AI ,assist EFCC to nabs 792 suspected cybercriminals in a single operation in Lagos–EFCC Chairman
Kola Oyelere Kano
The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Olanipekun Olukoyede, has disclosed that with usage of Artificial intelligence operatives(AI) the commission arrested 792 suspected cybercriminals during a single operation in Lagos.
Olukayode further revealed that 193 of those arrested were foreign nationals from different parts of the world, including some from Europe, underscoring the transnational dimension of cybercrime networks operating within the country.
He noted that the scale of the arrest reflects both the agency’s operational capacity and the growing sophistication of cybercrime in the country.
According to him, the suspects were allegedly involved in hacking into Nigerian banks and defrauding citizens of their legitimate earnings.
Olukayode, who described the raid as unprecedented, said the suspects were apprehended in a building located in Victoria Island, an area regarded as a major commercial hub.
The EFCC chairman said the operation commenced at about 6 p.m. and continued until 4 a.m. the following day. He added that approximately 14 buses were deployed to transport the suspects from the scene.
And people were seeing them. Unpinned with this government. And so… And you know, it would have been possible for us with those 792 people, without the deployment of a system that would help us fast track and do link analysis.
And that was what AI did for us. Including about 193 foreign nationals, 114 Chinese, 43 Filipinos, 2 Kazakhstans, 1 Pakistani, 1 Indonesian. In a 7-story building in Victoria Island, Lagos.
Olukoyede made the call at the opening of the 8th Biennial Conference of the Committee of Pro-Chancellors of State Universities in Nigeria (COPSUN), where he delivered a keynote address on the theme of AI in university administration.
However,he called for the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into the governance and financial management systems of Nigerian universities to address persistent cases of fraud and inefficiency.
He described the academic community as a critical driver of national development, stressing that no country can achieve sustainable growth without a strong intellectual base.
According to him, the adoption of AI in university systems is no longer optional but inevitable, given the scale of financial operations in tertiary institutions.
The EFCC chairman noted that universities manage billions of naira in tuition, grants, and intervention funds, yet accountability challenges remain widespread.
He disclosed that the commission has investigated several cases involving inflated contracts, ghost workers, and diversion of funds within the university system.
“Each case represents not only a loss of public funds but also a betrayal of trust by institutions expected to uphold integrity,” he said.
Olukoyede identified key areas where AI could strengthen transparency, including fraud detection, automated auditing, payroll verification, procurement monitoring, and academic integrity systems.
He explained that AI-powered tools could flag suspicious transactions in real time, detect duplicate payments, and identify irregular salary structures, thereby preventing financial leakages.
He cited an instance uncovered by the EFCC in which a university was paying salaries far above its actual staff strength, describing it as a result of systemic weaknesses and lack of technological oversight.
The EFCC chairman also highlighted the commission’s use of AI in its operations, referencing a major crackdown on a cybercrime syndicate in Lagos in December 2024.
According to him, AI tools enabled investigators to analyse large volumes of data, leading to the arrest of 792 suspects, including foreign nationals involved in cryptocurrency fraud and online scams.
He expressed concern over the growing involvement of university students in cybercrime, claiming that a significant proportion of suspects arrested in recent operations were undergraduates.
Olukoyede urged university governing councils to establish AI and digital governance committees, invest in digital infrastructure, and develop ethical frameworks to guide the deployment of the technology.
He cautioned, however, that AI is not a complete solution and must be complemented by human oversight and institutional integrity.
“Technology will not work magic where there is an integrity deficit,” he said.
In a goodwill message delivered on behalf of Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, the Chief of Staff, Dr Suleiman Wali Sani, reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to education as a tool for socio-economic transformation.
He outlined ongoing investments in infrastructure, staff development, and digital learning across state-owned tertiary institutions.
The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, also addressed participants, urging universities to play a leading role in shaping Nigeria’s AI strategy and broader national development policies.
He noted that academic institutions must remain central to intellectual discourse and policy formulation.
Chairman of COPSUN, Prof. Ayodeji Omole, emphasised the importance of collaboration among university governing councils to address common challenges such as funding constraints, infrastructural deficits, and technological transformation.
The conference brought together pro-chancellors, vice-chancellors, policymakers, and other stakeholders to deliberate on the role of artificial intelligence in strengthening governance, accountability, and innovation in Nigeria’s university system.