The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) chairman, Ola Olukoyede, has blamed Nigerian youths’ laziness and lack of patriotism for the rise in internet fraud rather than acknowledging widespread unemployment and economic hardship under Bola Tinubu’s government.
Speaking during an orientation and sensitisation programme for new students of the Air Force Institute of Technology, Nigerian Air Force, Mando, Kaduna, Mr Olukoyede said laziness, greed, and peer pressure were pushing many young Nigerians into cybercrime.
He was represented at the event by Nana Fatima Abubakar from the EFCC’s Kaduna zonal command.
According to a statement issued by the commission, the EFCC chairman insisted that youths are largely responsible for the growing cases of internet fraud in the country.
The statement read that “peer pressure, a lack of patriotism, greed, and laziness are the main catalysts for youth’s involvement in internet fraud.”
Mr Olukoyede also lamented that substance abuse and fetish practices are increasingly being linked with cybercrime, describing the trend as a moral decline that must be tackled.
He warned that young Nigerians’ obsession with sudden wealth would only lead to disaster, adding that “there is no shortcut to wealth” and that “hard work, perseverance, and dedication remain the true paths to success.”
According to him, the desire to get rich quickly has brought “loss of freedom, image damage, depression, and untimely death in some instances” to many involved in online fraud.
He urged Nigerian students to uphold integrity and honesty as they prepare for future leadership roles, calling on them to join the national fight against corruption and financial crimes.
The EFCC also encouraged students to report cases of financial misconduct through its Eagle Eye App, assuring them that whistleblowers’ identities would remain confidential.
However, critics have dismissed Olukoyede’s comments as insensitive and disconnected from the country’s harsh economic realities.
Observers argue that the EFCC’s stance reflects the administration’s unwillingness to confront the root causes of youth crime — including massive unemployment, poverty, insecurity, and the collapse of education and social infrastructure.
Under Bola Tinubu’s leadership, inflation and food prices have soared, while job opportunities remain scarce, leaving millions of young people frustrated and desperate.
Many believe blaming “laziness” rather than failed government policies amounts to victim-shaming and propaganda aimed at deflecting responsibility from the ruling elite.
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