The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr Ola Olukoyede has called on members of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, to join in the fight against corruption.
Olukoyede, who spoke through the Head of Public Affairs, Kano Zonal Command, Idris Isiyaku, on Thursday, made the call while addressing Corps members of 2024 Batch A, Stream 1 at the NYSC orientation camp in Kano.
He advised the youths to be more resourceful, innovative and enterprising to defeat the monster of corruption and accelerate economic development in Nigeria.
Olukayode said, “The message of the EFCC to you this morning is to begin to look inward and challenge your creative abilities to bring up ideas, perspectives, and drives that can grow the economy.
“Every challenge around us today can be traced to the consequences of corruption. The rising troubles of unemployment, insecurity, poverty, diseases, low life expectancy, hunger, robbery, kidnapping and others are the results of misplacement of our resources by those entrusted with them.
“We have come to a situation of dire straits in our individual and national lives, all because of the menace of corruption.”
He stressed that economic and financial crimes directly put the fortunes of the economy and the polity of the nation in jeopardy.
At the NYSC orientation camp in Oyo State, Ola Olukayode represented by the Deputy Superintendent of the EFCC, DSE Egbodofo Olumide charged corps members to be dynamic and effective in driving the anti-corruption fight in their places of primary assignments.
He said, “One way of doing this is by mobilising Nigerians against corrupt practices through robust public campaigns and sensitisation.
“Poverty and unemployment should not be a justification for defrauding innocent persons of their hard-earned income.
“You are the leaders of tomorrow and this country belongs to all of us. I urge you all to say no to all forms of economic and financial crimes so that the country would be better for all of us.”
The EFCC Chairman gave the same charge in Kwara, Enugu, Lagos and other states, advising corps members against internet crimes, pointing out that it is not a sustainable way of life.