EFCC calls on Nigerian youths to join the fight against corruption

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has urged Nigerian youths to actively engage in the battle against corruption, emphasizing the need for their support to strengthen anti-corruption efforts across the country.

The call was made by the Executive Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyode, during a Townhall event in Kano on Thursday, organized to commemorate the 2024 International Anti-Corruption Day.

Represented by the EFCC’s Zonal Director, Ibrahim Shazali, Olukoyode highlighted that one of the key ways to unite against corruption is for the youth to support and amplify the work of anti-corruption agencies like the EFCC.

He stressed that the younger generation should be more vibrant and active in backing the commission’s activities.

“Progress-inclined youths should be more vibrant in identifying with the activities of the Commission,” Olukoyode said in his address.

The EFCC chairman also noted that there are several platforms established for youth engagement in the fight against corruption.

These platforms include the Integrity Club for primary and secondary school students and the Zero Tolerance Club at the tertiary level, both of which serve as rallying points to promote anti-corruption values among young people.

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“At the primary and secondary school levels, we have the Integrity Club serving as a rallying point for students. At the tertiary institution level, we have the Zero Tolerance Club. They are all platforms for engagement against corrupt practices,” he explained.

Olukoyode also encouraged youth to take an active role in identifying and exposing corrupt practices in their communities.

He referred to this as a “whistleblowing opportunity” that would help in tackling corruption at the grassroots level.

“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,” he said.

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The event also featured goodwill messages from Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), officials, and members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kano State Council, as well as National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members.

The messages focused on the existing gaps in the fight against corruption and offered suggestions on how to address these challenges more effectively.