The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has uncovered a suspected fake university operating from a three-bedroom apartment in Badagry, Lagos State, and rescued 106 young people allegedly recruited into the scheme. The agency arrested the suspected proprietor after raiding the apartment in Ilado, Olorunda LCDA on Monday, July 20, following days of surveillance.
Victims Paid Up to N1.5 Million for Fake Admissions
According to the NSCDC, as reported by The Punch, the alleged institution had no official name, registration, signboard, or recognised campus. Investigators believe it falsely presented itself online as a distance-learning centre linked to a foreign university. The rescued youths, mostly aged between 19 and 24, reportedly came from Kogi, Oyo, some northern states, as well as Niger, Cameroon, and Togo.
Preliminary findings showed that victims paid between N200,000 and N1.5 million for admission and processing, while some foreign nationals allegedly paid $400 to $500 after being promised admission into a foreign university.
Ponzi-Style Recruitment System Uncovered
Investigators also found that participants were allegedly required to recruit new students in return for commissions, a system the agency said operated like a Ponzi or chain-marketing scheme. One victim reportedly told investigators he paid $400, convinced his brother in Kogi State to join, and had already started receiving referral commissions. The NSCDC also alleged that some participants promoted unidentified products online and earned commissions from sales and recruitment.
Area Commander Gbenga Ekunola said many parents had no idea why their children were in Badagry: "One parent told us her child informed the family that he came to Badagry to learn a trade, not to attend a university." The agency said investigations are ongoing to identify other suspects and determine whether similar schemes exist elsewhere in Nigeria.
EFCC Denies Secret Recruitment Claim
Earlier, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) dismissed as false a viral social media message claiming the agency was secretly recruiting new personnel across the country. The anti-graft agency described the claim as fake news in a post on its verified X account, warning Nigerians not to believe or circulate the anonymous message about a covert recruitment exercise. The EFCC advised job seekers to rely only on its official communication channels for genuine recruitment announcements.
