Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is transforming proceeds of crime into investments that improve student welfare, strengthen learning infrastructure and expand access to quality education across the country.
Speaking at the handover of recovered assets by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Abuja, Alausa said the Federal Government’s asset recovery programme reflects the President’s commitment to redirecting resources recovered from criminal activities into projects that directly benefit Nigerians, particularly children and young people.
The recovered assets, comprising 501 double decker bed frames, 939 mattresses and 12 wooden beds with mattresses, were formally handed over to the Federal Ministry of Education during a restitution ceremony.
Alausa said the initiative demonstrates the Tinubu administration’s resolve to reinvest recovered public assets in critical sectors, with education remaining a top priority. He added that education is central to the President’s vision of building a $1 trillion economy through sustained investment in human capital development.
According to the minister, converting recovered assets into educational resources is a deliberate policy aimed at turning the proceeds of crime into opportunities that improve learning outcomes and secure a better future for Nigerian students.
He described the education sector as one of the biggest beneficiaries of the government’s asset recovery efforts, recalling that President Tinubu had approved the conversion of a forfeited university facility into the Federal University of Applied Sciences, Kachia, rather than allowing the property to be sold.
Alausa said the institution has already enrolled more than 3,000 students in programmes covering applied sciences, engineering, nursing, health sciences and other critical fields, providing fresh opportunities for young Nigerians to acquire skills for national development.
He added that the newly recovered assets would significantly improve accommodation and welfare for students in colleges and other educational institutions across the country.
The minister also commended EFCC Chairman, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, for strengthening public confidence in the anti graft agency through professionalism, adherence to the rule of law and sustained efforts to combat corruption, procurement fraud and cybercrime.
Earlier, Olukoyede disclosed that the assets were recovered during Operation Eagle Flush, one of the Commission’s largest cybercrime operations.
He said the operation, conducted towards the end of 2024, led to the arrest of about 792 suspects, including foreign nationals, who were investigated, prosecuted, convicted and repatriated after serving their prison terms.
The EFCC chairman said the restitution was in line with the Proceeds of Crime Act and the Federal Government’s commitment to ensuring that recovered assets are transparently deployed for national development.
According to him, children and young people are among the greatest victims of corruption and financial crimes, making it fitting that they benefit from assets recovered from criminal enterprises.
Olukoyede also highlighted previous EFCC interventions in the education sector, including the transfer of the forfeited university facility that now houses the Federal University of Applied Sciences, Kachia, and the deployment of recovered proceeds of crime as part of the seed funding for the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).
He disclosed that about 1.4 million students have benefited from the student loan scheme through tuition support and monthly upkeep allowances, helping to reduce financial pressures that often expose vulnerable youths to cybercrime and other financial offences.
The handover was formalised through the signing of a Deed of Release by representatives of the EFCC and the Federal Ministry of Education, including the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mr. Abel Olumuyiwa Enitan.
Alausa assured Nigerians that the recovered assets would be distributed transparently and equitably to Unity Schools across the country to enhance student welfare, improve accommodation, strengthen learning infrastructure and advance the Federal Government’s commitment to providing accessible, inclusive and quality education for every Nigerian child.
