The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has uncovered an alleged fake university operating from a three-bedroom apartment in Ilado, Badagry, Lagos State, rescued 106 youths, and arrested the alleged proprietor.
According to the NSCDC, the operation followed days of intelligence gathering and surveillance. The alleged institution reportedly recruited young people from different parts of Nigeria and neighbouring West African countries with promises of admission into a foreign university.
Investigators said the youths, mostly aged 19 to 24, came from states including Kogi, Oyo and several northern states, while others travelled from Niger, Cameroon and Togo. They were allegedly persuaded to pay between ₦200,000 and ₦1.5 million in admission and processing fees, while some foreign nationals reportedly paid between $400 and $500.
The NSCDC said preliminary findings indicate the operation had no official name, registration, signboard or recognised campus, and allegedly presented itself online as a distance-learning centre affiliated with a foreign university.
Investigators also allege the scheme encouraged participants to recruit others in exchange for commissions, with some reportedly earning money through referrals and the promotion of unidentified products online.
The rescued youths have been taken into protective custody for profiling, while the NSCDC says it has begun contacting their families, noting that some parents were unaware of the true purpose of their children’s stay in Badagry.
The agency said investigations are ongoing to determine the full extent of the alleged network, identify possible collaborators and establish whether similar operations exist elsewhere. It added that anyone found culpable will be prosecuted in accordance with the law.