Executive chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, on Thursday, said that the anti-graft agency built a cybercrime research centre as part of measures to tackle internet fraud.
Speaking during a town hall meeting, themed ‘Uniting the Youths Against Corruption: Shaping Tomorrow’s Integrity’, organised by the Ilorin zonal directorate of the EFCC to mark 2024 International Anti-Corruption Day in Ilorin, the EFCC boss, who was represented by the zonal director, Harry Erin, said that the anti-graft agency had initiated so many measures to educate and engage young people against cybercrime.
The EFCC boss, who said that there is a compelling need for young people to close ranks and confront the monster of corruption, advised youths to see a better future ahead of them by choosing the pathway of integrity.
“As we always say, taking shortcuts always cuts people short. Reject the shortcut of corruption and your future will be established,” he said.
He said that corruption affects every age group, adding that corruption bites harder against the prospects and possibilities of youths.
“This makes it more binding on young people to tackle it more fiercely than any other age group. Every young person needs an equal opportunity for self-expression. But this is impossible in societies where favouritism, nepotism, partisan and other extraneous considerations tilt opportunities in favour of some few privileged people. This is not good for the youths and it is for this reason that they need to forge a united front against corruption,” he said.
The EFCC boss said that one of the routes that can be taken by youths to achieve unity in the fight against corruption is deliberate synergy against graft.
“They can do this by forming associations, clubs, think tanks, and societies that promote good values. It is high time youths joined hands together to pursue values that will add strength to their lives.
“Youths can also unite against corruption by exposing tendencies and actions that run counter to accountability and right values in their neighbourhood. This is simply a whistle-blowing opportunity for youths. There is no way corruption can be tackled if we allow it around us without a challenge. Youths have formidable roles to play in this regard,” he said.
Speaking as keynote speaker at the event, a legal practitioner, John Baiyeshea (SAN) recommended serious legislation as punishment for people caught stealing Nigeria’s commonwealth.
He urged the country’s legal system to wake up to its responsibility of applying appropriate sanctions against corrupt leaders.
Going spiritual, the legal icon asked religious leaders in the country to correctively decree God’s judgement on corrupt leaders.
“I urge pastors and Imams to collectively decree God’s judgement on corrupt people. They should remind God of His words in the scriptures against people stealing our collective patrimony”, he said.
Baiyeshea also recommended death penalty for people found to have corruptly enriched themselves with the country’s patrimony.
“Corruption is the greatest industry in Nigeria and it has led to economic collapse. That is why there is poverty and hunger in a land that God has blessed us to flourish.
“We export corruption because the money that our people steal in billions of dollars is residing in those countries and it is cheap money in their systems. Something is fundamentally wrong with our system.
“Those corrupt people are stronger than our legal system. They are stronger than our law enforcement agencies.
“That is why I recommend the death sentence as punishment against treasury looters. In Hong Kong, Singapore, China, and North Korea punishing treasury looters is a death sentence. We should not be afraid to sentence to death those stealing our money.
“The wealth of the country of over 200 million people is in the hands of about 2,000 people, according to a study. This is the only country where we hero-worship corrupt people.
“If forefathers of the Americas, Europe had stolen the countries’ money, where would our children be running to now,” he said.
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