NAN-H-95
Corruption
By Emmanuel Acha
Enugu, May 23, 2017 (NAN) The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday urged all Nigerians to embrace the ongoing crusade against corruption in the country.
The South-East Zonal Head of the Commission, Mr Johnson Babalola, made the call during a roadshow in Enugu.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) participated in the campaign tagged ‘Walk against Corruption’.
The walk started from the EFCC office on Ozubulu Street through Mkponkiti Street en-route Presidential Road to Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium.
Officials of the commission thereafter, walked through Oguiyi Road up to Otigba Junction and then to Bissala Road before returning to Ozobulu street.
Babalola told NAN on the sideline of the roadshow that the exercise was happening simultaneously in all their offices across the country.
He said that the essence was to enlighten Nigerians on the need to support the agency’s efforts and ensure success.
“Part of our duties is advocacy and enlightenment. We want to bring to the consciousness of Nigerians the fact that corruption does not pay and to make everybody part of this campaign.
“The very essence is to bring the campaign to the doorsteps of everybody across the country, because this is a fight we have to do collectively.”
Babalola said that there had been significant improvement in the fight against corruption since the commission organised a similar event in 2016.
He said that the commission was very determined to win the anti-corruption war with the assistance of Nigerians.
“Between last year and now, this concept of whistle blowing came on board, and with the consciousness that people have regarding anti-corruption, they are coming up with intelligence.
“People are writing to us anonymously suggesting what they think we should do to help the fight and we synthesize whatever they bring to us and take decisions.”
Babalola said that Nigeria must not be allowed to go the way of other failed states.
NAN reports that the NYSC members and other participants carried placards with the inscriptions such as ‘Issuance of a dud cheque is a financial crime’ and `Corruption affects the common man even you’.
Others were `Stop stealing government funds; it belongs to all of us’, and ‘corruption is a crime against humanity’. (NAN)
EOA/OFN/NKO
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Edited by Felix Nwadioha/Nkechi Okoronkwo
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