The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has released a statement contradicting earlier statements attributed to Ola Olukoyede, its chairman.

In its Thursday statement signed by Dele Oyewale, EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, the commission said that Olukoyede made a 10-year projection of seven out of 10 Nigerian youths getting involved in cybercrime.

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The new EFCC statement followed outrage from the news that Olukoyede had said that seven out of 10 Nigerian youths were involved in cybercrime.

“He (Olukoyede) did say that reports and intelligence available to him indicated that, unless this trajectory of youth involvement in internet fraud is addressed and reversed, the future of their leadership of our great nation may be threatened and if it continues in the next 10 years, 7 out 10 of our youths may be getting involved in cybercrime,” the EFCC statement reads in part.

“At no time did he say that ‘seven out of 10 Nigerian students are criminals’. His concerns still bother(sic) on breaking the jinx of mass indulgence of youths in cybercrime.”

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FIJ saw the EFCC’s initial statement where it quoted Olukoyede’s remarks to a delegation of Daar Communication PLC at the corporate headquarters of the EFCC in Jabi, Abuja, on Monday.

The EFCC reported that Olukoyede said he was worried about how seven out of 10 youths were involved in cybercrime.

The EFCC quoted Olukoyede verbatim on Tuesday: “We are looking towards Daar Communications to enlighten our youths on the evils of cyber crimes. It is worrisome that seven out of ten students today are involved in cyber crimes. These are the youths we are preparing to be leaders of tomorrow. The media should not relent in enlightening them on the evils of such criminal practices.”

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Olukoyede’s comment earned criticism for its prejudice. Many commenters have since pointed out the corruption-charged track record of the EFCC’s past leaders.

The EFCC statement in defence of Olukoyede’s remarks was shared on social media at press time.