Operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) have uncovered a suspected illegal “university” operating from a three-bedroom apartment in Ilado, Badagry area of Lagos State.
During the raid, authorities rescued 106 young people allegedly enrolled in the scheme and arrested the suspected proprietor.
According to NSCDC officials, the operation followed days of surveillance based on credible intelligence. The facility had no official name, registration, or campus but reportedly posed online as a distance-learning centre linked to a foreign university.
Preliminary findings show that most of the victims, aged between 19 and 24, were recruited from various Nigerian states, including Kogi and Oyo, as well as neighboring countries such as Niger, Cameroon, and Togo.
Investigators say participants paid between ₦200,000 and ₦1.5 million for admission, while some foreign nationals paid $400 to $500. The scheme also allegedly required students to recruit others in exchange for commissions, operating in a pattern similar to a Ponzi or chain-marketing system.
NSCDC Badagry Area Commander, Chief Superintendent Gbenga Ekunola, confirmed that the suspect is assisting with investigations, while the rescued youths are in protective custody and undergoing profiling.
Authorities have begun contacting families, noting that many parents were unaware of their children’s involvement. The NSCDC says efforts are ongoing to identify other collaborators and dismantle the wider network behind the operation.
