Ola Olukoyede, chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), expressed worry that around six out of every ten university students in Nigeria are participating in cybercrime.
He made the comment on Tuesday at the beginning of the 8th biennial conference of the Committee of Pro-Chancellors of State-Owned Universities in Nigeria (COPSUN), which was held in Kano.
The event’s topic was “Unlocking the potentials of artificial intelligence: University governance, internationalisation and rankings.”
Olukoyede stated that evidence from recent EFCC field operations revealed a concerning level of cyber fraud activity among undergraduates.
“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 regarded as profound structural issues within the academic system, such as inadequate oversight and accountability procedures.
According to Daily Trust, the EFCC chief also revealed that many of those arrested in recent cybercrime investigations were students, with some allegedly putting instructors on payroll, undermining academic integrity.
He also stated that a large proportion of the 792 suspected cyber fraudsters apprehended in Lagos in December 2024 were students, and that the operation revealed the scope of cybercrime networks functioning in the country.
Olukoyede also voiced alarm about the emergence of “Yahoo Plus,” which purportedly combines internet fraud with fetish behaviours.
To address the problem, he urged university officials to tighten institutional controls and expand cooperation with law enforcement agencies.
“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 pushed for the use of artificial intelligence in fraud detection, payroll management, procurement monitoring, and academic integrity.
He stated that AI techniques might assist flag questionable transactions, detect irregular wage payments, and improve real-time auditing processes.
Olukoyede also stated that the EFCC had already begun to use artificial intelligence in its investigations, such as digital forensics and financial tracking.