The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Olanipekun Olukoyede, has raised alarm that about six out of every 10 students in Nigerian universities are involved in cybercrime.
He said this 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 trend as “a sad development,” the EFCC boss said findings from investigations and field operations by the commission revealed widespread involvement of undergraduates in internet fraud and related crimes.
“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 disclosed that many of those arrested in recent cybercrime operations were students, adding that some had even compromised the integrity of the academic system by allegedly placing lecturers on their payroll.
According to him, the situation reflects deeper systemic challenges, including weak oversight and vulnerabilities within university administration.
Olukayode also cited a major operation in Lagos where 792 suspects linked to a transnational cybercrime syndicate were arrested, noting that a significant 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 beyond Nigeria.
The EFCC chairman further expressed concern over the growing trend of “Yahoo Plus,” where suspects combine internet fraud with fetish practices.
He called on university authorities and governing councils to take urgent steps to curb the menace, including strengthening institutional controls and collaborating with law enforcement agencies.
Olukayode urged pro-chancellors to establish AI-driven governance systems to enhance transparency, detect fraud and improve financial accountability in universities.
He noted that most tertiary institutions still rely heavily on manual systems, making them vulnerable 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 deployment 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 enhance auditing processes in real time.
Olukayode also highlighted the role of technology in improving 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 building 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 deployment of AI.
He also encouraged stronger collaboration between universities, regulatory bodies and anti-corruption agencies to tackle emerging threats.
