By Nkechi Eze
The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ola Olukoyede, has described sports as a powerful unifying tool capable of engaging Nigerian youths and reducing internet fraud and other forms of cybercrime.
Olukoyede stated this in Abuja on Thursday, June 4, 2026, during a courtesy visit to the President of the Organization of Military Sports in Africa (OSMA), Major General Maikano Abdullahi (retd.).
According to an official signed statement by the Head of Media and Publicity of the EFCC, Dele Oyewale, the EFCC Chairman, who was represented by the Head of EFCC Sports, Assistant Commander of the EFCC, ACE II Halilu Dauda, was part of a delegation from the Association of Directors of Sports from Armed Forces, Police and Paramilitary Agencies.
He said the Commission had already been leveraging sports as a platform to engage young people, noting that several youths had been taken off the streets and employed through the EFCC’s sports programmes and activities.
“In my organization, we have done a lot in terms of taking youths off the streets and giving them opportunities in sport. Many youths are employed in my organization because of sports,” Olukoyede said.
He added that expanding such initiatives across security and paramilitary agencies would help reduce cybercrime and insecurity by keeping more youths productively engaged.
“I believe all other organizations here are doing the same and if we can improve on these efforts, we are going to take many more youths off the streets and cybercrimes will definitely reduce. Even issues of insecurity will be tackled more effectively because many youths will be engaged and their talents harnessed,” he stated.
In his response, Major General Abdullahi (retd.) welcomed the delegation and expressed readiness to collaborate in strengthening sporting activities among security and paramilitary agencies.
He described sports as a global labour market capable of creating opportunities for participation, viewing and commercial engagement, and stressed the need for stronger coordination among relevant agencies to harness sporting talents.
“Sport is one of the biggest labour markets in the world. It is either you are watching, selling or participating,” he said, adding that inter-agency cooperation would help discover and develop talents capable of representing Nigeria in international competitions.
He also proposed wider engagement with heads of agencies to promote the initiative and enhance sustainability.
Also speaking, the leader of the delegation and Commandant of Sports, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Lawal Oladipo, called for stronger collaboration among the Armed Forces, Police and Paramilitary Agencies through sports.
He noted that such cooperation would enhance coordination, improve information sharing for national security, strengthen patriotism and esprit de corps, and create opportunities for talent development at both national and international levels.
