Abuja: The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ola Olukoyede, has handed over 1,452 hostel items recovered from a cybercrime operation to the Federal Ministry of Education. Olukoyede, while handing the items to the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, said they were recovered during a major anti-cybercrime operation in 2024.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the items comprise 501 double-step bunk beds, 939 mattresses, and 12 wooden beds with mattresses, all recovered during a special operation code-named ‘Operation Eagle Flush.’ Olukoyede explained that the handover aligns with the Federal Government’s policy of deploying proceeds of crime to critical social sectors.
The assets were recovered under Operation Eco-Forge, which Olukoyede described as the single largest cybercrime operation involving the education sector. During the operation, about 792 suspects were arrested, including 193 foreign nationals. All the suspects were investigated, prosecuted, and convicted, with the foreign nationals repatriated after serving their jail terms.
The EFCC chairman emphasized that the decision to hand over the recovered items to the education sector was deliberate. He noted that children and youth, being the greatest victims of corruption and financial crimes, should be the first to benefit from recoveries. President Bola Tinubu made this decision aware that investing recovered assets in education will secure the future of young people.
Olukoyede cited previous initiatives where proceeds of crime were used to benefit education. Last year, a forfeited university facility was handed over to the Ministry of Education and now operates as the Federal University of Applied Sciences, Kachia in Kaduna State. Additionally, the Student Loan Fund has benefited from assets recovered by the EFCC under the Proceeds of Crime Act, assisting over 1.4 million students with tuition and monthly stipends.
He linked these interventions to crime prevention, noting that financial pressure often pushes students into cybercrime. By alleviating their financial burdens, the EFCC aims to prevent such crimes. The latest handover is expected to further improve infrastructure and facilities in secondary and tertiary institutions, with the commission working closely with the ministry to ensure proper utilization of the assets.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, commended the EFCC for its recovery efforts and pledged that the assets would be deployed to areas of greatest need, particularly in unity schools across the country to enhance learning conditions. Alausa described the education sector as the biggest beneficiary of proceeds of crime under Tinubu’s administration, praising the EFCC’s proactive anti-corruption measures, especially in tackling procurement fraud and cybercrime.
He highlighted that President Tinubu’s strategy of using proceeds of crime to fund education is part of a broader economic agenda, emphasizing that investing in youth education is central to national development. Citing the Federal University of Applied Sciences, Kachia, Alausa noted that nearly 3,000 students were admitted in its first year, with 5,000 projected for the second year.
Furthermore, he linked EFCC recoveries to NELFUND, revealing that the first N50 billion came from the commission, supporting over 1.4 million students nationwide with loans for tuition and upkeep. Alausa expressed gratitude to President Tinubu and the EFCC for prioritizing Nigerian children, reaffirming the ministry’s commitment to quality education and initiatives that advance national progress.