The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, has charged corps members across the country to embrace whistleblowing, integrity, hard work and collaborate with the Commission to tackle the menace of economic and financial crimes and other acts of corruption.
He gave the charge in Lagos on Thursday, November 11, 2026, while addressing corps members of the 2026 Batch C, Stream 11, at the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, Orientation Camp, Iyana Ipaja, Lagos.
Speaking on the theme “Building the Future Through Integrity, Hardwork, Innovation”, Olukoyede, represented by Assistant Commander of the EFCC, ACE11 Babatunde Sulaiman, Head, Public Affairs, Lagos Zonal Directorate 2, stated that whistleblowing should be embraced and not be regarded as a means of spreading unverified information on social media.
While urging the youth to become responsible partners in the fight against corruption, he stressed that “the EFCC cannot be everywhere, and no law-enforcement institution can succeed without citizens who are prepared to provide credible information about wrongdoing”
“Whistleblowing is, therefore, important, but it must be responsible. Whistleblowing is not gossip. It is not spreading unverified allegations on social media. It is not using the EFCC to settle personal disagreements or damage somebody you dislike. It means providing credible information through appropriate channels and allowing the law to take its course.”
The EFCC Chair also called on the youth to use legitimate channels in reporting any wrongdoing, saying that “Where you genuinely have information that should be reported, use legitimate channels.
At the NYSC Orientation camp in Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State, Olukoyede noted that the Commission regularly handles cases involving youths who deploy their intelligence and digital skills to commit cybercrime, allow their bank accounts to be used for questionable transactions or act as money mules for criminal networks. He cautioned the corps members against allowing social pressure and the desire to appear wealthy to push them into criminal activities, noting that there was no shame in starting small, acquiring skills, building businesses gradually or pursuing legitimate opportunities.
Speaking through Chief Superintendent of the EFCC, CSE Paul Ikpor, Head, Public Affairs, Enugu Zonal Directorate of the EFCC, Olukoyede explained that, “At the EFCC, our mandate empowers us to fight economic and financial crimes. In the course of our work, we see every day what happens when ambition is separated from integrity. We see intelligent young people whose promising futures have been damaged by one wrong decision. There is no shame in starting small.
There is no shame in learning a skill, building a business gradually, developing an idea, failing at something legitimate and trying again. What is dangerous is allowing social pressure to convince you that you are behind simply because somebody your age appears wealthier than you”
In Bauchi State, CSE Ogolekwu Mary spoke for the EFCC’s boss and admonished corps members to serve as agents of public enlightenment in their places of primary assignments. “Become agents of public enlightenment. Use your Community Development Service activities to talk about integrity. Speak to younger people in schools and your host communities about cybercrime and its consequences. Use your social-media platforms to promote legitimate opportunities rather than glorifying unexplained wealth”, he said.
Olukoyede addressed corps members at the NYSC Orientation Camp in Nonwa-Gbam, Tai Local Government Area of Rivers State. Represented by Inspector of the EFCC, IE Wisdom Omereji, he described internet fraud as a dead end, pointing out that the same intelligence that can be misused for cybercrime can be channelled into software development, digital marketing, financial technology, content creation, e-commerce and many other legitimate opportunities.
“Nigeria does not lack talent. What we need is to direct that talent towards creating value. Your ability to write, speak, design, programme, analyse data, create music, produce content, repair things, cook, trade or solve everyday problems can become the foundation of a legitimate livelihood”, he said.
At the NYSC Temporary Orientation Camp in Kaduna, ACE II Nana Fatima Abubakar conveyed Olukoyede’s message to the corps members. According to the EFCC’s boss, youths should take skills acquisition, entrepreneurship and talent development seriously during their service year. “Do not look at entrepreneurship only as what you do when you cannot find paid employment. It can be a pathway to independence, job creation and national development. “Hard work does not always produce instant results. There will be setbacks. There will be periods when legitimate progress feels slow. But there is tremendous value in knowing that what you have earned belongs lawfully to you and that you can explain how you acquired it.”
In other locations in Abuja; Uyo, Akwa Ibom State; Yola, Adamawa State; Umuahia, Abia State; Kano; Iseyin, Oyo State; Ekiti State; Awka, Anambra state; Katsina state and other Orientation Camps, Olukoyede extended the same warmth and admonition to corps members, charging them to see themselves as foot soldiers in the fight against corruption.
