EFCC Boss Charges Corps Members on Whistle Blowing, Says Fight against Corruption needs Collective Effort

Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr. Abdulrasheed Bawa, has called on corps members across the country to embrace whistleblowing as a potent means of enlisting in the fight against economic and financial crimes, including corruption.

He made the call on Wednesday, May 26, 2021 in an orientation lecture delivered on his behalf by Zonal Public Affairs Officers, to the Batch A, Stream 11 set of corps members at the various National Youth Service Corps ( NYSC) Orientation Camps across the federation.

At Nonwa Orientation Camp in Rivers State, the EFCC Chair observed that, with whistleblowing, corps members would serve more useful purposes to the nation by exposing conducts that cast shadow on integrity, in their places of primary assignments. ” The message of the EFCC to you all this morning is that you should become whistleblowers in any place where you find yourself by reporting acts that fail the simple test of integrity”, he said. Continuing, he stressed: ” We urge you, when you see something, to say something; and don’t stop there, please do something”.

As a practical way of performing the whistleblowing role, Bawa, represented by the Head, Public Affairs, Port Harcourt Zonal Office, Mr. Dele Oyewale, tasked corps members to join the EFCC/ NYSC Community Development Group and use the platform to expose any corrupt acts noticed in their environment. The platform would also offer corps members “the opportunity for an enduring relationship with the Commission and other stakeholders. It will also avail you the opportunity to work with the advocacy arm of the Commission and be in a position to serve as change agents…”

In the specific task of fighting cybercrimes, the EFCC’s boss admonished corps members to serve as role models by shunning all forms of cybercrimes. “There is no shortcut to wealth and fame. The fact that the rate of unemployment is high should not be an excuse to resort to crime”, he said.

Also speaking to the corps member at the NYSC Orientation Camp, Wannune, Tarka Local Government Area, Benue State, Bawa, represented by Adeniran Adebayo Samuel, Head of Public Affairs, Makurdi Zonal Office, charged them to join hands with the Commission in its efforts to rid the society of economic and financial crimes.

“The Commission realizes that enduring success in the fight against economic crime, including corruption can only be achieved when all stakeholders embrace this important fight. One critical group of stakeholders are the youths,” he said.

In Kaduna, the EFCC boss who spoke through the Kaduna Zonal Head, Mr. Harry Erin reiterated the importance of a collaborative approach to the fight against corruption, noting that “the success in the fight against economic and financial crimes, including corruption can only be achieved when all critical stakeholders, especially the youths embrace the fight”.

The EFCC helmsman thanked the NYSC for giving the Commission the opportunity to impact the corps members while tasking the youths to stay away from acts of criminality.

At the Kwara NYSC Orientation Camp in Yikpata, Edu Local Government Area of the State, Bawa, represented by Ayodele Babatude Joseph, Head of Public Affairs, Ilorin Zonal Office, urged the youths not to be mere spectators in the anti-graft campaign, but foot soldiers of the fight by becoming change agents and help mould the minds of the younger ones in schools so that the fight against corruption, economic and financial crimes can be far-reaching.

“Apart from the fact that they (youths) are considered as the leaders of tomorrow, most economic crimes, especially cybercrimes are committed by young people. It, therefore, follows that young people must not be mere spectators in the anti-graft campaign. Rather, they should actually be the foot soldiers leading the mass rout of corruption and economic crimes out of our land.”

Also, at the Orientation Camp, Okada, Edo State, Bawa, speaking through Williams Oseghale, Head, Public Affairs, Benin Zonal Office admonished the youths to embrace hard work and shun crime as the consequences are grave. “Yahoo yahoo is not a sustainable way of life. It is painful when our operatives arrest as many as 50 yahoo yahoo boys in a single raid. Add your voice to mine, because the fight against economic and financial crimes involves you and I; while I play my part, you will play yours.” Bawa said.

Similar messages were sent to corps members at the Kubwa Orientation Camp, Abuja and the NYSC Orientation Camp, Awgu, Enugu state where the EFCC boss was represented respectively, by Aisha Gambari and Ude Bethel of the Public Affairs Department.

In another development, The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Abdulrasheed Bawa has called on all Nigerians to join the Commission in the fight against corruption.

The Chairman made the call on Tuesday, May 25, 2021, at the 2021 Nigerian Bar Association-Section on Public Interest and Development Law (SPIDEL) Annual Conference held in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The Executive Chairman who was represented by the Director, Legal and Prosecution, Chile Okoroma, said “the issue of fighting corruption is what affects everybody. It is the responsibility of the Federal Government,

State Government, Local Government and everybody to come together. No entity can work on its own, there is a need to synergize’’.

“I will also call on states that are already making their own laws to fight corruption to collaborate with anti-graft agencies. This is in view of the fact that we already have legislation in place on corruption which will also help the states in their fight against corruption”, he said.

….Charges School Children to Shun Corruption

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC today May 26, 2021, charged school children to shun all acts of corruption, including examination malpractices.

Speaking to students of People’s Comprehensive Academy, Mararaba who visited the Commission on the excursion, EFCC’s Director, Public Affairs, Mr. Osita Nwajah admonished them to shun all form of examination malpractice, noting that this was also a corrupt act.

He expressed delight at the presence of the students and promised to ensure that the EFCC Integrity Club was established in the school.

Martha Eche, a staff of the Public Affairs Department of the Commission who enlightened the students on the activities of the EFCC, described students in secondary schools across Nigeria are number one channel to sensitise the public on the fight against corruption.

“Solving Financial and Economic Crimes and making an arrest in order to fight corruption can be achieved by you, the students of secondary schools as the first channel to sensitise the public on the fight against corruption.

“Telling your parents and friends at home and out there to stop embezzling government money and engaging in Advanced Fee Fraud(419) will reduce or eradicate corruption completely from the society, ” she said.

While providing the students with hints on how to shun and avoid being defrauded, Eche stressed the need for them to keep good company, noting that most of those engaged in crimes learnt from friends.

The coordinator of the school and leader of the delegation, Mr. Frank Udeh explained that the students were on an excursion to EFCC to get familiar with its mandates and mode of operations. He thanked the Commission for the warm reception.

Both the students and their coordinators were taken on a tour of facilities in the headquarter complex of the Commission.