Students of the International Relations Department, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State have been charged to be anti-corruption ambassadors and to own the anti-corruption fight for a better Nigeria.

The charge was given to them during an excursion to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC Academy, Karu, Abuja, on November 27,  2018.

Blessing Ekeleme, Officer-in-Charge, Zero Tolerance Desk of the EFCC's Enlightenment and Reorientation Unit, while receiving the students noted that the Commission had a mandate to rigorously sensitise the public against economic and financial crimes.

According to her, "corruption has adversely affected our society at all fronts, if people realize the level of degradation it has done to our society they would take it seriously".

Nwanyinma Okeanu of the EFCC's Creative Communication Unit, in her presentation titled, "Role and challenges in Nigeria’s war against corruption", intimated the students about the activities of the EFCC laying emphasis on the agency's experience in fighting corruption.

The major challenges faced by the Commission, Okeanu said, included inadequate manpower to address the endemic corruption, insufficient funding, and the slow judiciary processes hence the quest for special courts, lack of support from the public amongst others.

"Success in the fight against economic and financial crimes can only be achieved when all stakeholders, particularly the youths, embrace the fight," she stressed.

She urged the students to be part of the EFCC’s effort in the anti-corruption fight and urged them to "imbibe the culture of abhorring economic crimes and corruption in any form so that the nation can take back its  pride of place in the world".

Also speaking, Babashani Sanda of the Legal and Prosecution department encouraged the students to be law abiding in their dealings as Advance Fee Fraud and Cyber crime cases were mostly committed by their peers.

He enlightened the students on the EFCC Establishment Act, and the special powers of the Commission.

"The EFCC has the power to investigate all cases of economic and financial crimes, so make sure you are not found wanting," he said, adding that "when chasing a monster, make sure you do not become one in the process."

Responding, the coordinator of the visiting students, Dr. Kehinde Olayode, Head, Department of International Relations, thanked the EFCC for accepting their request for the visit, and promised to be anti-corruption ambassadors by establishing integrity clubs in the university.

Media & Publicity

28th November, 2018