THE CHAIRMAN of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has raised concerns about the increasing involvement of university students in cybercrime across Nigeria.
Speaking at the 8th Biennial Conference of Pro-Chancellors of State Universities in Kano, he revealed that recent findings by the commission showed that a large number of students are involved in online fraud.
“Six out of every 10 students in our universities are into cybercrime. It is a very disturbing situation,” Daily Trust reported him as saying.
He warned that the trend remained a serious danger to both the education sector and the country’s values, noting that higher institutions were gradually into centre for fraudulent activities. According to him, many of those arrested for internet fraud, commonly known as “Yahoo Yahoo,” are undergraduates.
He also raised alarm about the rise of “Yahoo Plus,” where cybercrime is combined with ritual practices.
Olukoyede pointed out that some of the students involved in cybercrime go as far as breaking into school systems and even pressuring lecturers to change their grades.
He urged school authorities and governing bodies to act quickly by tightening internal controls and promoting strong moral values among students. He also recommended the use of modern tools like artificial intelligence to help identify and prevent such crimes within universities.
The EFCC chairman further mentioned a major crackdown in Lagos where 792 individuals connected to an international cybercrime network were apprehended. He noted that many of those arrested were students, highlighting how widespread and organised these illegal activities have become. According to him, the operation relies on advanced technology, including AI, to uncover the network.
While calling on university leaders to improve internal systems and work closely with law enforcement agencies, he advised institutions to adopt AI-based management systems to improve openness, detect fraud, and ensure proper use of funds.
He explained that many universities depended on outdated manual processes, making it easier for issues like ghost workers on payroll, inflated project costs, and misuse of funds to occur.
“A university that lacks financial accountability cannot credibly train future professionals. The integrity of our universities is a matter of national security,” he said.
He emphasised that artificial intelligence could be used in areas such as detecting fraud, managing salaries, monitoring contracts, and maintaining academic honesty. These tools can quickly spot unusual financial activities, identify payment errors, and improve auditing systems, he stated.
Olukoyede added that technology has already helped the EFCC in its investigations, especially in tracking financial crimes and analysing digital evidence. However, he stressed that AI should support human decision-making, not replace it, and must be used in line with existing laws on data protection and procurement.
He also encouraged universities to train staff in fields like cybersecurity, machine learning, and digital administration. In addition, he urged institutions to improve their technology systems by investing in reliable internet access and cloud-based platforms to make AI implementation effective.