EFCC Urges Students to Choose Cybersecurity Over Internet Fraud

​ABUJA — The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has called on tertiary institution students to distance themselves from internet fraud and channel their skills into safeguarding the nation’s digital space.

​The appeal was made during a recent educational visit by staff and 100-level Department of Cybersecurity students from Abdulkadir Kure University, Niger State, to the EFCC Corporate Headquarters in Abuja.

​Speaking on behalf of EFCC Executive Chairman Ola Olukoyede, the Head of the Public Interface Unit, Assistant Commander Tony Ojelimafe Orilade, stressed that the war against financial crimes requires collective participation. He warned that a criminal record resulting from cybercrime—colloquially known as “yahoo yahoo”—carries lifelong repercussions, potentially blocking future employment, higher education, and international travel prospects.

​”When you see something, please try and say something,” Orilade told the visiting undergraduates, urging them to protect their family names and act as ambassadors of integrity.

​Reinforcing this stance, Aisha Mohammed, Head of the EFCC’s Enlightenment and Reorientation Unit, encouraged students to take personal ownership of the anti-corruption campaign. She highlighted the commission’s proactive initiatives, including Zero Tolerance Clubs in tertiary institutions, and advised the youth to resist peer pressure and greed.

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​During a specialized lecture titled “Cybercrime and Its Menace,” Detective Ogunjobi Olalekan categorized digital offenses into cyber-dependent and cyber-enabled crimes. He cautioned students against severe violations such as cyberstalking, unauthorized computer access, sextortion, and the distribution of illicit material, detailing the profound emotional and financial trauma these acts inflict on victims and perpetrators alike.

​However, Olalekan challenged the students to view their academic program as a gateway to professional success, noting that skilled cybersecurity experts are in high demand globally and capable of remote employment across international markets.

​Responding on behalf of the institution, Dr. Jamilu Yahaya Maipan-Uku explained that the excursion was organized to ground the students’ theoretical knowledge in real-world applications. He appealed to the anti-corruption agency to support the university’s cybersecurity curriculum through forensic laboratory facilities, specialized tools, and student internship partnerships.