•EFCC chairman, Ola Olukoyede
Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has announced the establishment of a cybercrime research centre as part of measures to build capacities against internet fraud.
Olukoyede made this revelation in Ilorin, Kwara state, during a town hall meeting, reports The Nation.
The meeting, themed: “Uniting the Youths Against Corruption: Shaping Tomorrow’s Integrity,” was organized by the Ilorin zonal directorate of the EFCC to mark the 2024 International Anti-Corruption Day.
Speaking through the zonal director, Harry Erin, Olukoyede stated that the anti-graft agency had initiated numerous measures to educate and engage young people against cybercrime.
He emphasised the compelling need for young people to unite and confront the monster of corruption, advising them to envision a better future 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
Earlier, 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.
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria, who was the keynote speaker, asked pastors and imams 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,” Baiyeshea added.
Baiyeshea also recommended the death penalty for people found to have corruptly enriched themselves with the country’s patrimony.
The senior lawyer said this in Ilorin, Kwara State at a town hall meeting organised by the Ilorin zonal directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The meeting was organised ahead of this year’s International Anti-corruption Day.
He added that “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. The way those who are stealing our collective commonwealth.
“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 2000 people, according to a study. This is the only country where we hero-worship corrupt people.
“If the forefathers of the Americas, Europe had stolen the countries’ money where will our children be running to now?”
