Former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi has reacted to the claim by the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Olanipekun Olukoyede, that six out of every 10 university students in Nigeria are involved in cybercrime, describing the development as a disturbing reflection of the country’s deepening moral and institutional crisis.
Obi, in a statement posted on his X account on Tuesday, said the anti-graft agency’s revelation, if accurate, should trigger urgent national introspection rather than be dismissed as just another crime statistic.
“The worrisome statement by the Chairman of the EFCC that six out of every 10 Nigerian university students are involved in 419 is deeply troubling and must not be taken lightly,” Obi wrote.
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The former Anambra State governor said the implication of the figure was frightening, noting that Nigeria’s university population is estimated at between two million and 2.5 million students, meaning roughly 1.4 million young Nigerians could be involved in internet fraud if the EFCC’s estimate is correct.
He warned that the issue goes beyond criminality and points to a wider collapse in values, leadership standards and institutional discipline.
“This is not just a crime issue; it is a serious moral and systemic failure,” Obi said, questioning what kind of examples young Nigerians are being exposed to in public life.
Peter Obi’s reaction follows comments by EFCC Chairman Olukoyede at the 8th Biennial Conference of the Committee of Pro-Chancellors of State-Owned Universities in Kano, where he disclosed that findings from his research over the past year showed widespread involvement of undergraduates in internet fraud and related cyber offences.
The EFCC boss also said many suspects arrested in recent cybercrime operations were students, with some allegedly compromising academic systems by placing lecturers on payroll to influence academic outcomes.
Reacting to the wider implications of the claim, Peter Obi said the rise in internet fraud among youths was closely tied to the examples set by political leaders and society’s reward system.
“When a system appears to reward wrongdoing, when integrity is not upheld, and when allegations of dishonesty attract no consequences, it sends a dangerous message,” he said.
According to him, the growing desperation among young people reflects an environment where hard work appears undervalued while shortcuts to wealth are increasingly celebrated.
He said the country must urgently rebuild its moral foundation by restoring accountability, rewarding honesty and ensuring leadership by example.
Obi argued that leadership remains central to shaping national values, insisting that a country cannot expect ethical behaviour from its younger generation if integrity is absent at the top.
Peter Obi added that tackling cybercrime among students would require more than arrests and prosecutions, stressing the need for institutional reforms, economic opportunities and value reorientation.
His intervention has sparked fresh conversations on social media, with many Nigerians debating whether the EFCC’s figure reflects reality or an exaggerated estimate.
The conversation also comes amid growing concern over youth unemployment, rising economic hardship and the increasing sophistication of cybercrime networks across the country.
Obi ended his statement with his signature political refrain: “A new Nigeria is possible.”
