The Chairman of the Economic Financial Crimes Commission, Ola Olukoyede, has agreed to take up the education expenses of 17-year-old hacker who left him stunned with his hacking skills after at his Lagos office.

Olukoyede shared this experience during a media chat with journalists last Tuesday.

The anti-graft chairman said, “ I met a 17-year-old boy in my Lagos office in 200 level studying History and Anthropology, and he is not doing anything related to science.

“This guy sat in my office and asked for my phone number, and through my number, he got my BVN and mentioned the name of my account number and bank to me; I didn’t tell him anything.

“ I see a crime in that, and I also see opportunity, so if you leave these guys, you don’t make them know that what they are doing is wrong, and they will continue to see that thing (Yahoo) as a way of life to make money.

“I sympathize with these boys, and that’s why we request reduced sentences for them because there is no joy in sending a 17-year-old boy to prison. You have destroyed his life and career when you do that.

“Sometimes they give them options of fines and all of that conviction, so we bring them in, lecture them and talk to them.”

In a bold demonstration of his skills, the boy confidently informed Olukoyede that he could transfer up to 10 million naira from any account in a single transaction.

He said the 17-year-old boy, when he was done, said, “Look, oga, I can make 10 million now. I will demonstrate it to you. I will move money from your account to mine.

“I said no, don’t do that in my office, and he was ready. When he opened my laptop, I didn’t give him the key to my laptop, and he had access.”

Still talking about the boy, the anti-graft chairman said when he questioned the boy about his involvement in cybercrime, he (the boy) explained that his parents, who are both farmers, could not work on their farm due to security concerns.

“He has two younger ones. One is in JSS2, and the other is in SSS2. He is the one feeding his parents and responsible for tuition payments for his younger ones.

“I saw a Bill Gates in that guy.”

Olukoyede, however, assured the boy that he would take responsibility for his schooling if he could stop the criminal act.

“I told my family, we are going to do that.

“I spoke to one of my friends who is also ready to help take up the schooling of the SSS 2 guy. So I’m still looking for someone to take up the one for the JSS 2 sibling.”

Olukoyede stated that the commission is developing a Cybercrime center where they would train the boys arrested to channel their skills in the right way.

This is not the first time the EFCC chairman has revealed the anti-graft agency’s plan to rehabilitate convicted internet fraudsters with reduced sentences.