“Crime Became An Economy”: Ojudu Says EFCC Crackdown Exposes Shocking Truth About Ekiti

Former senator and presidential adviser, Babafemi Ojudu, has said the ongoing crackdown on internet fraudsters by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in Ekiti State has exposed what he described as the disturbing reality that crime had become a major driver of the local economy.

Ojudu, who reflected on the impact of the anti-graft agency’s operations in Ado Ekiti, said hotels, lounges, supermarkets and other businesses had witnessed a sharp decline in patronage following the reported mass exodus of suspected internet fraudsters from the state.

According to him, “A significant portion of the urban economy had become dependent on the spending power of young men and women living off internet fraud. That should frighten every one of us.”

He said he visited some popular hospitality centres in the state capital to verify reports of dwindling business activities and found them largely deserted.

“I walked into the restaurant of a prominent hotel overlooking its swimming pool. I ordered dinner and sat there for almost an hour. I was the only customer,” he said, recalling that the same hotel was once so busy that finding a seat was difficult.

Ojudu attributed the development to the EFCC’s sustained operations in the state, noting that many suspected fraudsters had reportedly relocated to cities including Akure, Osogbo, Ibadan and Lagos to evade arrest.

“The consequences have been immediate. There has been what many describe as a mass exodus,” he said.

While acknowledging the economic impact on businesses, the former lawmaker argued that the moral implications were even more troubling.

“Crime ceases to be an aberration. It becomes a career path. And therein lies the greatest danger,” he said.

Ojudu lamented that many young Nigerians now viewed internet fraud as a shortcut to wealth, warning that society was rewarding criminality instead of hard work and integrity.

“If we reward learning, we produce scholars. If we reward enterprise, we produce innovators. If we reward integrity, we produce statesmen. But if we reward criminality, we should not be shocked when criminals eventually govern us,” he said.

Describing the situation as a national concern, Ojudu urged Nigerians to restore the dignity of honest labour and create genuine opportunities for young people.

“The empty hotels and deserted lounges may represent temporary economic pain. The emptiness of our moral landscape, however, is a far greater tragedy. That is the real crisis before us,” he said.