The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, has described corruption as
a major threat to national development and urged students across the
country to fight it with unwavering determination.
He gave the charge in Abuja on Tuesday, March 25, 2025
at the launch of Integrity Club in eleven schools.
Represented by the Director, Public Affairs
Department of the Commission, Commander of the EFCC, CE Wilson Uwujaren,
the Chairman emphasized that the fight against economic and financial crimes
required collective efforts.
“The task of fighting economic and financial crimes
and other acts of corruption is all-embracing. Corruption is a threat to our
development as a nation, and it must be fought with all our might. This is the
reason the EFCC is engaging every stakeholder to be actively involved in the
fight,” he said.
He explained that the Integrity Clubs were established
to provide platforms for interaction, enlightenment, and character-building
among students and for fostering the values of honesty,
integrity, courage, and diligence.
“We believe that children at the primary and secondary
levels of education are trainable and receptive to instructions. They can be
guided into embracing higher values of life. Their outlook on life can be
shaped by the right value system, which membership in Integrity Clubs would
surely offer them. Our children can only become the leaders we desire if we
equip, mentor, guide, and guard them rightly. This is the basis of forming the
club in our schools,” he said.
Olukoyede also stressed the need for individual
commitment in the fight against corruption, noting that beyond institutional
measures, personal resistance to corrupt practices remains crucial.
“While we busy ourselves with building structures of
Integrity Clubs in our schools, there is no better modality of fighting graft
than individual resistance to it. We must all resolve to be solutions rather
than problems to be solved. Without such a decision, the best of our efforts
may not yield any fruitful result,” he said.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Federal Capital
Territory Universal Basic Education Board, FCT-UBEB, Dr. Alhassan Sule,
commended Olukoyede for his remarkable achievements within
the short period he has been in EFCC’s leadership. He lauded the
initiative of launching Integrity Clubs in secondary schools as a proactive
strategy to inculcate ethical values in children from a young age.
“They say prevention is better than cure. I
congratulate the Executive Chairman for launching Integrity Clubs in our
schools. I believe this will go a long way in shaping young minds to resist
corrupt tendencies and make our nation great. We will do everything possible to
ensure the success of this initiative,” he said.
Also speaking, the Head of the EFCC’s Enlightenment
and Reorientation Unit, Assistant Commander of the EFCC, ACE1Aisha
Mohammed, underscored the importance of engaging children in the
anti-corruption campaign. She noted that young people are key stakeholders in
the fight against corruption as they represent the future of the nation.
“Young people need to understand that there is honour
in hard work. Say no to exam malpractice, no to internet fraud, no to lying,
and other forms of dishonesty. Integrity is doing the right thing even when no
one is watching,” she said. She encouraged the students to serve as
ambassadors of integrity by spreading anti-corruption messages within their
communities.
Dr. Jumai Ahmadu, the Mother of the FCT Head-to-Head
Debate, also commended the EFCC and UBEB for their commitment in promoting
ethical values among young people. She emphasized that the establishment of
Integrity Clubs highlights the determination of both organizations to safeguard
the nation’s future by nurturing a generation that values honesty,
transparency, and ethical conduct.
“In a world where challenges to integrity are
prevalent, it is essential that we equip our young minds with the skills and
knowledge to navigate these waters. This initiative will not only enhance their
understanding of ethical principles but also empower them to become advocates
for good governance and responsible citizenship,” she said.
The eleven schools the EFCC inducted into the
Integrity Club are: Junior Secondary School, JSS Dutse 2, JSS
Kubwa 1, JSS Mpape, JSS Karu, JSS Bwari Central, JSS Kubwa 3 and JSS Area
1. Others are: JSS Area 10, JSS Jikwoyi 1, JSS Area 11, and JSS, Narai,
Karu.
The launch of the Integrity Club in secondary schools
is part of the EFCC’s broader strategy to instill anti-corruption values in
young Nigerians and foster a culture of integrity, essential for national
development in them.
