The Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu, yesterday said the agency’s academy will offer courses on how to tackle corruption.
He also asked Nigerian universities to include anti-corruption courses in their curricula.
He said the EFCC was exploring diverse channels towards raising the bar in the fight against corruption in the country.
Magu made the submissions at the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ahmadu Bello University, (ABU) Zaria.
The MoU will lead to collaboration between the EFCC Academy, Karu, Abuja and the university to develop a curriculum in anti-corruption studies, cybercrime and forensic analysis.
The agreement may also lead to the management of some courses on anti-corruption.
The EFCC chairman said the agreement with ABU was in line with the preventive mandate of the anti-graft agency.
He said it was time to “incorporate anti-corruption and allied studies in the curriculum of Nigerian schools and develop courses on anti-corruption, cybercrime and forensic analysis.”
He said: “This is why the Commission is partnering with tertiary institutions for study and award of certificates in postgraduate studies, sub-degrees and diploma in anti-corruption, cybercrime and forensic studies.
“Fighting corruption cannot be one man’s job. The commission is desperate to involve other people, organizations and groups in the fight against corruption. “The EFCC took its time in conducting background check and due diligence before arriving at the choice of the ABU as the second institution it will have partnership with. The first university we have had collaboration with is the University of Abuja.
Magu appreciated the management of Ahmadu ABU for seeking to set a standard in the Nigerian education sector.
He added: “EFCC Academy has attained a high level standard when it comes to anti-corruption training,” hence the need for the partnership with this great university.
The Vice Chancellor of ABU, Professor Ibrahim Garba, said the MoU is “one of the efforts of the university at helping fill the knowledge gaps in the Nigerian education sector.
Garba said: “The battle against corruption has to be taken beyond physical actions to intellectual level.
“We appreciate this collaboration with the EFCC because it will help create more opportunities for students who are desirous of higher education.
“About 1.9million young Nigerians will write JAMB exam (Joint Admission and Matriculation Board) this year and the capacity of universities and polytechnics in Nigeria is for about 600,000 candidates.
“As for ABU, more than 80,000 applicants will apply to be admitted into our school. But we can only admit not more than 11,000 yearly.”
“To close the gap, ABU, opened distance learning centres, designed online programmes and other off-campus solutions for students to be able to study on their own with convenience through the aid of technology.
The vice chancellor disclosed that ABU will be “awarding degrees in cybercrime, anti-corruption studies, forensic and so many others in postgraduate and sub-degree levels in conjunction with the EFCC Academy”.
The acting Commandant of EFCC Academy, Professor Ladi Hamalai, said that the committee set up for the actualization of the EFCC and ABU collaboration had worked strategically for six months, which included the inspection of the Academy to verify its resources and facilities.
She said: “At the end, the academy was certified fit to offer the studies.”
Hamalai said some of the subjects in the curriculum were peculiar to the EFCC, including programmes that are not usually run by the ABU.
“All the same, you agreed to adopt the programmes and run them in affiliation. And we are so grateful for all the work that you have put in and all the efforts,” she said.
Ahmadu Bello University will provide learning and teaching support to the EFCC Academy, which will award sub-degree, certificate and diploma to students in anti-corruption, cybercrime and forensic studies.