The Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, has said the anti-graft agency is passionate about safeguarding the image of Nigeria within and outside its shores.
He disclosed this in Ibadan on Thursday, during a courtesy visit to the management of the Polytechnic, Ibadan.
Magu, who was represented by the commission’s Ibadan Zonal Head, Friday Ebelo, stated that EFCC is exploring all avenues to dissuade Nigerians from going into corrupt practices in order not to dent the country’s reputation and in turn rob off on the people, particularly when they travel outside the country.
He said the commission was at the Polytechnic, Ibadan to seek collaboration with the management to find ways of engaging the students and encourage them to use their youthful energy in positive manner.
Magu added that the move became necessary in the light of the growing rate of youth involvement in cybercrime related activities.
“We think if they (the youths) are not in the right track, we should help them change their ways so that they will be better for the society.
“Our mission is to collaborate with you, especially the management, to help the students make meaningful impact in their lives. We can work together towards having the youth we can be proud of. They are our future. The society that doesn’t have a future is no society. We have mass young talents growing in this community. We need to help them to be better people,” he said.
While responding, the Rector, Prof Kazeem Adedeji, thanked the EFCC for considering a relationship with the institution, describing the visit as auspicious.
He noted that events in recent past made it important for members of the community to seek knowledge on economic and financial offences to avoid crossing the red line of the law.
Adedeji said the parley would not only benefit the students, but the staff alike, who require right knowledge to be properly guided in their day-to-day activities.
As part of the quest to always engage the students community in the campaign against crime, the commission had earlier in the week delivered a lecture at the Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ibadan.The lecture was organised to inject a practical perspective into the course, taken by both undergraduate and graduate students of the department.