By: Manoah Kikekon
BADAGRY, LAGOS – In what has been described as a major security breakthrough, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Badagry Area Command, has uncovered an alleged fake, Ponzi-like university operating out of an unassuming three-bedroom apartment in the Ilado area of Olorunda Local Council Development Area.
The early-morning raid resulted in the rescue of 106 young people aged 19 to 24 who had been lured to Badagry from various Nigerian states and neighboring West African countries under the false promise of foreign university admissions. The alleged proprietor of the illegal outfit has been arrested and is currently aiding investigators.
Investigations revealed that the establishment had no official name, no signboard, no physical campus, and no legal accreditation. Instead, it operated strictly online as a supposed distance-learning center affiliated with a foreign institution.
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Victims reported paying substantial fees, ranging from ₦200,000 to ₦1.5 million domestically, while foreign nationals recounted paying between $400 and $500 US dollars. Rather than focusing on academics, the operation relied on a multi-level marketing or Ponzi structure. Students were incentivized with commissions to recruit additional peers, transforming the scheme into a recruitment loop where participants also peddled unidentified online products for commissions.
Speaking exclusively on the operation, the Badagry Area Commander of the NSCDC, Chief Superintendent Gbenga Ekunola, expressed shock at the nature of the deception and the lack of awareness among parents.
"We got reliable intelligence about the activities going on there. Our officers monitored the place for days before moving in. We have arrested the proprietor, who is assisting with our investigation, while the students have been taken into our protective custody," Ekunola stated.
He added, "We have started contacting their families. One parent told us her child informed the family that he came to Badagry to learn a trade, not to attend a university. That shows many of these parents were completely unaware."
The rescued youths were found crowded inside the residential apartment, many of them visibly disoriented. Preliminary findings showed that the victims hailed from various parts of Nigeria including Kogi, Oyo, and several northern states as well as neighboring nations like Niger, Cameroon, and Togo.
One of the victims confessed that after paying his $400 fee, he went as far as convincing his own brother in Kogi State to enroll, subsequently earning referral commissions before the intervention of the security operatives.
The NSCDC has assured the public that every rescued youth will undergo thorough profiling before being safely reunited with their families and guardians. Furthermore, the command has vowed to track down any collaborators and ensure that those found culpable face the full weight of the law.