The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has raised concerns that the surge in internet fraud is worsening visa restrictions for innocent Nigerians, thereby damaging the country’s global reputation.
EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, speaking through Chief Superintendent CSE Coker Oyegunle at an event in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, organized by the Coalition of Nigerian Youth on Security and Safety Affairs, stressed that cybercrime not only jeopardizes the future of perpetrators but also negatively impacts law-abiding citizens seeking opportunities abroad.
According to a statement released by the Commission on Tuesday, Olukoyede noted that internet fraud, money laundering, and economic sabotage cost Nigeria billions of naira annually, undermining national development and depriving citizens of infrastructure, jobs, and economic opportunities.
“Beyond the economic damage, these crimes erode Nigeria’s international image and subject innocent Nigerians to stricter visa restrictions abroad,” the EFCC Chairman warned.
He urged young Nigerians to redirect their energy into meaningful and sustainable ventures such as digital innovation, entrepreneurship, agriculture, and the creative industry.
“Fraud is not success; it is a trap. Easy come, easy go. Many who follow the path of ‘yahoo-yahoo’ end up losing their freedom, reputation, and future. The law is catching up with them, and digital footprints never disappear. Don’t destroy your tomorrow with shortcuts today,” he said.
Olukoyede also reiterated the EFCC’s commitment to intensify sensitization, enforcement, and community collaboration to combat financial crimes nationwide.
At the same event, representatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) highlighted drug abuse and pipeline vandalism as additional pressing threats to Nigerian youths and the nation’s security.
The EFCC has recently stepped up its anti-cybercrime operations across the country. In August, operatives in Lagos arrested 38 suspected fraudsters in Ikorodu after days of surveillance, recovering vehicles, mobile phones, and substances suspected to be narcotics. Similarly, the Benin Zonal Directorate secured the conviction of 12 individuals for offences related to fraud and possession of fraudulent documents.
Meanwhile, in July, the United States revised its visa reciprocity schedule for Nigeria, reducing the validity of certain non-immigrant visas—including B1/B2 business and tourism visas, as well as F and J visas for students and exchange visitors—to three months, with single-entry restrictions.
The EFCC maintains that unless young Nigerians abandon fraudulent practices, such international restrictions will only continue to tighten.
