The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has uncovered a suspected fake university operating from a three-bedroom apartment in Ilado, within the Olorunda Local Council Development Area of Lagos State. During the operation, officers rescued 106 youths who were allegedly recruited into the scheme and arrested the suspected proprietor.
According to the NSCDC, the raid followed several days of intelligence gathering and surveillance before officers moved in during the early hours of Monday. Investigators said the fake university had no official name, registration, signboard or recognised campus. Despite this, it allegedly advertised itself online as a distance-learning centre linked to a foreign university.
Speaking on the operation, Badagry Area Commander Chief Superintendent Gbenga Ekunola said, “We received reliable intelligence regarding the activities at the location. Our operatives kept the premises under surveillance for several days before carrying out the operation. The proprietor has been arrested and is assisting with our investigation, while the students have been placed under protective custody.”
The investigation showed that the rescued youths, mostly aged between 19 and 24, came from states including Kogi, Oyo and several northern states. Others reportedly travelled from Niger, Cameroon and Togo after responding to online recruitment. The NSCDC alleged that victims paid between ₦200,000 and ₦1.5 million in fees, while some foreign nationals reportedly paid $400 to $500 after being promised admission into a foreign institution.
Investigators also discovered that participants were allegedly encouraged to recruit more students in return for commissions, creating a system the NSCDC said closely resembled a Ponzi or chain-marketing scheme. Some members also reportedly earned money by promoting unidentified products online.
Ekunola expressed concern that many parents were unaware of their children’s activities and confirmed that the rescued youths would be profiled before reuniting with their families. He added that anyone found responsible for running the fake university would face prosecution, while investigations continue to uncover other people linked to the operation and determine whether similar schemes exist elsewhere in Nigeria.
What stronger measures should authorities take to protect young people from fraudulent education schemes?
