The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has warned youths to shun corruption and cybercrime.
This was the central theme of messages by officials of the Commission to members of the Batch C Stream of the National Youth Service Corps at the various orientation camps across the country today, November 12, 2019.
In Kaduna, the acting chairman who was represented by the Head of the Kaduna Zonal Office, Mailafia Yakubu, warned the corps members to shun all acts of criminality as the Commission will not overlook any act of corruption perpetrated by any corps members as they will be prosecuted in accordance with the law. He also advised them to shun the get rich quick syndrome. Rather, he advised them to join the fight against corruption and be change agents in their places of primary assignment.
Speaking in similar vein, the Head of Operations of the South-East Zone, Usman Imam bemoaned the effects of corruption on Nigeria, which he said was responsible for the negative perception of the country abroad.
Citing former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Imam who addressed the corps members in Enugu, noted that “no society that treats public funds and property with utter disregard and cares for only the personal accumulation in the principles of “steal and Go” can make progress.”
He said,”the prevalence of economic and financial crime is gradually corroding our values and general acceptance of good and bad.” He stressed the need for value re-orientation and reiterated that corps members imbibe values such as hard work, patience, integrity. honesty, uprightness and contentment.
In Port Harcourt , Dele Oyewale, the zonal public affairs officer charged the corps members to brace up and offer their best shots in the fight against corruption.
Oyewale while addressing corps members at the NYSC’s Orientation Camp in Nowa- Gbam, Rivers State, expressed regrets that corruption had become a cankerworm and festering sore on the soul of the nation and stressed that all hands must be on deck to checkmate it. ” We can see the deleterious effects of corrupt practices in every strata of our society. Corruption is worse than cancer. It is worse than a shooting war. Youths of our nation are worse hit because getting along in a corrupt nation is quite tasking. This is why the EFCC is working round the clock to confront the menace. On this score, we must all come together to tackle the monster. I urge all of you to be ready to offer your best shots in fighting corrupt practices. Be ready to be role models and change agents. Let the anti- corruption fight begin with you. You cannot fight corruption if you are also a problem to be solved”, he said.
He urged corps members to embrace hard work and selfless service, stressing that short cuts always cut every good thing short. ” Strive to work hard because this is the only means of getting enduring results. Avoid criminality. Yahoo yahoo business is criminality. Internet scam is criminality. Whatever violates the law of the land cannot help you but integrity and hard work will scale any mountain for you”, he said.
Addressing corps members from Borno and Yobe Sates in Potiskum, Yobe state, Jamilu Sale, head of the public affairs section of the Maiduguri office, urged them to shun all forms of corruption
According to him, the involvement of the youths in the fight against corruption was critical as they are considered as leaders of tomorrow.
“Most economic crimes, especially Advance Fee Fraud are committed by young people. Therefore, the youth must not be mere spectators in the anti-graft campaign. As such, they should actually be the foot soldiers in the fight against corruption and economic crimes.
“During your service year, we advise you to desist from any act of corruption that can bring shame to your family and to the institution you graduated from”, he said.
He similarly urged the NYSC members to work with the advocacy arm of the Commission to serve as change agents by helping to enlighten students in schools across the nation through the creation of Integrity Clubs
In Gombe, PDS Wakilu Omokide, Head, Extractive Industry Fraud Section, (EIFS) charged the youths corps member to shun cyber crime and avoid the get rich at all cost syndrome.
He urge them to be good role models and avoid all forms of criminality especially Internet fraud so they won’t end up in jail.
In Benue State, Nwanyinma Okeanu, Head of Public Affairs, Makurdi Zona Office of the Commission, who addressed the Corps members at the NYSC Orientation Camp Wannune, Tarka LGA, Benue State ,described young people as critical stakeholders in the fight against corruption, and charged them to join hands with the Commission in eradicating corruption in Nigeria.
“All young people have a fundamental role to play in bringing a new culture of integrity to all levels of the society”.
She called on them to “support the fight against corruption for the betterment of your tomorrow”.
Okeanu called on volunteers to join in the EFCC/NYSC CDS group to champion the fight during their service year because their little contribution will help to salvage the country from corruption and economic crimes
In Kano, Farouk Dogondaj, Head, Foreign Exchange Malpractices Section, Farouk Dogondaji who addressed the corps members at the permanent orientation camp, Kusalla Dam, Karaye, expressed the Commission’s willingness to continue to engage youth and civil society groups, in its bid to achieve public ownership of the fight against corruption.
In Lagos, Dolapo Adeniran of the Public Affairs Directorate, Lagos zonal Office, admonished the corps members to embrace the values of hard work, integrity and discipline, which she said can assure them a decent future.
According to her, the youth who are the leaders of tomorrow, should desist from any act of corruption, internet fraud and other criminal activities and join the EFCC in the fight against corruption.
“We can only achieve a corrupt-free society when all stakeholders embrace this important fight, and one critical stakeholder are the youths”, she said.
In Benin, Richard Ogberagha, Head, Advance Fee Fraud Section, Benin Zonal Office, said the youth as future leaders of Nigeria should imbibe the culture of hard work, excellence, integrity and shun all forms of economic and financial crimes.
He admonished the corps members to be good example in character and conduct in their area of primary assignment and to expose any acts that fail the simple test of integrity in their communities.