Nigeria is expressing concerns about the involvement of students in cyber fraud. The country’s anti-corruption agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), is seeking cooperation from university leaders to tackle this issue.
In recent actions, the EFCC faced criticism for conducting a night raid at Obafemi Awolowo University. They arraigned eleven students from the university for alleged internet fraud.
The arraignment was before Justice Nathaniel Ayo-Emmanuel of the Federal High Court, Osogbo, Osun State for their alleged involvement in internet fraud. “The defendants were arraigned on different count charges, ranging from one to six charges as preferred against them by the EFCC,” a statement by the anti-corruption agency reads.
Upon their arraignments, they all pleaded “not guilty” to the charges when they were read to them. Consequently, prosecution counsel, Oluwatoyin Owodunni prayed the court for trial dates and the remand of the defendants at a Correctional Centre.
The EFCC has called for collaboration with tertiary institution heads to combat cybercrime among students. Regional commander Michael Nzekwe has encouraged universities to take preventive measures and consider integrating anti-corruption courses into their curriculum.
The initiative comes in response to the increasing trend of students engaging in cybercrime, a concern that has sparked protests among the student population. The aim is to create a more focused academic environment and discourage involvement in illegal activities.
