FROM DIGITAL FRAUD TO VIOLENT CRIME: POST- ‘YAHOO PLUS’ AND THE GROWTH OF INSECURITY IN THE ASABA–OGWASHI-UKU AXIS OF DELTA STATE, NIGERIA

This study investigated how insecurity has evolved in the Asaba and Ogwashi-Ukwu axis of Delta State, with particular attention to the post-Yahoo Plus era. The research was driven by growing concerns that the decline of cyberfraud has pushed many former perpetrators toward more violent crimes such as kidnapping, ritual practices, and extortion. The study examined the nature of insecurity in the area, the influence of post-Yahoo Plus activities, and the community and institutional responses to these challenges. A descriptive survey design was used, combining quantitative and qualitative methods. A sample of 400 participants was drawn from youths, law enforcement personnel, civil society, traditional and religious leaders, and prison inmates. Data were collected with structured questionnaires, interviews, and focus group discussions. Quantitative data were analysed using SPSS with descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and correlation analysis, while qualitative responses were examined thematically. Findings showed a predominantly youthful population experiencing and observing rising insecurity. Respondents strongly agreed that post-Yahoo Plus activities have contributed to increased violent crime in the region. Across all groups, there was widespread dissatisfaction with existing security measures and a shared belief that weak social institutions, poor moral structures, and declining economic opportunities sustain insecurity. The study concluded that insecurity in the region is multidimensional and rooted in social disorganization. It recommended strengthening community policing, rebuilding social and moral institutions, expanding youth empowerment initiatives, addressing the socio-economic drivers of Yahoo Plus culture, improving law enforcement capacity, and promoting collaborative, community centred approaches to prevention.