By Nkechi Eze
The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has urged students across Nigeria to make integrity the foundation of their lives, stressing that a future built on honesty and accountability offers the surest path to lasting success.
Olukoyede gave the charge on Monday, March 9, 2026, while addressing students of J.K. People’s Comprehensive Academy who visited the Commission’s Corporate Headquarters in Abuja on a study tour.
According to a statement issued by the EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, the anti-graft agency’s chairman, who spoke through Oyewale, emphasised that students who embrace integrity, transparency and accountability would emerge as responsible leaders capable of shaping a better future for the country.
“Your foundation is important. No superstructure can stand on a foundation of corruption,” Olukoyede said. “At this stage of your education, you have every opportunity to choose integrity. You cannot be wrong with integrity and you cannot be right with corruption.”
He encouraged the students to broaden their ambitions, aim high and position themselves to positively influence their communities and the nation.
Speaking earlier, the Head of the Enlightenment and Re-Orientation Unit of the Commission, Aisha Mohammed, explained that prevention, investigation and prosecution remain the three key strategies through which the EFCC combats corruption and economic crimes.
She noted that the Commission has continued to intensify preventive efforts through public sensitisation programmes on television and radio, the establishment of Integrity and Zero Tolerance clubs in schools nationwide, and sustained collaboration with critical stakeholders.
Addressing the students, Mohammed urged them to remain committed to ethical behaviour and resist the temptation to live beyond their means.
“You are the future of this country. If you get it right, Nigeria will get it right. Be content and do not allow anyone to pressure you into living beyond your means,” she said.
During the visit, an Inspector of the EFCC, Kayode Eniola, delivered a presentation on cybersecurity, educating the students on the nature and consequences of cybercrime. She explained that cybercrime refers to criminal activities carried out through digital communication tools and internet-enabled platforms.
Eniola identified phishing, hacking and online romance scams as some of the most common forms of cybercrime, warning that victims often suffer financial losses, privacy breaches and reputational damage.
She advised the students to adopt preventive measures such as using strong passwords, updating software regularly, avoiding suspicious links and ensuring they log out of shared devices after use.
In his remarks, a teacher from the school, Okoro Chijioke, expressed appreciation to the EFCC for the enlightening session, describing the visit as an unforgettable learning experience for the students.
The event also featured an interactive question-and-answer session and a quiz competition to test the students’ understanding of the lectures. Two students who emerged winners in the competition were presented with gifts and souvenirs by the Commission.
