The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Olanipekun Olukoyede, has sounded a warning that nearly six out of every 10 students in Nigerian universities are engaged in cybercrime.
He made this known at the 8th Biennial Conference of the Committee of Pro-Chancellors of State-Owned Universities in Nigeria held in Kano, themed “Unlocking the Potentials of Artificial Intelligence: University Governance, Internationalization and Rankings”.
Describing the situation as “a sad development,” the EFCC boss said insights from investigations and field operations by the commission indicated widespread participation of undergraduates in internet fraud and similar offences.
“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 revealed that many suspects apprehended in recent cybercrime crackdowns were students, adding that some had even undermined the integrity of the academic system by allegedly putting lecturers on their payroll.
According to him, the development points to deeper structural issues, including weak supervision and loopholes within university administration.
Olukayode also referenced a major operation in Lagos where 792 suspects connected to a transnational cybercrime syndicate were arrested, noting that a considerable number of them were students.
He said the operation, powered by artificial intelligence tools, exposed the scale and sophistication of cybercrime networks operating within and outside Nigeria.
The EFCC chairman further raised concern over the increasing trend of “Yahoo Plus,” where suspects combine internet fraud with fetish practices.
He urged university authorities and governing councils to take immediate steps to address the menace, including strengthening institutional frameworks and collaborating with law enforcement agencies.
Olukayode advised pro-chancellors to adopt AI-driven governance systems to boost transparency, detect fraud and improve financial accountability in universities.
He observed that most tertiary institutions still depend largely on manual systems, making them susceptible to fraud such as ghost workers, inflated contracts and diversion of funds.
“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 boss advocated the use of artificial intelligence in areas such as fraud detection, payroll management, procurement monitoring and academic integrity.
He said AI tools could help flag suspicious transactions, identify irregular salary payments and strengthen auditing processes in real time.
Olukayode also emphasised the role of technology in enhancing governance and accountability, noting that the EFCC had successfully deployed AI in its investigations, including digital forensics and financial tracking.
He, however, stressed that AI should complement, not replace, human oversight, and must be implemented in line with existing laws such as data protection and procurement regulations.
He called for improved capacity development in areas such as cybersecurity, machine learning and digital governance across university systems.
The EFCC chairman further urged institutions to invest in digital infrastructure, including broadband connectivity and cloud systems, to enable effective use of AI.
He also encouraged stronger collaboration between universities, regulatory bodies and anti-corruption agencies to tackle emerging threats.
