We Must Unite to Defeat Corruption – Magu

We Must Unite to Defeat Corruption – Magu

The Ibadan Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Wednesday 11th July, 2018 joined other Zonal offices across the country and Abuja to stage a Road Walk Against Corruption in commemoration of the African Anti- Corruption Day to reecho the general call of the African Union that we must all unite to fight and defeat Corruption.

The Walk which kicked off from the Iyaganku, GRA office of the Commission in Ibadan through the famous Cocoa House in Dugbe had a huge turnout of Secondary Schools School Students, Youths, Civil Society Organizations, Non Governmental Organizations, Trade Unions, Collaborating Agencies and the Press, amongst others

The Ibadan Zonal Head, Abdulrasheed Bawa who welcomed the participants on behalf of the acting Chairman, Ibrahim Magu said in his address that “today’s Road Walk against corruption is to sensitize the public on the dangers of corruption and to expose its depth and gravity in our country which can be seen in the fact that between January and July, 2018 alone, the EFCC has secured 142 convictions.

This is an indication that we are determine to win the corruption war, no matter how long it will take. The Commission has also traced and recovered illicit funds, as well as properties worth billions of Dollars. This level of corruption is shocking, destructive and totally unacceptable.

Therefore, the commemoration of the African Anti-Corruption Day is important, timely and necessary”.

“However, the EFCC cannot win the fight against corruption alone. We need the support and co-operation of all Nigerians in order to make meaningful progress in restoring transparency, accountability and due process in public governance” he added.

“All hands must be on deck in the spirit of the clarion call from the Head of Governments across the Continent that Africa must unite to defeat corruption; we must all demand the culture of integrity and accountability; tame corruption today for the youths to live tomorrow and together we shall win the fight against corruption, Bawa emphasized.

He also seized the opportunity to inform the gathering that the African Anti-Corruption Day was occasioned by the declaration of the Head of States and Governments, of the African Unions, AU, in 2011 that July 11 every year should be the ‘African Anti-Corruption Day’, following the adoption of the African Union Convention on Prevention and

Combating Corruption on the 11th July, 2003 in Maputo. Mozambique.

Speaking further, Bawa said the underlined assumption is that the youths hold the key to the fight against corruption and the destiny of generations unborn. There is no short cut to wealth and fame; therefore you should embrace hard work and stay away from crimes.

I urge you all to take the ownership of the fight against corruption and become an ambassador of change across all ages and vocations to foster public support for the fight against economic and financial crimes everywhere you go.

As the president has always emphasized, we must come together to fight the common enemy “Corruption”, let’s kill corruption before it kills us, he reiterated.