In Ekiti, students abandon school for online scam as mums form ‘Iya Omo Ologo Association’

For decades, Ekiti State has proudly wore the badge of Nigeria’s ‘Land of Honour’, a state celebrated for producing some of the country’s finest academics, professionals, public servants and intellectuals.

Today, however, that cherished reputation is facing an unsettling challenge because behind the quiet streets of Ado-Ekiti and other towns, especially Ikere-Ekiti, lies a growing concern that has become difficult to ignore: The increasing involvement of young people, including secondary school students, in internet fraud, popularly known as ‘Yahoo Yahoo’.

The trend has become so pronounced that recent operations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have reignited public debate about the scale of cybercrime in the state and the urgent need to rescue a generation increasingly attracted to the allure of quick wealth.

Before now, some youths engaged in fraud with physical confidence tricks, fake spiritual claims and deception carried out in markets and public places but, today, technology has transformed the landscape.

With smart phones, laptops, high-speed internet and social media platforms, cybercrime has become easier to organise and far more lucrative; fraudsters no longer need physical contact with victims, instead, they exploit digital platforms to target unsuspecting victims across Nigeria and overseas.

It was even confirmed that parents of these young fraudsters, especially in Ikere-Ekiti and Ado-Ekiti, have organised themselves into an association, popularly known as ‘Iya Omo-ologo’.  Little wonder, the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and an indigene of Ikere-Ekiti, Ola Olukoyede, said, in an interview, that teenagers who should ordinarily be preparing for examinations are now spending hours learning online scamming techniques, creating fake social media profiles, communicating with foreign victims and searching for ways to make fast money.

He said some students skip classes regularly, while others combine schooling with internet fraud, believing that academic qualifications are no longer necessary for financial success.

His words, “I’m from a state where education is our pride. I’m from a state where the major enterprise we have is education.

“If you go to the secondary school that I attended now, sir, by 12 noon, the students have left school. You see them in hotels, in groups, trying to scam people. You see secondary school students driving vehicles.

“Is that the nation we want to build? Now, sir, let me tell you the most dangerous aspect of it. It’s not just about Yahoo Yahoo. Nigerians should know this. Some of them are into banditry.

“We have evidence. We have proof. Some of them are into kidnapping. Yes, because when they don’t see people to scam, they kidnap.

“Some of them now launder money for the politically exposed persons. So don’t just see them as Yahoo Boys anymore. The traditional way of stealing money is no longer applicable.

“When they steal government money in billions now, they give it to all these boys. They open cryptocurrency wallet, crypto wallet and they put the money there.

“From there, the money goes abroad. You can buy a house, you can buy vehicles, you can buy anything with your Bitcoin”.

Economic anxiety

Since the EFCC commissioned its new office in Ado-Ekiti in June, concerns have emerged from sections of the business community.

Operators of hotels, lounges, restaurants and entertainment centres have reported declining customer traffic, attributing the situation to fears generated by the anti-graft agency’s operations.

Some residents believe that individuals who previously spent lavishly in these establishments have either left the state or significantly reduced their public activities due to fear of investigation.

For businesses that depended heavily on such clientele, the decline has translated into lower revenues and uncertainty about the future.

However, the critical question remains whether an economy should depend on the spending power of individuals whose wealth may have questionable origins.

Responding to allegations that the Commission’s operations are harming legitimate businesses, EFCC Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, insisted that the agency’s mandate is the exact opposite.

According to him, the Commission exists to create an environment where lawful businesses can flourish without competition from criminal enterprises.

He maintained that EFCC officers operate within established Standard Operating Procedures and do not engage in arbitrary harassment or intimidation of innocent citizens. His words, “We don’t harass and we don’t intimidate. We don’t do night operations. “Our officers are professionals; they know what to do. You only need to find out exactly the set of people making those allegations because, for us, we are professionals.

“We don’t harass people, we don’t intimidate people, and whenever we make arrests, we do so professionally.

“As an anti-corruption agency, we have our standard operational procedures.

“We are not in the business of harassment, and we are not in the business of intimidation.

“We are in Ekiti State to help businesses grow. We are there to ensure that every threat to lawful businesses is removed. There is no way our activities can negatively affect legitimate businesses. “Every lawful business owner has nothing to fear. We are in that location to make businesses grow”.

Other side of story

While the EFCC has repeatedly defended the professionalism of its operations, many residents insist that there is another side to the conversation that cannot be ignored.

Among young professionals in Ekiti is a growing perception that dressing well, driving good vehicles or maintaining a corporate appearance is sometimes enough to attract suspicion.

Former presidential adviser, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, for his part, raised concerns over the disturbing consequences of an economy that appears to have become dependent on proceeds from internet fraud.

In a commentary titled, ‘When Crime Becomes an Economy: The Disturbing Lessons from Ado Ekiti’s Near Empty Hotels,’ Ojudu argues that while the recent decline in business activities across parts of Ado-Ekiti may appear economically unsettling, it exposes a much deeper moral and societal crisis confronting the state and the nation.

According to him, many young people popularly referred to as ‘Yahoo Boys,’ alongside their associates, have reportedly left the state following sustained enforcement activities by the anti-graft agency.

He said no society should build its economy around criminal proceeds, noting that the reduced patronage experienced by some businesses appeared to suggest that a significant segment of the urban economy had become dependent on the spending power of individuals allegedly involved in internet fraud.

“For the past two weeks, I have been inundated with stories of empty hotels, deserted lounges, quiet supermarkets, and struggling businesses across Ekiti State, particularly in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital. ‘Could this be real’, has been the question I asked myself.

