The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, has charged Nigerian youths to resist corruption and all forms of economic and financial crimes.
He gave the charge on Monday, August 25, 2025, at the 13th Annual Teenagers Workshop, organised by Al-Habibiyyah Islamic Society at Epitome Model Islamic School, Mararaba, Nasarawa State.
Speaking on “the dangers of corruption and the importance of integrity” through the Head of the Enlightenment and Reorientation Unit of the Commission, Assistant Commander of the EFCC, ACE II, Aisha Mohammed, the EFCC boss regreted that corruption has eaten deep into the fabric of the Nigerian society, and called for a collective action against it, especially from the youths, being the future leaders of the country.
“You matter most to us because you are the future of this country. Whatever you can, do it to save this nation from corruption. Change the narrative, frown at all forms of corruption. No aspect of corruption is small; every form of it has dire consequences. Corruption is the reason we have poor hospitals, bad roads, substandard schools and a failing educational system. Do not wait. Fight it. Resent it wherever you see it happening, so that we can collectively save our nation from the monster of corruption,” he said.
Speaking on integrity, Olukoyede noted that “The moment you lose integrity, you lose everything. Make integrity your trademark. Be so synonymous with integrity that people can identify you with it. You are the future of this country, and your voices matter. So join hands with the EFCC to drive corruption out of Nigeria,” he said.
In the interactive session, Assistant Superintendent of the EFCC, ASE 1, Ilyasu Bala, drew a parallel between the mandates of the EFCC and those of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, which are both anti-corruption agencies.
The EFCC, he explained, focuses broadly on financial crimes across all sectors, including money laundering, internet fraud, terrorist financing, illegal mining and illegal oil deals, with enforcement powers that cover arrest, detention, freezing of accounts and asset seizures. The ICPC, on the other hand, targets corruption within the public sector, such as bribery, abuse of office, embezzlement and unethical conduct by civil servants and government officials.
In her remarks, the Director of Empowerment and Endowment of Al-Habibiyyah Islamic Society, Habiba Ahmed, thanked Olukoyede, the management and staff of the EFCC for consistently engaging with youths as partners in the fight against corruption, economic and financial crimes.
She urged the participants to support the EFCC in its anti-corruption fight and to take the anti-corruption message of the Commission home to their families and friends.
The workshop, which attracted teenagers from across the country, aimed at moulding morally upright and socially responsible youths by instilling the values of good leadership qualities, integrity and civic responsibility in them.
