Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Ola Olukoyede has vowed to tackle looters of public funds, drainers of resources and other corrupt elements across states in the federation including Ondo state to make room for growth and development across the country.
The chairman’ s comment was coming less than 48 hours after individuals and civil society organisations had petitioned the commission over the crisis in Ondo state over continued absence of governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu due to ill-health and the recent revelations on alleged forgery of the governor’s signature by some cabinet members.
He stated this on Saturday in Abuja in a Road Walk held in commemoration of the 2023 International Anti-Corruption Day.
Olukoyede pointed out that the EFCC under his watch would not allow resources meant for economic growth and greater good of Nigerians to be cornered by looters and that every stolen fund would be recovered to develop social systems in the country.
He said, “We are going to give sleepless nights to those stealing our money. We are going to remove opportunities for corruption. We are going to plug the loopholes. We are in the era of a new budget. We have sent word to all the gatekeepers of our finances in Nigeria that we are going to work with them. Every money that is released, we are going to track them,” he said.
He decried the hurtful effects of corruption on Nigerians, promising that the anti-corruption mandate of the EFCC is being refocused to stimulate growth and development in all the sectors of the economy.
“We are refocusing the anti-corruption mandate of the EFCC. We will fight corruption to stimulate growth and development and remove all the threats to the progress of the nation. We are tired of corruption in Nigeria. Our youths must have job opportunities,” he said.
On the theme of the 2023 International Anti-Corruption Day: UNCAC@20: Uniting the World against Corruption, Olukoyede stated that the whole world must come together to fight corruption but expressed readiness to approach the international community for the recovery of stolen funds kept abroad.
“Those who are keeping looted funds abroad are more corrupt than us. We are going to go after them. We will recover our funds and use them to develop our systems,” he said.
He called on Nigerians to show more support for the government, assuring that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is ready to promote businesses and public good.
According to Nigerian Tribune, the Road Walk which started at the Abuja Zonal Command of the EFCC in Wuse district through some major roads in Maitama witnessed massive turnout of Nigerians from all walks of life, including staff of the EFCC, civil society organisations, representatives of the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, Police, Armed Forces, National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, women groups, media and other stakeholders. Amidst singing and dancing, banners with different inscriptions condemning corruption were displayed by the crowd.
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