EFCC boss advises corps members to fight corruption

Abdulrasheed Bawa, Executive Chairman of the EFCC on Thursday called on the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members, to take ownership of the war against economic and financial crimes, to save the nation.

Bawa who was represented by Ayodele Babatunde, the Head of Public Affairs Department, Ilorin Zonal Office, delivered the address to the Batch ‘B’ Stream II corps members at the NYSC Orientation Camp, Yikpata, Edu Local Government Area of Kwara.

He said that only public ownership of the anti-graft war could drive the requisite commitment to tackle corruption.

The EFCC boss enjoined the corps members to impact their places of primary assignments positively through zero tolerance for corruption.

“As young Nigerians, the EFCC expects you to align yourselves with the anti- corruption war by being change agents, good campaigners against corruption and by publicly owning the crusade.

“It is only public ownership of the war against corruption that will deepen your commitments to the anti-graft war.

“Your integrity and transparency will endear you to other Nigerians. You must reject corruption in words and deeds,” he said.

He tasked corps members on whistle- blowing, stressing that they must not cover up any suspicious cases of corruption in their immediate environments.

He also urged Nigerian youths to embrace hard work and shun all forms of criminal tendencies.

“Every good Nigerian must be a whistle- blower. I charge you to always expose compromises and corrupt tendencies in your immediate environments.

“When you see something, you must say something and the EFCC will surely do something.

“The fact that the rate of unemployment is high should not be an excuse to resort to crimes. Acts of criminality might deliver wealth in the short term, but ultimately there will be misery and gnashing of teeth.”

Bawa expressed gratitude to the leadership of the NYSC for the support the commission had enjoyed from the corps members over the years while also seeking to strengthen the existing collaboration between the NYSC and the EFCC on anti-corruption and economic and financial crimes.