe that when the root causes of the issue are dealt with and government implement policies to regulate the housing business, this can help reduce the impact of “Yahoo Boys” on house rents hike in Anambra State.
