The acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, has condemned the practice of celebrating corruption and corrupt people in the country.
He said Nigerians must continue to expose anyone involved in corrupt practices, saying the anti-graft war was a collective responsibility.
Magu also lamented that those who had been celebrating the treasury looters did not understand the evil in corruption.
“But we must chase them; we must expose them. Let them return the loot to the treasury so that it can be judiciously utilised for our common good
Magu spoke on Friday at the Commission’s Lagos zonal office during a press briefing to sensitize Nigerians about the forthcoming launch of “Corruption Busters”, an initiative of the collaborative efforts of the Creative Youth Initiative Against Corruption (CYIAC), the EFCC and the Movement Against Corruption, MAC.
The EFCC boss, who described corruption as Nigeria’s greatest enemy, added that one of the most effective strategies for winning the anti-graft war was to mobilise everybody to join in the fight.
“If we can sustain this fight with determination for the next one year, we will see a change of attitude in our people. In any case, we are already beginning to see the change of attitude”, he said.
Magu, who also urged the anti-corruption ambassadors across the country not to be discouraged, stated that there had been efforts to mobilise Nigerians in the Diaspora, adding that “They have expressed determination to join in the anti-graft war.”
Earlier, the coordinator of the CYIAC, Foluke Michael, said the war against corruption had begun to take new dimensions, adding that the youth were the arsenals being used to fight the war.
Michael, who recalled the circumstances leading to the birth of the project, particularly the involvement of Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, further said “We are going to win the war against corruption. We want the children to be able to pilot the change and lead the change”.
According to her, “The Corruption Busters will be launched on December 9, 2017 to mark the United Nations International Anti-corruption Day.
“There will be online registration for two categories of youths: 9 and 15 years old and 15- 25 years old. There will also be an app dedicated to the CYIAC Corruption Busters, which will also be launched on that day.”
In her brief remark, the President of Women Arise Initiative and Campaign For Democracy, Joe Okei-Odumakin, said getting the youth involved in the fight against corruption was long over- due.
Okei-Odumakin, who is also the Steering Committee Chairman of the Movement Against Corruption, MAC, said Nigeria was bleeding under the heavyweight of corruption.
“We must all remain united against corruption. We have to own the fight against corruption; hence the reason we have thrown our weight behind this project,” she said.
She also saluted the youth who, according to her, had used their creative intelligence, through different media, to speak out against corruption.
Okei-Odumakin further stated that “We must agonise less and organise more to fight the monster.