The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has uncovered an illegal university operating from a three-bedroom apartment in Badagry, Lagos State, rescuing 106 youths allegedly lured with fake promises of admission into a foreign university.
The command arrested the proprietor, accused of running a fraudulent admission and referral scheme that recruited victims from across Nigeria and neighbouring countries, including Niger, Cameroon and Togo.
Badagry Area Commander, Chief Superintendent Gbenga Ekunola, said the operation followed days of intelligence gathering and surveillance.
Investigators said the institution had no official name, registration or recognised campus. It allegedly collected between ₦200,000 and ₦1.5 million from Nigerian victims, while some foreign nationals paid between $400 and $500.
The NSCDC said the scheme operated like a Ponzi network, rewarding participants for recruiting new students. Some victims also reportedly earned commissions from online product sales and referrals.
Ekunola said investigations are ongoing and assured that the rescued students would be reunited with their families after profiling, while those behind the operation would be prosecuted.
