The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has issued a powerful charge to the young minds of Nigeria, urging them to steadfastly choose the path of integrity and ethical standards while unequivocally rejecting the seductive lure of internet fraud.
The anti-graft czar delivered this crucial message during an orientation and sensitization programme organized for new students of the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) in Kaduna for the 2025/2026 academic session, framing the fight against cybercrime as a foundational element for nurturing the nation’s future leaders.
Speaking through Chief Superintendent Nana Fatima Abubakar of the EFCC’s Public Affairs Department, Olukoyede dismantled the illusion of easy wealth, delivering a stark reality check to the students.
He reiterated that there are “no shortcuts to wealth,” emphasizing that the timeless virtues of hard work, perseverance, and dedication remain the only legitimate and sustainable paths to genuine success.
The EFCC boss painted a grim picture of the consequences of cybercrime, warning that the desperate desire for quick riches often leads to a devastating trifecta: the loss of personal freedom, irreparable damage to one’s reputation, and a descent into depression or even untimely death.
Acknowledging that youths constitute the majority of cybercrime perpetrators in the country, Olukoyede challenged them to redirect their talents positively.
He pointed out that the very same internet space used for fraud can be harnessed for legitimate and profitable ventures.
Identifying peer pressure, a lack of patriotism, greed, and sheer laziness as key catalysts for this social menace, he also highlighted the alarming interconnection between internet fraud, drug abuse, and involvement in criminal fetish activities.
Beyond the warnings, the EFCC Chairman made a strategic appeal for partnership, imploring the students to become active stakeholders in the fight against corruption by utilizing the Commission’s Eagle Eye App to report crimes anonymously, thereby safeguarding their future and that of the nation.
