KANO, Nigeria — Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Chairman, Olanipekun Olukoyede, has raised concerns over rising cybercrime among university students, stating that about six out of every 10 undergraduates are involved in internet fraud.
Olukoyede disclosed this during the 8th Biennial Conference of the Committee of Pro-Chancellors of State-Owned Universities in Nigeria held in Kano State, northern Nigeria, where stakeholders discussed the role of artificial intelligence in university governance and global competitiveness.
Okay News reports that the EFCC chairman said findings from the commission’s investigations and operations over the past year point to widespread involvement of students in cybercrime activities, commonly known as ‘Yahoo-Yahoo’.
“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,” Olukoyede said.
He added that many suspects arrested in recent operations were undergraduates, with some allegedly compromising academic systems by placing lecturers on their payroll.
Olukoyede said the trend reflects deeper institutional challenges, including weak oversight structures and administrative vulnerabilities within universities.
He cited a major operation in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital, where 792 suspects linked to a transnational cybercrime network were arrested, noting that a significant number of those apprehended were students.
The EFCC chairman said the operation was powered by artificial intelligence tools, which helped expose the scale and sophistication of cybercrime networks operating across borders.
He also warned about the growing trend of ‘Yahoo Plus’, where internet fraud is combined with fetish practices, describing it as a dangerous escalation of criminal activity.
Olukoyede called on university authorities and governing councils to strengthen internal controls and work closely with law enforcement agencies to curb the menace.
“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 urged institutions to adopt artificial intelligence-driven governance systems to improve transparency, detect fraud, and strengthen financial accountability, noting that many universities still rely on manual processes vulnerable to abuse.
The EFCC chairman said AI tools can support fraud detection, payroll monitoring, procurement oversight, and academic integrity by identifying suspicious transactions and irregular financial activities in real time.
He added that the EFCC has already integrated artificial intelligence into its investigative processes, including digital forensics and financial tracking, improving its ability to tackle financial crimes.
Olukoyede, however, cautioned that artificial intelligence should complement human oversight and be deployed within existing legal frameworks, including data protection and procurement laws.
He also called for increased investment in cybersecurity training, machine learning, and digital governance, urging universities to strengthen infrastructure such as broadband connectivity and cloud-based systems.
The EFCC chairman stressed the need for stronger collaboration between universities, regulators, and anti-corruption agencies to address emerging threats in the digital space.
