EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede has called out the alarming rise in internet fraud in Nigeria, saying the so-called “Yahoo Yahoo boys” are bringing disgrace to the country on the global stage.
In a media chat held Monday at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja, Olukoyede didn’t mince words as he described how widespread cybercrime has made Nigerians targets of suspicion worldwide.
“When you travel with a Nigerian passport, immigration officers now look at you twice or pull you aside completely. That’s a national shame these boys have caused us,” he said.
But according to the EFCC boss, it’s not just email scams anymore. These fraudsters are now reportedly involved in more dangerous activities, ranging from kidnapping and ritual killings to laundering stolen government funds through cryptocurrency.
“We recently arrested a 22-year-old with over N5 billion in turnover. He never had a job in his life. These people are laundering money for corrupt politicians,” Olukoyede disclosed.
He described the growing network of young people living large without legitimate work as deeply troubling. “You see teenagers in expensive cars, skipping school, and getting into crime. Is this the Nigeria we want to hand over to them?”
This comes months after the EFCC reported it had recovered over N365 billion and secured 4,111 convictions in 2024 alone. Olukoyede said the agency is determined to top that figure in 2025, with renewed focus on professionalism, transparency, and restoring public trust.
