Anti-graft War: EFCC seeks support of tertiary institutions

Forum 11 months ago

Anti-graft War: EFCC seeks support of tertiary institutions

Mr Michael Nzekwe, the Zonal Commander, Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has called on the academia to support the commission in its efforts at nipping the menace of internet fraud in the bud.

Nzekwe, who decried the rising cases of internet fraud in tertiary institutions in Kwara, said this during an interactive session with heads of the institutions on Friday in Ilorin.

The heads of tertiary institutions comprised vice chancellors of universities, rectors of polytechnics and provosts of colleges of education in the state.

He said the meeting was at aimed at focusing on the causes of corruption, its effects on students and the institutions as well as the larger society.

Others are deliberating on the preventive measures to adopt in curbing corrupt practices in tertiary institutions.

He described as unfortunate recent developments which have turned the citadels of learning to an environment rift with corrupt practices, maladministration and diversion of public funds.

The commander said that the commission could achieve the task of ridding the country of corruption, if every institution gets involved and actively participate in the fight against the menace.

“Our universities must endeavour to change the current negative narrative regarding the quality of education in Nigeria.

“We at EFCC are passionate about engendering discipline, honesty, hardwork, accountability and transparency through our proactive mechanism of checkmating corruption.

“We will remain antagonistic against fraud and every form of corruption in our institutions,” he said.

Nzekwe intimated participants of the ongoing efforts by the Chairman of EFCC, Mr Abdulrasheed Bawa, at ensuring that anti-corruption courses were incorporated into the universities, polytechnics and colleges of education curriculum.

Prof. Olubunmi Omotesho, who represented the Vice Chancellor, University of Ilorin, appreciated the giant strides of the commission in its efforts at ensuring probity and transparency in the private and public sectors of the state.

He urged the commission to develop a database where details of convicted persons could be found, saying such database will assist the decisions of the school authorities on convicted persons.

Also speaking, the Rector, Kwara State Polytechnic, Dr Abdul Jimoh, commended the initiative of the EFCC in bringing heads of tertiary institutions together on a round table to discuss issues of corruption as it affected their various institutions.

He said Kwara Polytechnic had already made it a policy that it would no longer offer admission to applicants who have been convicted over one crime or the other.

On his part, Dr Salimonu Ishaq, the Deputy Rector, Federal Polytechnic, Offa, said that the institution was ready to collaborate with the commission, while urging it not to be deterred as corruption will always fight back.

Dr Adewunmi Idowu, the Deputy Provost, Kwara State College of Education, Oro, and Alhaji Hamzat Nurudeen, the Acting Provost, Muyideen College of Education, Ilorin, in their separate remarks, called for the sustainability of the engagement, while appealing for support for the goodwork of the EFCC for a better Nigeria.

They charged the commission to focus more on its preventive measures rather than being reactive.