NSCDC Busts Fake University Operating From Lagos Apartment, Rescues 160 Students, Arrests Proprietor

• Fake university exposed: NSCDC operatives uncovered an illegal university operating from a three-bedroom apartment in Ilado, Olorunda LCDA, Lagos, after days of intelligence gathering and covert surveillance.

• 160 students rescued: About 160 students were evacuated from the premises, while the alleged proprietor was arrested for operating an unaccredited institution and allegedly defrauding unsuspecting admission seekers.

• Millions collected from victims: Nigerian students reportedly paid between ₦200,000 and ₦1.5 million, while foreign nationals paid between $400 and $500 on the promise of gaining admission into a foreign university.

• Fraud resembled Ponzi scheme: Investigators said the operation relied on a chain-marketing model, with participants promised financial rewards for recruiting new students into the scheme.

July 24, () — The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Badagry Area Command, has uncovered a fake university operating from a three-bedroom apartment in Ilado, Olorunda Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Lagos State, rescuing about 160 students and arresting the alleged proprietor in what authorities described as one of the most audacious education scams uncovered in recent times.

The discovery followed days of intelligence gathering and surveillance by NSCDC operatives, who tracked the activities of the institution before raiding the premises and dismantling the operation.

Authorities said the illegal institution had been presenting itself as a gateway to higher education abroad, luring prospective students with promises of admission into a foreign university while collecting huge sums in admission and processing fees.

The raid exposed what investigators described as a sophisticated admission racket that preyed on the desperation of young Nigerians and foreign nationals seeking university education.

Fake Admissions Sold To Unsuspecting Students

Addressing journalists after the operation, the Badagry Area Commander of the NSCDC, Chief Superintendent Gbenga Ekunola, said preliminary investigations revealed that Nigerian applicants paid between ₦200,000 and ₦1.5 million, while foreign nationals were charged between $400 and $500 for admission and processing into the purported foreign institution.

According to him, none of the admissions was legitimate, adding that the operators had no legal authority or accreditation to run a university or facilitate admissions into any recognised foreign institution.

“The proprietor beguiled unsuspecting students with promises of admission into a foreign university”, Ekunola said, adding that many victims only realised they had been deceived after spending substantial amounts of money.

He noted that the institution operated from an ordinary three-bedroom apartment, which had been converted into makeshift lecture rooms and administrative offices to create the appearance of a functioning university.

NSCDC Says Operation Functioned Like Ponzi Scheme

Beyond the fake admissions, investigators said the operation bore the hallmarks of a Ponzi or multi-level marketing scheme.

Ekunola disclosed that participants were encouraged to recruit additional students into the programme with promises of increasing financial rewards based on the number of successful referrals they brought in.

“The arrangement operates like a Ponzi or chain-marketing scheme, with participants promised increasing financial rewards based on the number of new recruits they brought into the programme”, he said.

According to the NSCDC, the referral model enabled the illegal operators to continuously attract new victims while generating significant revenue under the guise of educational services.

Investigators are also examining whether the syndicate has links to similar fraudulent admission networks operating in other parts of the country.

Students Profiled, Proprietor Faces Prosecution

Following the raid, approximately 160 students were evacuated from the premises and taken into protective custody for profiling.

The NSCDC said the exercise is aimed at identifying genuine victims, determining how they were recruited, and facilitating their reintegration with their families where necessary.

The arrested proprietor remains in custody and is expected to be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.

The Corps said efforts were ongoing to identify and apprehend other members of the network who may have played roles in recruiting students, collecting payments or facilitating the operation.

The NSCDC urged parents, guardians and prospective students to verify the accreditation status of institutions through relevant regulatory agencies before making payments or accepting admission offers.

The agency reaffirmed its commitment to dismantling criminal networks exploiting Nigerians through fraudulent educational schemes, warning that operators of illegal institutions would be identified and brought to justice.