The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Badagry Area Command has shut down a counterfeit university operating out of a residential property in Ilado, Lagos State. Authorities rescued 106 young people who had been misled by the fraudulent institution. The proprietor of the scheme has been detained and is currently cooperating with investigators.
Following days of surveillance, officers raided the three-bedroom apartment on Monday. The facility, which lacked official registration, signage, or a physical campus, falsely advertised itself as a distance learning center linked to an international university. Victims, aged 19 to 24, were drawn from various Nigerian states as well as Togo, Cameroon, and Niger after being targeted online.
Chief Superintendent Gbenga Ekunola, the Badagry Area Commander, confirmed that participants were charged significant fees, ranging from N200,000 to N1.5 million or up to $500 for foreign nationals. The operation functioned more like a Ponzi scheme, pressuring students to recruit new members in exchange for financial commissions. Evidence also suggested that some individuals were forced to market unknown products online.
Many families were unaware of the situation, with some parents believing their children had traveled to Badagry for vocational training. The NSCDC is currently profiling the rescued youths to facilitate their return to their families while continuing to investigate the extent of the criminal network.
