Says, “Target politicians, not students”
“It will be interesting to see the EFCC’s study on what proportion of Nigerian politicians are involved in criminal pillage or, in fact, what proportion of civil servants or even judges & magistrates are thieves.“
A sweeping claim that most Nigerian university students are criminals has ignited fierce backlash, with human rights lawyer Chidi Odinkalu accusing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of reckless profiling and a dangerous misuse of its authority.
In a strongly worded statement shared via his X handle (formerly Twitter), Odinkalu described the assertion—reportedly made by the EFCC chairman that 60 percent of students in Nigeria’s tertiary institutions are criminals—as “irresponsible and unconscionable,” warning that such sweeping generalizations risk stigmatizing an already vulnerable generation.
He argued that the agency’s role is to investigate and prosecute financial crimes—not to profile entire demographics—adding that the claim lacks credible evidence and distracts from the EFCC’s core mandate of holding powerful political actors accountable.
Let’s be clear: The claim by the chairman of @officialEFCC labelling 60% of students in #Nigeria‘s tertiary universities as criminals is plainly irresponsible & unconscionable. It is not law enforcement. 1st, it is outside the statutory responsibility of the #EFCC to profile a demographic or social group by reason of or with reference to their station in life. #Nigeria‘s constitution actually prohibits that.
2nd, it is already difficult enough to be young in Nigeria at this time without having to deal with being officially labelled as expendable by the authority of the Chairman of the EFCC. 3rd, the EFCC was established to go after high profile criminals & Politically Exposed Persons who have designs on Nigeria’s patrimony.
Those are not students. They are politicians & in pursuit of that species, the record of the EFCC is – at best – abysmal. The only political rogues whom the EFCC is able or willing to pursue are those who are in opposition. Those of them in the ruling party are patrons of the EFCC. Even in that, it mostly has worse that a patchy record. 4th, the EFCC has not provided proof that its claim against students is founded on any study or survey that can stand the test of minimal methodological rigour.
If it had, then the thing to do would be to make that report public so that its claims can be assessed with due regard to its methods. Above all, even assuming that the EFCC has undertaken a rigorous study to inform this claim, it amounts to an irresponsible waste of public resources to focus on or prioritise students over & above the politicians who have kidnapped Nigeria & hold its citizens & communities to sovereign ransom.
It will be interesting to see the EFCC’s study on what proportion of Nigerian politicians are involved in criminal pillage or, in fact, what proportion of civil servants or even judges & magistrates are thieves.
Until the EFCC Chairman can produce such studies, his attempt to criminalise Nigeria’s young people, especially students, must assume its pitiful place in a disreputable pantheon. The Chairman of @officialEFCC has not yet made good on his promise to bring @OfficialGYBKogi to account. He is still unable to comply with the order of @SupremeCourtNg to ensure the retrial of @OUKtweets.
The Commission seems congenitally wired to fail in bringing every senior politician to account, including those caught with their hands in the proverbial cookie jar. The EFCC should not be this idle or distracted. It is unfortunate that a succession of public servants with pathetically thin records of achievement turn on Nigeria’s young people & students when they should have more important things to do.
