The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Olanipekun Olukoyede, has raised concerns over what he described as an alarming rise in cybercrime involving students in Nigerian universities, warning that the trend poses a serious threat to the country’s future.
Olukoyede disclosed that recent findings by the commission suggest that a significant proportion of undergraduates are engaged in online fraud, with estimates indicating that about six in every 10 students may be involved in cyber-related offences.
The EFCC boss spoke at the 8th Biennial Conference of the Committee of Pro-Chancellors of State-Owned Universities held in Kano, where he described the development as “deeply troubling” and reflective of systemic failures within the nation’s university system.
According to him, investigations and arrests carried out by the commission have consistently revealed a high number of students among suspects linked to cybercrime, with some allegedly going as far as employing tutors to manipulate academic processes.
He attributed the trend to weak institutional oversight, poor administrative controls and broader governance challenges within tertiary institutions.
Citing a recent operation in Lagos, Olukoyede said the commission arrested 792 suspects connected to an international cybercrime syndicate, noting that a large number of those apprehended were undergraduates.
He added that the operation, which leveraged advanced technological tools including artificial intelligence, exposed the scale and sophistication of cybercrime networks operating within and beyond Nigeria.
The EFCC chairman also warned about the growing menace of “Yahoo Plus” — a form of internet fraud allegedly linked with ritual practices — describing it as a dangerous evolution of cybercrime with grave implications for national security and societal values.
Olukoyede called on university governing councils and administrators to take urgent steps to curb the trend by strengthening internal monitoring systems and collaborating closely with law enforcement agencies.
“A university cannot, in good conscience, produce future leaders without ensuring accountability and integrity in its system. The security of this nation is tied to the credibility of our institutions,” he said.
He further advocated the adoption of digital and artificial intelligence-driven systems in university administration to enhance transparency, curb fraud and reduce vulnerabilities associated with manual processes.
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