The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Badagry Area Command, has uncovered a suspected fake university operating from a three-bedroom apartment in Ilado, Olorunda Local Council Development Area of Lagos State, rescuing 106 students during the operation.
The agency also arrested the alleged operator of the institution, who is accused of recruiting young people from different parts of Nigeria and neighbouring West African countries with promises of gaining admission into a foreign university.
The operation was carried out in the early hours of Monday after security operatives conducted days of intelligence gathering and surveillance.
According to the NSCDC, the institution had no official name, registration, signboard, or recognised campus. It allegedly presented itself online as a distance-learning centre linked to a foreign university.
Speaking on the operation, the Badagry Area Commander, Chief Superintendent Gbenga Ekunola, said the raid followed credible intelligence, leading to the arrest of the proprietor while the rescued students were placed under protective custody.
Preliminary investigations revealed that most of the students, aged between 19 and 24, came from states including Kogi, Oyo, and several northern states. Others reportedly travelled from neighbouring countries such as Niger, Cameroon, and Togo after being recruited through online platforms.
Investigators also discovered that the victims paid admission and processing fees ranging from ₦200,000 to ₦1.5 million, while some foreign nationals allegedly paid between $400 and $500 after being promised admission into an overseas institution.
The investigation further revealed that participants were encouraged to recruit additional students in exchange for commissions, creating a referral system that investigators believe resembled a Ponzi or multi-level marketing scheme.
One of the rescued individuals reportedly admitted to referring his brother after paying $400 and had already begun receiving referral bonuses.
Authorities also alleged that some participants were involved in promoting unidentified products online while earning commissions from both product sales and recruitment activities.
Ekunola expressed concern that many parents were unaware of the true activities of their children, noting that one parent believed their child had travelled to Badagry to learn a trade rather than attend a university.
He stated that all rescued students would be properly profiled before being reunited with their families after investigations are concluded.
The NSCDC added that anyone found responsible for operating the alleged illegal institution would face prosecution, while investigations have been expanded to identify other collaborators and determine whether similar fraudulent operations exist elsewhere in the country.
The incident has renewed concerns over the increasing number of fake admission schemes targeting Nigerians and foreign nationals seeking educational opportunities.