“The explanation was simple, everyone said. The EFCC has finally come to town. Not merely on occasional raids, but with a permanent command presence. The young men popularly known as Yahoo Boys, together with their numerous associates and hangers-on, have reportedly fled in large numbers.

“Their fear of the EFCC, it would seem, has become the beginning of wisdom.

“The reaction has been remarkable. In Ikere-Ekiti, some parents and sympathisers reportedly staged a protest, directing their anger at both the traditional ruler and the Chairman of the EFCC.

“The monarch, it was said, had openly condemned the criminal activities that had become commonplace in the town, thereby earning the hostility of those who had come to depend on them.

“There has been what many describe as a mass exodus. “Those leaving Ekiti are said to be relocating to Akure, Osogbo, Ibadan, Lagos, and other cities where they believe they can operate with less scrutiny.

“Across Ado-Ekiti, traders complain of declining sales. “Hotel owners lament empty rooms. Lounge operators stare at vacant tables. “Beer parlour owners grumble. Landlords complain of abandoned apartments. “Used car dealers have seen demand collapse.

“Mechanics who serviced fleets of exotic vehicles now wait endlessly for customers. “Even the roads seem quieter. There are fewer reckless convoys and, people joke, fewer expensive cars crashing into solar-powered streetlights.

“If we reward learning, we produce scholars. If we reward enterprise, we produce innovators. If we reward integrity, we produce statesmen. But if we reward criminality, we should not be shocked when criminals eventually govern us”.

A public affairs analyst, Tunde Owoeye, said the rise of legitimate digital careers, including forex trading, cryptocurrency investments, software development, digital marketing and other online businesses, has created a new generation of young Nigerians whose income sources differ significantly from traditional employment.

He said many of these professionals are frequently profiled simply because they earn substantial income online.

According to him, the concern becomes even more sensitive considering that cryptocurrency trading and forex investments are lawful activities when conducted within applicable regulations.

He argued that while the EFCC must aggressively pursue fraudsters, law enforcement agencies should avoid creating an atmosphere where legitimate innovation and digital entrepreneurship are viewed with suspicion.

A financial expert, Bunmi Olatunde added that owning expensive gadgets, driving luxury vehicles or appearing financially successful should never, by themselves, constitute evidence of criminality.

She said investigations must always be based on credible intelligence, verifiable evidence and due process rather than stereotypes or appearances.

Fighting crime without criminalising success

Olatunde maintained that Nigeria’s digital economy continues to produce legitimate millionaires through technology, software engineering, cryptocurrency trading, content creation, artificial intelligence, freelancing and global remote work.

She noted that treating every successful young entrepreneur as a suspected internet fraudster risks discouraging innovation and damaging public trust in law enforcement.

At the same time, genuine cybercriminals often hide behind these same industries to conceal illicit proceeds.

She urged EFCC to investigate how to distinguish legitimate wealth from criminal proceeds through professional investigations rather than assumptions.

From the political side, the Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State, Segun Dipe, argued that the establishment of the EFCC office in Ado-Ekiti should be seen as a significant step towards promoting accountability, improving access to justice, protecting legitimate businesses and enhancing investor confidence.

He, however, called for professionalism and respect for the rights of law-abiding citizens during law enforcement operations.

“This is timely because Ekiti is selling something valuable to the world: its reputation”, he said.

“Under Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji, Ekiti has chosen transparency as a governing style, not a campaign poster. BAO has made it clear that Ekiti must be a state where public funds are accounted for, where projects are delivered, and where investors, retirees, and young people can build without fear.

“You cannot market Ekiti as a safe and decent state and then fear the agency that enforces safety and decency.

“The EFCC office is the seal on that promise. It tells an investor: your money is safe here. It tells a civil servant: sign that shady memo and you will answer. It tells a student: build something real, and the state will protect your name from those dragging Ekiti youths in the mud abroad”

Benefits

Despite the controversies, there are compelling reasons observers believe the EFCC office represents a significant institutional gain for the state.

Before the establishment of the Ado-Ekiti directorate, victims of financial crimes often had to take petitions to other states before investigations could begin.

The new office reduces bureaucratic delays and brings anti-corruption services closer to residents.

Its presence also strengthens efforts against internet fraud and identity theft, money laundering, advance fee fraud, public sector corruption, procurement fraud, ponzi schemes and financial crimes targeting vulnerable citizens.

Perhaps more importantly, the existence of a permanent anti-graft institution sends a strong signal to investors that Ekiti is committed to transparency, accountability and the rule of law.

Serious investors are generally attracted to environments where contracts are protected, corruption is discouraged and financial crimes are effectively prosecuted.

Rather than discouraging investment, effective law enforcement can improve investor confidence over the long term.

Way forward

Tunde Owoeye said EFCC should remain in Ekiti not because every operation is beyond criticism, but because the fight against financial crimes is too important to abandon.

According to him, where genuine cases of harassment or wrongful profiling occur, they should be investigated and corrected.

He explained that innocent citizens, including legitimate forex traders, cryptocurrency investors and digital entrepreneurs, deserve protection from arbitrary suspicion.

Meanwhile, Olatunde said these legitimate concerns should not overshadow the larger mission of dismantling criminal networks that fuel internet fraud, kidnapping, money laundering and corruption.

In her opinion, the success of the EFCC in Ekiti will not be measured by the number of arrests it makes, but by its ability to strike the right balance: pursuing criminals relentlessly while protecting the rights, dignity and legitimate aspirations of law-abiding citizens. (Vanguard)