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Ola Olukoyede, chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has raised concern that about six in every 10 university students in Nigeria are involved in cybercrime.
He made the remark on Tuesday at the opening of the 8th biennial conference of the Committee of Pro-Chancellors of State-Owned Universities in Nigeria (COPSUN), held in Kano.
The theme of the event was “Unlocking the potentials of artificial intelligence: University governance, internationalisation and rankings.”
Olukoyede said findings from recent EFCC field operations showed a troubling level of internet fraud involvement among undergraduates.
Read Also: DSS Arrests El-Rufai Shortly After Release From EFCC
“My research in the last one year has shown that about six out of 10 students in our universities are into cybercrime. It is a very disturbing situation,” he said.
He blamed the trend on what he described as deep-seated structural problems within the university system, including weak oversight and poor accountability mechanisms.
According to Daily Trust, the EFCC boss also disclosed that many of those arrested in recent cybercrime operations were students, some of whom allegedly placed lecturers on payroll, thereby undermining academic integrity.
He further noted that a significant number of the 792 suspected cyber fraudsters arrested in Lagos in December 2024 were students, adding that the operation exposed the scale of cybercrime networks operating in the country.
Olukoyede also expressed concern over the rise of “Yahoo Plus”, where internet fraud is allegedly combined with fetish practices.
He called on university authorities to strengthen institutional controls and deepen cooperation with law enforcement agencies to address the problem.
“A university that lacks financial accountability cannot credibly train future professionals. The integrity of our universities is a matter of national security,” he said.
The EFCC chairman also advocated the use of artificial intelligence in fraud detection, payroll management, procurement monitoring and academic integrity.
He said AI tools could help flag suspicious transactions, detect irregular salary payments and enhance real-time auditing processes.
Olukoyede added that the EFCC had already begun deploying AI in its investigations, including digital forensics and financial tracking.
Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, was arrested by operatives of the Department of State Services, DSS, shortly after being released on bail by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
El-Rufai, who was granted bail at around 8 p.m., was immediately picked up by DSS operatives who reportedly lay in wait at the EFCC headquarters.
His arrest is reportedly linked to allegations that he unlawfully intercepted the phone communications of the National Security Adviser, NSA, Nuhu Ribadu.
The former governor, a prominent chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), had earlier honoured the EFCC’s invitation on Monday over alleged corruption linked to his administration.
He arrived at the EFCC headquarters accompanied by hundreds of his supporters.
This development comes after El-Rufai narrowly escaped arrest at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, last Thursday.
Following the airport incident, he accused NSA Nuhu Ribadu of orchestrating the attempted arrest in a series of interviews.
Former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has alleged that the National Security Adviser, NSA, Nuhu Ribadu, is planning to run for the presidency in 2031.
Amaechi claimed that Ribadu is working to set up chieftains of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to pave the way for President Bola Tinubu’s victory in 2027.
He made the disclosure while expressing doubt over claims that former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, hacked Ribadu’s phone. Amaechi said El-Rufai lacked the capacity to hack Ribadu’s phone.
The comments were made during a phone-in conversation on Eagles Radio and later shared on X by ADC chieftain Dele Momodu.
He said: “I doubt that El-Rufai said he hacked NSA Nuhu Ribadu’s phone. He doesn’t have the capacity to do so. It’s the NSA’s office that is listening to our calls.
“Ribadu is busy arresting everybody. He’s planning double elections. He’s planning for himself in 2031 and also planning for Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
“All he’s doing is setting up parties to fight the ADC. He has his own fake ADC. Just go to court; he has so many ADC cases in court with small boys he has bought cars for.
