•EFCC chairman, Olanipekun Olukoyede
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has warned that the surge in internet fraud cases is worsening visa restrictions for innocent Nigerians seeking to travel abroad.
EFCC Chairman, Olanipekun Olukoyede, said the menace not only jeopardises the future of perpetrators but also damages Nigeria’s reputation, exposing law-abiding citizens to stricter travel conditions, reports Nigerian Tribune.
Olukoyede, represented by Chief Superintendent of the EFCC, CSE Coker Oyegunle, made this known on Monday at an event in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, organised by the Coalition of Nigerian Youth on Security and Safety Affairs. His remarks were contained in a statement issued by the Commission yesterday.
According to him, crimes such as cyber fraud, money laundering, and economic sabotage drain Nigeria of billions of naira annually, crippling development and denying citizens access to infrastructure, jobs, and opportunities.
“Beyond the economic damage, internet fraud erodes Nigeria’s international image and subjects innocent Nigerians to stricter visa restrictions abroad,” the EFCC statement read.
Olukoyede urged Nigerian youths to channel their creativity into productive ventures such as digital innovation, entrepreneurship, agriculture, and the creative industry, stressing that fraud is a trap, not a pathway to success.
“Fraud is not success; it is a trap. Easy come, easy go. Many who follow the path of ‘yahoo-yahoo’ end up losing their freedom, reputation, and future. The law is catching up with them and digital footprints never disappear. Don’t destroy your tomorrow with shortcuts today,” he said.
He also reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to sensitisation, enforcement, and community collaboration in the fight against fraud.
Other agencies represented at the event also raised concerns. The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) described drug abuse as one of the most dangerous threats confronting Nigerian youths, while the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) warned against pipeline vandalism in the South-South.
The EFCC has in recent months intensified its clampdown on cybercrime. In August, its Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 arrested 38 suspected internet fraudsters at a hotel in Ikorodu, Lagos, recovering vehicles, phones, and substances suspected to be narcotics.
Similarly, the Benin Zonal Directorate secured the conviction of 12 persons, including two brothers, for offences related to advance fee fraud and possession of fraudulent documents.
