By Chimezie Godfrey
The Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC, has said that the commission is mobilising youths in the nation’s task to expose and tackle the scourge of corruption in the country.
In collaboration with the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, and the National Youth Service Corps, the anti-graft agency said it is adopting a new perspective in the anti-corruption fight by involving the youths.
According to the Chairman, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, public enlightenment and sensitisation about the menace of corruption have become more increasingly imperative in checkmating the evils of economic and financial crimes in Nigeria.
“I feel greatly delighted to share with you a new perspective on the Prevention mandate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission as set out in Section 6 (P) of the EFCC Establishment Act.
“My desire in this regard is to ensure public ownership of the fight against corruption and make every Nigerian a ready stakeholder in the fight.
“The new perspective we are exploring is the awakening and mobilisation of youths in our nation to the task of exposing, confronting and tackling the scourge of corruption.
“As we all know, youths constitute the bulk of our population and they are the realities and strength of our future,” Magu said.
He added that the Nigerian youths are crucial to the success of the anti-corruption crusade and commitments if President Buhari’s government.
In the light of the foregoing, Magu declared that the Commission in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, and the National Youth Service Corps will be holding the first ever ‘Nigerian Youth Walk Against Corruption’ tommorow, February 14th, 2020.
He disclosed that the walk will be done concurrently in all the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.
He pointed out that the objectives of the walk are multifarious which include to sensitize, and mobilize youths across the country to reject evils of corrupt practices, among others things.
Also speaking, the Director General, NYSC, Brigadier General Shuaibu Ibrahim said that the National Youth Service Corps is ready to develop new modalities of youth engagements in the anti-corruption fight.
He said,”Corps members in all states of the federation will come out in large number tomorrow to lead the walk.
” Other interest groups, like women, CSOs, labour unions and others will join in the walk and we are excited about the prospects of the project.
“I want to use this forum to appeal to every Nigerian to come out in large number tomorrow and identify with the anti-corruption walk.
“Our peculiarities and experience as a nation make every war against corruption to be imperative and all-involving.
“We will continue to draw local and global attention to the fact that Corruption is not our culture and does not grow on our soil.”
