By Nkechi Eze
The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, has called on women across the country to show greater commitment to the fight against economic and financial crimes, urging them to play active roles in protecting society from corruption and cybercrime.
In an official statement signed by the Commission’s spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, the EFCC boss made the appeal in Abuja on Thursday, September 11, 2025, at the “You Against Crime Festival” organised by You Against Crime International, YACI. Represented at the event by the Head of the Enlightenment and Reorientation Unit of the EFCC, Assistant Commander of the EFCC (ACE II) Aisha Muhammed, Olukoyede stressed that women and mothers, as nurturers of families and custodians of values, hold vital keys in the collective effort to rid Nigeria of corruption.
“Mothers and women play crucial roles in everything that we do, and they can do the same in the fight against corruption and cybercrime,” he said. “We are talking of culture, we have to take it back to parenting. The EFCC is always talking about parenting and also catching them young. The Commission has Integrity Clubs in primary and secondary schools. We have the Zero Tolerance Club in universities and other tertiary institutions, all to catch them young.”
Olukoyede further revealed that the EFCC established the “Women Against Corruption” initiative because of the central role women play in society and the urgent need for their voices in shaping the moral fabric of the younger generation. He emphasised that good parenting remains a critical weapon in the war against crime. “Parenting is the most important part of our culture. Parents should ask questions, parents should know the friends of their children, parents should keep an eye on their children. Don’t leave your children to society,” he warned.
The President and organiser of the festival, Tayo Florunsho, explained that the event was designed to explore practical solutions to the rising tide of crimes in society, particularly those affecting young people. According to him, the programme sought to provide platforms for dialogue and collaboration between students, youths, and security agencies. “We are here to collectively work together to see how students and youths can know what to add to the services of security agencies. We can’t do it on our own; we are here to dialogue on how to proffer a solution and not complain any longer,” he stated, while urging all stakeholders to join hands in the battle against corruption and financial crimes.
Also speaking at the forum, the Mandate Secretary for Women Affairs, Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Adebayo Benjamin Laniyi, reinforced the call for a united front against corruption. She maintained that women, government institutions, and civil society must work together with security agencies to curb financial crimes and protect the integrity of Nigeria’s future.
The festival brought together policymakers, security officials, students, and civil society actors, underscoring the urgency of collaborative action in curbing economic and financial crimes. The EFCC Chairman’s charge to women to assume greater responsibility in safeguarding the moral compass of society set the tone for a renewed drive to build a corruption-free Nigeria.
