From Mustapha Adamu, Kano
The Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) has revealed that it had arrested 792 cyber crime suspects at a single operation, using AI-assisted tools in Nigeria.
Speaking at the Biennial Conference of the Committee of Pro-Chancellors of State-Owned Universities in Nigeria (COPSUN) held in Kano on Tuesday, the EFCC Executive Chairman, Olanipekun Olukayode disclosed that out of the 792 transnational crypto-fraud syndicate 193 are foreigners.
According to Olanipokun, 114 Chinese, 43 Filipinos, 2 Kazakhstans, 1 Pakistani and 1 Indonesian, adding that they were apprehended in a 7-story building in Victoria Island, Lagos.
Je said the syndicate operated cryptocurrency investment fraud and romance scams, hacking into banks and individual accounts to target victims in the United States, Nigeria, Canada, Mexico, and generally in Europe.
“The most operationally significant recent instance of AI-supported degradation is Operation EGU Flaws, in December 2024. Now, what happened? The operation was a kind of a world record.
” And I say this, about 792 suspects were arrested in one single operation. 792. I think… I’m not sure that has happened anywhere in the world.
“It was at the heart of Victoria Island. In a building that looks like the headquarters of a bank, we arrested 792 suspects. Perpetrating cybercrime.
” Hacking into Nigerian banks. Depriving citizens of their earned money. Defrauding them of their legitimate source of income.
” It was an operation that was started around 6pm. We ran it up around 4am the following morning. We brought in about 14 buses to move suspects.
Now, out of these 792, about 193 of them were foreigners. Foreigners from various parts of the world. Even including Europeans within our system. Coming in, going out. Coming in, going out for over 5 months,” he said.
In his remarks, the Chairman of COPSUN, Ayodeji Omole, described the conference as a critical platform for policy dialogue, collaboration, and strategic planning among university leaders.
He noted that state-owned universities play a vital role in national development but face persistent challenges such as inadequate funding, infrastructural deficits, and rising demand for quality education.
Omole stressed the need for stronger collaboration among governing councils to ensure policy coherence, improve institutional governance, and address systemic issues affecting the university system.
He also underscored the importance of embracing innovation and leveraging artificial intelligence to enhance administration, research, and learning outcomes.
The conference, themed around artificial intelligence and university governance, brought together pro-chancellors, vice-chancellors, policymakers, and other stakeholders to deliberate on the future of higher education in Nigeria.
In his remarks also, Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, represented by his Chief of Staff, Suleiman Wali Sani, said the state government had prioritised education as a key driver of development.
He highlighted ongoing investments in infrastructure, digital learning, research and staff development across state-owned institutions, aimed at making them globally competitive.
The governor said the conference provided an opportunity for stakeholders to generate practical solutions for improving university governance, funding, innovation and academic standards
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