The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has challenged Nigerians to show more commitment in efforts to rid the country of corrupt practices.
The spokesperson of the Commission and head of its media and publicity unit, Dele Oyewale, gave the charge in Ibadan on Friday during a one-day workshop organised for members of the media and Civil Society Organisations (CSO).
He stressed the need for ‘public ownership’ of the fight against corruption, adding that it is the only way the country can win the battle to redeem its battered image among the comity of nations due to the nefarious activities of some unscrupulous citizens
“There is a need for public ownership of the fight against corruption. We want the entire nation to own the fight, to see the fight as theirs. So that when you fight corruption at your own end, and together, we will get the much-desired result.
“It is not just an EFCC thing. It is something that we all need to hold, see it as a big force that will move the nation forward. If we are able to do this, we will see that there will be so many success stories that we will share among ourselves. So, we need to come together to assist the EFCC to drive the anti-corruption campaign,” he said.
He also acknowledge the cooperation of the media and CSOs with the commission in the discharge of its mandate.
“The pivotal roles played by the Civil Society Organizations and the media so far towards the remarkable achievements of the Commission cannot be over emphasized and this is seen as a beacon of patriotism but we have to do more. There must be a deliberate and holistic approach in amplifying the fight against economic and financial crimes and other acts of corruption.
“The EFCC under the current leadership of Ola Olukoyede, in 2024 alone arraigned five ex-governors and five ex-ministers with no let or hindrance. This is a display of political will by the Bola Tinubu’s administration to prosecute corruption cases to curb economic sabotage and infractions”, he said.
In an opening remarks delivered on his behalf by the Acting Zonal Director of the Ibadan Directorate, Hauwa Garba Ringim, the EFCC Executive Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, commended the media and CSOs, in the country for their unwavering commitment to the fight against economic and financial crimes, especially internet fraud in Southwest.
He noted that through the continuous advocacy campaign, reportage and public enlightenment efforts of the CSOs and the media, Nigerians are now better informed about the Commission’s anti-corruption activities as he called for more collective responsibility in safeguarding the nation’s resources through unbiased and timely reportage of Commission’s activities.
“This interactive session is designed not only to share ideas and perspectives but to encourage constructive feedbacks and objective analyses that can further enhance the EFCC’s performance and accountability”, Olukoyede said.
Delivering a paper titled “Prosecuting Financial Crimes: Issues. Challenges and the Way Forward,” the Head of Legal and Prosecution Department, Ibadan Directorate, Gift Iwebafa Odibo, expressed concern over the “persistent security threats and risks faced by the EFCC prosecutors during out-of- jurisdiction prosecutions, especially when handling high-profile or political exposed persons.” She called for stiffer penalties for internet fraudsters to enhance deterrence order than community service.
In his presentation titled, “Understanding Cryptocurrency Fraud and Other Emerging Financial Crimes”, Alex Ogbole, Head of Digital Forensics, Lagos stated that investment and business scams are more prevalent among cryptocurrency fraud, he therefore tasked the participants to help the EFCC inform Nigerians to flee from get-rich-quick businesses and investments that could make them part with their hard- earned financial resources.
Head of Enlightenment and Reorientation Unit of the Commission, Aisha Mohammed, disclosed that the EFCC is currently working on a massive campaign against children’s involvement in cybercrime.
“We have seen several cases when minors would be arrested during sting operations for internet fraud. This is worrisome and if this should continue, I can tell you for free that every household will have a ‘yahoo’ ex-convict in the nearest future. I want to urge all parents to look after their children and know the friends they keep to avoid negative influence on them”, she said.
Mohammed appreciated the participants for the turnout and encouraged them to further spread the message of the EFCC’s anti-corruption crusade to nooks and crannies of our society.
The workshop provided opportunities for the participants to raise constructive observations, comments and suggest solutions on how the EFCC can better collaborate with stakeholders so that Nigerians would be more enlightened about the importance of taking the ownership of the fight against corruption.
