Crime, Code & Consequences: What To Kill a Monkey Teaches Us About Nigeria’s Cybercrime Laws.

Crime, Code & Consequences: What To Kill a Monkey Teaches Us About Nigeria’s Cybercrime Laws. 

In the world of fast money and faster clicks, when does ambition cross the line into criminality?
That’s the question Kemi Adetiba’s gripping new Netflix thriller, To Kill a Monkey, forces us to confront, and it couldn’t be more relevant.

The series tells the story of Efemini, a struggling man pulled into the dark world of cybercrime by an old friend. What begins as a survival hustle soon morphs into a web of fraud, deceit, and digital manipulation, with consequences spiraling out of control.

At The Street Lawyer NG, we’re not just watching movies, we’re x-raying them through the lens of the law. Let’s unpack the real legal implications of Efemini’s choices using Nigeria’s Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015.

⚖️ What Is the Cybercrimes Act?

The Cybercrimes Act 2015 is Nigeria’s primary legislation for tackling digital offences, from internet fraud and identity theft, to hacking and data tampering. It provides for investigation, prosecution, and punishment of a wide range of online criminal behaviour.

In To Kill a Monkey, almost every major action taken by Efemini and his gang potentially breaches one or more sections of this Act.

🧾 Key Provisions That Come Alive in the Series

🔹 1. Cyber Fraud (Section 14)

Efemini’s crew ran elaborate online scams, likely violating this core provision.

What it covers: Online fraud, “Yahoo Yahoo”, 419 scams.

Penalty: Minimum 7 years imprisonment and/or ₦10 million fine.

🔹 2. Identity Theft (Section 8)

They  used fake identities to impersonate others, thereby committing identity theft.

Penalty: 3 years imprisonment and/or ₦7 million fine.

🔹 3. Hacking & Unauthorized Access (Section 5)

Breaking into digital systems (e.g., bank servers, email accounts) without consent is a criminal offence.

Penalty: 3 years imprisonment or ₦7 million fine, or both.

🔹 4. Data Tampering (Section 6)

If digital footprints are wiped or financial records manipulated, it falls under unlawful data interference.

Penalty: Up to 5 years imprisonment and/or ₦5 million fine.

🔹 5. Conspiracy and Aiding (Section 27)

Efemini might say he’s “just the middleman,” but the law punishes everyone involved in planning or helping.

Penalty: Same as for the main offence.

🔹 6. Restitution & Forfeiture (Section 39)

Even after conviction, offenders must repay victims and forfeit all illegal assets or gadgets used.

🧠 Lessons from Efemini’s Fall

1. Being online doesn’t make it less criminal, Cybercrime is still crime.

2. Helping is still doing — You don’t have to be the hacker to be guilty.

3. There are real victims - Behind every fake profile and digital scheme are real people losing their savings, peace of mind, and trust.

Every day in Nigeria, people are arrested for the same offences shown in To Kill a Monkey. In 2024 alone, the EFCC arrested hundreds of suspected cybercriminals, some barely out of their teens.

While the series is fictional, the consequences are not.

Efemini’s story is a cautionary tale, one that reflects the painful realities of economic desperation, peer pressure, and digital temptation. But ignorance is not a defence. The law is watching, and it leaves digital footprints too.

Have you ever received a suspicious email or WhatsApp message promising easy money? What did you do?

Tell us in the comments or tag us on social media: thestreetlawyerng on IG or drop your comments on this blog post. 

Let’s continue the conversation. Knowledge is your first defence.