The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Badagry Area Command, has uncovered an alleged fake university operating from a three-bedroom apartment in Ilado, Olorunda Local Council Development Area, of Lagos State, and rescued 106 youths allegedly lured into the scheme.

The Corps also arrested the alleged proprietor of the institution, which reportedly recruited young people from different parts of Nigeria and neighbouring West African countries with promises of admission into a foreign university.

According to report, the operation, carried out in the early hours of Monday after days of intelligence gathering and covert surveillance, exposed what security officials described as an alleged fraudulent academic and recruitment scheme.

The youths, mostly aged between 19 and 24, were taken into protective custody by the NSCDC for profiling and further investigation.

Speaking on the development, the Badagry Area Commander of the NSCDC, Chief Superintendent Gbenga Ekunola, said the operation followed credible intelligence received by the command on activities at the apartment.

He said: “We got reliable intelligence about the activities going on there. Our officers monitored the place for days before moving in. We have arrested the proprietor, who is assisting with our investigation, while the students have been taken into our protective custody.”

Investigations, however, revealed that the alleged institution had no official name, signboard, registration or known campus. It was allegedly being operated from the rented apartment while presenting itself online as a distance learning centre affiliated with a foreign university.

The youths reportedly came from different parts of Nigeria, including Kogi, Oyo and several northern states, while others travelled from Niger, Cameroon and Togo after allegedly being recruited online.

Preliminary investigations indicated that unsuspecting young people were allegedly persuaded to pay admission and processing fees after being promised admission into a foreign tertiary institution.

The victims reportedly paid between N200,000 and N1.5 million, while some foreign nationals and other participants allegedly paid between $400 and $500.

However, the alleged admission scheme reportedly came with a recruitment condition, with participants encouraged to bring in more people in return for commissions.

The arrangement allegedly operated like a chain marketing or Ponzi scheme, with participants promised increasing financial rewards based on the number of new students they recruited.

One of the victims reportedly told investigators that after paying $400, he persuaded his brother in Kogi State to enrol and had already begun receiving commissions from referrals.

The NSCDC also uncovered another aspect of the alleged operation, with some of the youths reportedly involved in promoting unidentified products online while receiving percentages from sales and recruitment.

Ekunola expressed concern that several parents were unaware of the real purpose of their children’s presence in Badagry.

He said: “We have started contacting their families. One parent told us her child informed the family that he came to Badagry to learn a trade, not to attend a university. That shows many of these parents were completely unaware.”

According to him, the command would profile all the youths and work towards reuniting them with their parents and guardians after the necessary investigations.

He also assured that anyone found culpable in the operation of the alleged fake institution would be prosecuted in accordance with the law.

Nigeria has advocated a concerted response to xenophobia in South Africa.

It has asked the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to take the issue from the regional bloc to the continental body, the African Union (AU).

Nigeria and Ghana, two leading members of ECOWAS, are among the countries worst hit by attacks on fellow Africans by mobs in South Africa, while the Cyril Ramaphosa government looks on.

Nigeria, like other countries whose citizens living in South Africa came under attack, had citizens killed, maimed or deprived of their means of livelihood through the looting of their shops, and subsequently evacuated many of them.

Citizens of Southern African countries neighbouring South Africa – Malawi, Zimbabwe, Lesotho and Botswana, among others – were also not spared by the rampaging mobs.

Yesterday, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu told the 69th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government in Lungi, Sierra Leone, that xenophobia stands condemned.

“Nigeria condemns in strong terms the recent Afrophobic attack on its citizens and other fellow Africans in the Republic of South Africa.

“As already mentioned by His Excellency, the President of Ghana, ECOWAS should present this matter before the next meeting of the Authority of the African Union to send a clear message that this type of behaviour is unacceptable.

“South Africa should be reminded that the freedom the country currently enjoys is due to the liberation efforts of African countries such as Nigeria.

“The Nigerian Government has evacuated one thousand, four hundred and ninety of its citizens in seven batches and is prepared to engage on this matter,” the President said in an address delivered by Vice President Kashim Shettima.

This position further expands the hint given by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, that Nigeria would take retaliatory measures against South Africa.

She said the National Assembly would make recommendations in this regard.

The National Assembly has condemned the attacks on Africans and is already reviewing the development to come up with its position.

The management of the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) has dissolved all Students’ Union (SU) activities with immediate effect, directing all elected student leaders to relinquish union property and prepare to appear before an investigative panel to account for their stewardship.

The directive, contained in an official memorandum issued by the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs, was signed by the Dean of Student Affairs, Prof. G. N. Woke, on the instruction of the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Chike, Princewill R. Chike.

The memorandum, referenced UPH/SADean/26 and dated July 19, 2026, announced the immediate dissolution of the three arms of the Students’ Union, Hall Representatives, and all other Students’ Union activities until further notice.

“I am directed by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Chike, Princewill R. Chike, to notify the Three Arms of the Students’ Union, Hall Reps. and all other Student Union activities that you have been dissolved with immediate effect until further notice,” the memorandum stated.

Following the dissolution, the university directed all executive members of the Students’ Union to immediately hand over every item belonging to the union to the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs.

According to the directive, the officials are expected to surrender all union property, official documents, financial records, keys, identification materials, and any other items in their possession.

“Consequently, all Executive members are directed to immediately hand over all Union property, official documents, financial records, keys, identification materials and any other item belonging to the Students’ Union in your possession to the Dean of Student Affairs,” the memorandum added.

The affected student leaders were also instructed to make themselves available whenever invited to appear before an investigative panel constituted by the university to provide an account of their administration.

The university warned that failure to comply with the directive would attract disciplinary sanctions.

“All affected officers are expected to comply with this directive promptly. Failure to do so will attract appropriate disciplinary action,” the memorandum stated.

The notice was copied to the Vice-Chancellor; the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration and Advancement); the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic); the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Development); the Registrar; the Chief Security Officer; the Bursar; all Deans of Faculties; all Heads of Departments; and the entire University Community.

The university, however, did not disclose the reasons behind the dissolution of the Students’ Union leadership or the specific issues being investigated by the panel.