THE CONSEQUENCES OF MUGSHOT

To every young person navigating life's challenges. Whatever path you choose, never break the law just to end up with a mugshot. That single image can become a permanent stain on your future, far outlasting any momentary gain or lapse in judgment.

1.Digital Permanence: In our hyper-connected world, that image is captured, uploaded, and shared globally within moments. It becomes virtually impossible to erase. Law enforcement websites, news outlets, and social media platforms ensure it remains accessible to anyone, anywhere, forever.

2.Consequences Reach Every Corner of Life: That mugshot isn't just a photo; it's a barrier. It can sabotage

Employment. Employers routinely conduct online searches and background checks. A criminal record and its visual proof close countless doors. Admissions committees for universities and scholarships also screen applicants thoroughly. Visa applications for many countries require background checks. A criminal record, especially with documented proof like a mugshot, can lead to automatic denial.

Relationships & Reputation. It affects how your community, potential partners, friends, and even future in-laws perceive you. Your family name and your loved ones bear this burden too. Imagine your children or grandchildren discovering that image online years from now. What story does it tell them about you.

It's deeply troubling to see some young people involved in scams and fraud, even treating their eventual mugshots as perverse badges of honor or heroic achievements. This couldn't be further from the truth. Look at the mugshots the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission  posts online. That image is your new, indelible public identity. No matter how much good you do later even if you serve your sentence, turn your life around, or become a preacher of love and peace that digital scar remains. The world has seen it. Your family has seen it. History has recorded it.

Beyond the mugshot, consider the profound immorality of your actions.

You target hardworking people. Stealing the hard-earned money of individuals who sacrificed to earn it.

You prey on the vulnerable. Exploiting elderly retirees, robbing them of the small livelihood they depend on for survival in their later years. This isn't clever; it's the worst kind of wickedness.

You fund emptiness, Squandering this stolen money on fleeting pleasures drinks, fleeting relationships, flashy phones, and cars gained through the suffering of others. What does that say about your character.

Many of us possess the intellect IQ that could be misused for scams or fraud. But we consciously choose differently. We choose

Honesty and Integrity, building a life on solid foundations. Earning success through legitimate effort and skill, living harmoniously within our communities, cultivating a reputation we our families, and our nation can be proud of a legacy that opens doors instead of closing them.

Stay Far Away: Reject fraud, scams, and drugs entirely. They offer only false promises and permanent consequences.

Choose Wisely: Invest your energy, intelligence, and ambition into positive pursuits education, skills development, entrepreneurship, service.

Build a Life of Value: Strive for a life defined by genuine achievement, respect, and peace of mind. A life where your public record is something to celebrate, not something to hide.

Choose the path that leads to a bright, open future, not a digital cell that follows you forever. Your future self, your family, and your nation will thank you.

Until the moment when will shall dance in white Greater Grace.

Oyugbo Osagie Jonah 

#EFCC