Abdulrasheed Bawa, Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has urged the youth to embrace hard work and avoid the allure of rapid and instant wealth.
The EFCC chairman delivered this statement on Thursday at the National Youth Service Corps Orientation Camps across the country during a sensitization lecture on the Role of Youths in Combating Economic and Financial Crimes.
Bawa stated at the NYSC Orientation Camp in Okada, Edo State, through Williams Oseghale, Head, Public Affairs Department, Benin Zonal Command, “There is no shortcut to success.” Those who take shortcuts are always caught off guard.
“Yahoo yahoo is a crime against humanity and God. It is not a sustainable way of life. The EFCC urges you to be innovative, forward looking and hard thinkers.”
According to a statement from the commission, the EFCC boss urged the corps members to enlist in the anti-graft army by joining the NYSC/EFCC Anti-Corruption CDS group. “We encourage you to join the group. It is a platform that offers you the opportunity to work with the advocacy arm of the Commission and to be in a position to serve as charge agents by helping to mould kids in schools across the nation”
At the NYSC Temporary Orientation Camp, Government, College, Kurmin Mashi, Kaduna, the Executive Chairman who was represented by CSE Nana Fatima Abubakar of the Public Affairs Department, Kaduna Zonal Command, urged the youths to harness their intelligence and energy for greater public good in their various areas of primary assignment and be change agents during their one year compulsory service by embracing only acts that could add positive value to the country’s aspirations.
At the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp Iseyin, Oyo State, Bawa charged Nigerian youths to shun corruption and other social vices that could endanger their future and jeopardize the socio-economic growth of the country. He stated that the youths must rise to the challenge of curbing economic and financial crimes, including corruption in our society and not use poverty and unemployment as basis to perpetrate internet fraud.
The message was presented on his behalf by DSE Egbodofo Olumide. Head of Public Affairs Department of the Ibadan Zonal Command of the EFCC,
“The menace of internet fraud among our youths is worrisome as youths are getting involved deeply in cybercrimes to the detriment of their future and the image of our nation. The fraudulent claim to reparation as basis for internet fraud is unacceptable and criminal.
“The lazy excuses of poverty and unemployment as rationalization and justification for internet crimes are also untenable as poverty should not be an excuse for criminality, and unemployment cannot be a basis for defrauding others of their hard-earned income,” Bawa said.
At the NYSC Orientation Camp Katsina, Idris Isiyaku, Head, Public Affairs, Kano Zonal Command, who represented the Executive Chairman, charged the Corps members to be whistle blowers by exposing corrupt activities in their communities.
“The message of the EFCC to you all this morning is that you should become whistle blowers in any place where you find yourself by reporting acts that fail the simple test of integrity. It is no use lamenting that things are not right with our country. We are inviting you to lend a hand in helping us build a society where there is respect for law and order and where impunity is a thing of the past, ” he said.
Bawa further encouraged the corps member to not lose hope in Nigeria and to believe in its potential of one day becoming a great nation.
“We are convinced that all hope is not lost in the effort to bring this country back from the brink. As dynamic young men and women, our desire is to harness your intelligence and energy for greater public good in your areas of primary assignments.”
At the Orientation Camp located in Ise/Orun/Emure area of Ekiti State, Superintendent of EFCC, Gbenga Adewoye of the Public Affairs Department, Ilorin Zonal Command, who presented the Executive Chairman’s message, charged the corps members to take full ownership of the fight against economic and financial crimes.
Similar messages were presented to Corps members in Port Harcourt, Enugu, Makurdi, among others.