Ola Olukoyede, the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, has cautioned corps members nationwide against participating in fraudulent activities and cybercrimes, emphasizing that a large number of young Nigerians are being convicted of online fraud and labeled as ex-offenders.
Speaking to members of Batch B, Stream 2 at the National Youth Service Corps orientation camp in the Lagos State neighborhood of Iyana Ipaja on Thursday, Olukoyede issued the directive.
In the presence of Babatunde Sulaiman, Head of Public Affairs, Lagos Zonal Directorate 2, the EFCC chief advised the corps members to be goal-oriented and refrain from concealing criminal tendencies.
“Don’t hide dishonest behavior and criminal tendencies from those around you. Make them public. Provide the EFCC with valuable intelligence via the Eagle Eye App
Olukoyede said corruption was dragging the nation backwards, and urged the corps members to be whistleblowers in their environments.
“We must accept the fact that corruption has brought us down the ladder of development and should do something definitive and drastic about changing the narratives,” he added.
The EFCC boss further warned corps members to be mindful of the lifelong consequences of a criminal record.
He also harped on the need for them to shun any act that could eventually label them as ex-convicts.
“Over time, Internet fraudsters are getting convicted in multiples and wearing tags of ex-convicts. This is a roadblock to future advancements. An ex-convict cannot hold any leadership or public office in the future. Embassy officials across the world won’t grant visas to ex-convicts, and no serious enterprise can be run by those already jailed in any court of law. To this end, youths should be careful and steer clear of what may put their future on the line,” he cautioned.
Olukoyede, represented by the agency’s Chief Superintendent, Bashir Emmanuel Afanda, urged corps members in Enugu State to build a community of anti-corruption fighters. In Akwa Ibom and Cross River, the EFCC told youths to seek legitimate and productive ways of earning income. In Kaduna, the commission urged corps members to contribute positively to the fight against economic crimes instead of embracing internet fraud.
PUNCH Metro gathered that the EFCC had, in recent years, intensified its sensitisation campaigns in the NYSC camps across the country, as thousands of young Nigerians have been arrested and convicted for internet fraud, popularly called Yahoo Yahoo.
