By Nkechi Eze
The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ola Olukoyede, has called on all Nigerians, particularly young people, to actively participate in the collective fight against corruption, stressing that the effects of the scourge spare no one.
According to an official statement signed by the Commission’s spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, the EFCC Chairman gave the charge on Monday, October 13, 2025, when staff and students of Oloye Comprehensive College, Abuja, paid an educational visit to the EFCC Headquarters in Abuja.
Olukoyede, who was represented by the Head of Public Interface, Assistant Commander of the EFCC, ACE I Tony Orilade, emphasized that the battle against corruption and financial crimes is a shared responsibility that requires the involvement of every citizen, including students, as corruption impacts all segments of society.
“While we fight corruption, economic and financial crimes, we now place priority on prevention. We that are here today will leave the stage tomorrow and younger people like you will occupy this place. Do everything to run away from any form of fraud because it is going to affect you as you journey in life. Be part of anti-corruption groups. If there is no Integrity Club in your school, do well to form one and be part of it so that you can also be part of fighting corruption anywhere you find yourself,” he stated.
The EFCC boss noted that the Commission’s preventive approach focuses on youth sensitization, capacity building, and moral reorientation through platforms such as the Integrity Clubs established in schools nationwide. These clubs, he explained, serve as channels for nurturing integrity, accountability, and transparency among young people.
Also addressing the students, Chief Superintendent of the EFCC, CSE Hakeem Lasisi, of the Cybercrime Unit, spoke extensively on the causes and dangers of cybercrime, warning that while the internet remains a powerful tool for innovation and education, many young people misuse it for criminal purposes.
“We have seen a sharp decrease in the age of perpetrators. We have seen even people younger than you using the internet in a negative sense. That’s why we are making more efforts to get the awareness across, so that you don’t get involved. Beware of unsolicited messages; be careful of the people you chat with online, avoid pirated software, and use anti-virus to protect your devices,” Lasisi advised.
He attributed the growing involvement of young people in cybercrime to peer pressure, ignorance, curiosity, socio-economic challenges, and unemployment. He further explained that cybercrime has devastating consequences, including emotional distress, reputational damage, loss of career opportunities, and psychological trauma. He urged the students to seek positive role models, remain focused on their goals, and stay guided by their parents and teachers to avoid being lured into criminality.
In her contribution, the Head of Enlightenment and Reorientation of the EFCC, Assistant Commander ACE II Aisha Mohammed, took the visiting students through the Commission’s preventive strategies and public education initiatives against economic and financial crimes.
“We don’t just arrest people; we look at prevention and we have programmes that are meant for prevention. We have formed Integrity Clubs in primary and secondary schools. The club is very active and the students are our foot soldiers in the fight against corruption in their schools, homes and communities. We do quarterly visits to schools wherever there is a new trend of cybercrime. We also have a TV programme called The Eagle, the Zero Tolerance magazine, and the NYSC Clubs. There are other engagements that involve civil society groups, inter-faith leaders and clerics, where we discuss how to fight corruption. We have governance accountability projects among other programmes,” she explained.
She charged the students to always be good ambassadors of their school, families, and communities, and to uphold integrity in all their dealings. “To be an ambassador is by spreading the EFCC message, becoming a person of integrity, doing the right thing when nobody’s watching. Anywhere you see something, say something and the EFCC or your school authorities will do something,” she said.
Speaking on behalf of her colleagues, the newly appointed EFCC Ambassador, Miss Chukwuka Gabriella, expressed gratitude to the Commission for the opportunity to visit and for the lessons learned during the session. She pledged that the students would carry the anti-corruption message to their families, peers, and communities.
The visit, which forms part of the EFCC’s youth engagement and preventive education initiatives, underscores the Commission’s commitment to building a new generation of Nigerians with strong moral values, ethical standards, and zero tolerance for corruption. Through such interactive sessions, the EFCC continues to drive home the message that the fight against corruption is not just for law enforcement agencies but a civic duty for every Nigerian.
