show how you arrived at figure of students into cybercrime – Shehu tasks EFCC
Public Affairs Commentator Criticizes EFCC for Student Fraud Claims
LAGOS — Public affairs commentator Mahdi Shehu criticized the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday for its assertion that a significant percentage of Nigerian university students are engaged in internet fraud, commonly referred to as “Yahoo Yahoo.”
In a post on his official X account, Shehu described the EFCC’s statement as potentially harmful to the reputation and futures of many innocent students. He questioned the methodology behind the agency’s claims and called for transparency regarding the data used to reach such conclusions.
“How did the EFCC arrive at this sweeping conclusion?” Shehu asked, urging the agency to publicly disclose the research findings that led to its statement.
Shehu also encouraged the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) to take a stand against what he termed a “spurious claim,” emphasizing that it could jeopardize the integrity and future prospects of innocent students.
“For a comprehensive understanding, the EFCC should also publish the names of politicians, civil servants, and other public officials who have been convicted or are under investigation for corruption,” he added.
He argued that publishing this information would allow the public to differentiate between high-level corruption and the alleged activities of youths involved in cybercrime. He accused the EFCC of disproportionately targeting younger individuals while neglecting to address the actions of high-profile criminals.
Shehu claimed that until senior criminals are held accountable for their actions, efforts to combat cybercrime among youth may lack credibility. “As long as senior offenders continue to flaunt their ill-gotten gains without consequence, the EFCC’s focus on younger offenders appears misguided,” he stated.
Earlier this week, EFCC Chairman Olanipekun Olukoyede highlighted the issue during the 8th Biennial Conference of the Committee of Pro-Chancellors of State-Owned Universities in Nigeria, where he reported that approximately six out of ten university students are involved in cybercrime.
“My research over the past year has revealed that about six out of ten students in our universities are into cybercrime. It is a very disturbing situation,” Olukoyede said at the conference in Kano.
