A Descriptive Study of Cybercrime Engagement and Contributing Factors among Secondary School Students

This study investigated the types, prevalence, and influencing factors of cybercrime participation among secondary school students in Ife Central Local Government Area, Osun State, Nigeria. A descriptive survey research design was employed, involving 200 students selected through proportionate random sampling from three public secondary schools. Data were collected using a structured and validated questionnaire, with a reliability coefficient of 0.80, and analysed using descriptive statistics and the Relative Significance Index (RSI). Findings revealed that the most commonly engaged cybercrimes were fraudulent activities (19.5%) and hacking (19.0%), while cyberbullying (8.0%) was the least reported. In terms of the most practiced cybercrimes, fraudulent activities (17.0%), phishing (15.0%), and illegal downloading or sharing (14.5%) were the most frequent. The RSI values further confirmed the dominance of fraudulent activities (0.195) and hacking (0.190) among student responses. Regarding influencing factors, the school environment (29.5%), internet research (26.5%), and financial gain (22.0%) emerged as the most significant, while family influence (5.5%) and revenge or retaliation (4.5%) were least cited. These results align with national and global research trends indicating increasing youth engagement in financially and technologically driven cyber offences. The study recommends integrating cyber ethics into the school curriculum, enhancing digital monitoring both at home and in schools, organizing awareness programs, and increasing parental involvement in students’ digital Behaviour. These measures are crucial for curbing cybercriminal tendencies and promoting responsible digital citizenship among young people.