The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is to open an internet research centre focused on switching Nigerian youths away from internet crimes, as one of the measures to arrest the rising wave of cybercrime in the country, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, chief of the anti-graft agency has hinted.
Olukoyede, the EFCC Executive Chairman also said he will spare no one in the anti-graft war across Nigeria at an event held Sunday to raise awareness about internet crimes.
According to the EFCC chief, the anti-graft war that he is leading will continue to be broad-based, holistic and unsparing of anyone linked with any form of economic and financial crimes.
‘’We will not spare anyone. We will not spare the mega thieves. As we are doing the mega, we will also do those at the lower end. In the last two months, we have arranged two former governors. So, it is not true that we are only focused on internet fraudsters. Of course, internet fraud is bad enough but our focus is on every form of economic and financial crimes,” the EFCC chief said.
Mr. Ola Olukoyede, Executive Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
EFCC chief: We are out for ‘fully-integrated war’ against internet crimes, corrupt practices
Olukoyede, who spoke in Abuja on Sunday at an Anti-Corruption Concert organised to raise awareness and public involvement in the fight against internet crimes, pointed to the strides being made since he assumed office a couple of months ago and reaffirmed his commitment to an all-embracing, fully-integrated war against corrupt practices, EFCC said in a statement posted on X, the social media service formerly called Twitter.
‘’We will not spare anyone. We will not spare the mega thieves. As we are doing the mega, we will also do those at the lower end. In the last two months, we have arranged two former governors. So, it is not true that we are only focused on internet fraudsters. Of course, internet fraud is bad enough but our focus is on every form of economic and financial crimes,” the EFCC chief said.
Olukayode cautioned youths against indulgence in internet-related offences, noting that the consequences of being convicted for such crimes are grave. “Youths,” Olukayode said, “need to know that being ex-convicts has career limitations. Ex-convicts can’t run for public offices, the stigma alone is even terrible. So, I urge you to avoid internet crimes by all means. Your future is more important than any immediate gains from such crimes.”
On his watch at EFCC, Olukoyede said that he was interested in giving youths a glorious and sustainable future and to this effect, “a Cyber Crime Research Centre is being planned in the New Academy of the EFCC. The Centre will involve youths in in-depth research about the issue of cyber crime. Their energies will be deployed towards profitable engagements”
The EFCC chief wants youths to embrace hard work and diligence, stressing that “the path of success is the path of hard work and dignity. There is dignity in labour. Let’s come together. All of us must come together and agree that corruption is evil. Don’t’ leave the fight to EFCC alone”
Also speaking at the concert, Ayodele Olawande, Minister of State for Youth Development, enjoined youths across the country to support the EFCC in its crusade against economic and financial crimes and other acts of corruption. “Nigeria is supposed to have progressed more than this. We will not allow corrupt people to destroy our future, that is why we need to come together and fight this evil in our society, that is why we need to continuously run this campaign because I am convinced that everyone of us have a part to play, without you, there is little or nothing EFCC can do. Let’s show the world that young Nigerian people are determined to change the narrative.”
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