Barely three days after the discovery of a young lady’s mutilated body in Otukpo, the town has been rocked by another disturbing incident. On Saturday night, security operatives uncovered a suspected cybercrime training centre operating within Otukpo, popularly known as Hustling Kingdom (HK) or “Yahoo University.”
The illegal camp, located in Otukpo town, reportedly housed and trained several young boys, some just fresh secondary school graduates, in the art of internet fraud. Eyewitnesses revealed that the boys were confined in an apartment for over two months under deplorable conditions, deprived of adequate food, and subjected to degrading treatment, including performing humiliating acts before being allowed to participate in fraudulent activities.
The situation came to light when a 15-year-old boy managed to escape from the camp on Saturday evening. His captors pursued him to the Upu Road area, where alert residents intervened and rescued him. This incident raised significant alarm among the community and prompted swift action.
Hon. Maxwell Ogiri, Chairman of Otukpo Local Government, was immediately informed and commended by eyewitnesses for his prompt response, which helped to avert what many fear could have been yet another tragedy in the town.
Community activist Meddy Olotu, who was among those raising the alarm, praised the chairman’s commitment to ensuring community safety. Describing the discovery as a wake-up call, Olotu urged parents and security agencies to closely monitor the activities of the youth in the area.
“This is heartbreaking. These boys are just teenagers who recently finished secondary school and were lured into this so-called HK centre with promises of quick money. Instead, they were starved, beaten, and subjected to degrading treatment—all in the name of learning Yahoo,” he lamented.
The rescued teenager is currently receiving medical and psychological care and has provided critical information to support ongoing investigations into the illegal training network. Authorities vow to intensify efforts to dismantle similar fraudulent operations and protect vulnerable youths from such exploitation.