Magu: Expect More Arrests, Trials, Conviction of Corrupt Individuals

• Youths key into anti-graft war •Aisha Buhari to launch women against corruption November
Senator Iroegbu in Abuja
The Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, has vowed that there will be more investigations, interrogation, trials and convictions of corrupt individuals or organisations in the country.

Magu stated this yesterday at the unveiling of the EFCC Creative Youths Initiative against Corruption (CYIaC) in Abuja.
He stated in a speech titled: “We Cannot Let Our Youths Down”, that despite the current efforts being made to strengthen the preventive role of the fight against corruption through the youth initiative, the Commission will continue to fulfil its enforcement duties.

He said: “Let me clarify that the EFCC will continue to vigorously enforce its mandate alongside engaging in preventive initiatives such as this. Therefore, even as we appeal to the old and the young to shun corruption and other forms of fraud, expect to see more investigation, more arrests, more trials, more convictions and more recovery of stolen assets.

“We are the first to recognise that enforcement alone cannot win the war against corruption. Prevention is an effective and necessary weapon that must be employed in conjunction with enforcement and there is no group of Nigerians better equipped to wield that weapon than the youths.”
Magu stressed that “the task to rid the nation of the corruption cankerworm cannot be left to the EFCC and other anti-corruption agencies alone.”

“We are all stakeholders in the war and cannot let the future generations down; it is for their future that we must sacrifice our today. Let us work together for our dear nation; let us join hands to build for our children the future we desire,” he added.
Speaking further, he said that the aim of the Initiative is to expand the anti-corruption mandate using as vehicle, the innate creativity of our young ones.

“That is the essence of this Initiative, which is a forerunner of sorts to the EFCC Women Against Corruption initiative, that will be rolled out by the First Lady, Hajia Aisha Buhari, in November. That project will bring on board the anti-corruption train, Nigerian women from all walks of life,” he said.

The EFCC boss noted that the people most impacted by the mindless looting of our commonwealth, are women and children.
According to him, these are the most vulnerable in our society and must not only be protected, but armed with the necessary tools to fight a sustainable and winnable war against corruption.

“Our children must see that there is a future away from corruption and be encouraged to take that path of honour, moral rectitude and creative employment of their talents, which had been shunned by so many of our corrupt leaders,” he remarked.
In the same vein, the Project Coordinator, CYIaC, Mrs. Foluke Michaels, said that the mission of the initiative is to prevent corruption from the root by exposing the ills of corruption to children and youths through comprehensive education and creative developments.

Michaels stated that “CYIaC is commited to lead change in children and youth by eradicating corruption through character (attitude) and skill (aptitude) development for the positive advancement of our great nation”.
To this end, she disclosed that the Initiative will partner with primary and secondary schools within Nigeria to identify talented creative children and youth with a vision for a new Nigeria.

“Our aim is to implant core values in them that will make them young responsible citizens. Our overall goal is to contribute to nation building through creative development with a focus on ‘War against Corruption’.

“Their creativity will be showcased through various creative mediums; Painting, Drama, Writing, Reading, Singing, Information and Technology and Inventions,” she stated.
The Coordinator also disclosed that the Project is designed to cover six geo-political zones in Nigeria within a period of four years.