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| Ibrahim Magu |
The Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu has again called on Nigerian youth to shun economic and financial crimes.
Magu stated this Tuesday, July 16, 2019 during a sensitization programme on communication of government policies and activities, organised by the National Orientation Agency, NOA in Benin City, the Edo State capital.
The EFCC boss who was represented by Williams Oseghale, Head, Public Affairs Department, Benin Zonal Office of the Commission warned fraudsters to desist from criminal activities especially internet fraud and cyber crimes as the Commission was resolute in exterminating the malaise.
“We are aware that many young people want to ‘hammer’ (make easy fortune) without working hard. They want to take a short cut to success. But let me warn that the EFCC will come with a bigger hammer. We will arrest you, prosecute you and confiscate every proceeds of crime linked to you. So it’s better to stay away from fraud,” Magu stated.
He revealed that the Commission secured 312 convictions in 2018 and 502 convictions between January and June 2019 with money and properties worth billions of naira also recovered.
And as part of corruption preventive measures, Magu said the Commission engages different segments of the society: women, civil society organisations, trade unions, professional bodies, students and other stakeholders in exposing the ills of corruption and encourage them to buy into the fight and take ownership of it.
He further stated that the Commission carries out sensitization and enlightenment campaigns in primary and post primary schools and the universities as a way of changing the mindset of young people and to encouraging them to embrace the virtues of hardwork and integrity.
“We establish integrity clubs in primary and secondary schools and zero-tolerance clubs in universities in order to ensure that young people embrace the right values,” he said.
Mrs Grace Ewere Eseka, Acting State Director, NOA, in her remarks noted that the essence of the programme was to enable the citizens understand and appreciate government institutions.
“It is borne out of the fact that information is power and unless the people are well informed on national issues, they are not likely to willingly contribute their quota to national development,” Eseka said.
Other participating institutions in the programme were the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN and the Nigerian Police Force, NPF.
