The 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has reacted to the recent statement by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alleging that a significant number of Nigerian university students are involved in internet fraud.
Obi described the claim that 6 out of every 10 students engage in “419” as deeply troubling, warning that if accurate, it reflects a serious moral and systemic crisis in the country.
He noted that Nigeria’s student population is estimated at between 2 million and 2.5 million, stressing that the implication of such figures would mean over 1 million young people are involved in fraudulent activities.
According to him, the development raises critical questions about societal values, leadership example, and the role models young Nigerians are exposed to.
“We must ask ourselves what has brought us to this level and who our young people are looking up to,” he said, adding that “young people become what they consistently see.”
Obi further argued that when leadership appears to tolerate wrongdoing, it sends the wrong signal that success can be achieved “by any means,” contributing to moral decline.
He urged Nigerians to focus on rebuilding the nation’s value system, strengthening accountability, and rewarding honesty and hard work.
Quoting Socrates, he added: “An unexamined life is not worth living,” calling for national introspection.
Obi concluded by insisting that “a new Nigeria is possible” if integrity and discipline are restored across all levels of society.
