The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has built Cyber Crime Research Centre as part of measures to build capacities against internet fraud.
Chairman of the Commission, Mr Ola Olukoyede stated this on Thursday during a town hall meeting, themed: “Uniting the Youths Against Corruption: Shaping Tomorrow’s Integrity, organised by the Ilorin zonal directorate of the EFCC to mark the 2024 International Anti-Corruption Day in Ilorin, Kwara State.
Olukoyede, who spoke through the Zonal Director, Harry Erin, said that the anti-graft agency had initiated so many measures to educate young people against cybercrime.
Saying that there is a compelling need for the youths to close ranks and confront the monster of corruption, the EFCC boss advised youths to see a better future ahead of them by choosing the pathway of integrity.
“As we always say, taking short cuts always cuts people short. Reject the shortcut of corruption and your future will be established”, he said.
He emphasised that corruption affects people of every age group, adding that corruption bites harder against the prospects and possibilities of youths.
The keynote speaker at the event, John Baiyeshea (SAN) recommended serious legislation on punishment including the death penalty for people caught stealing Nigeria’s commonwealth.
He urged the country’s legal system to wake up to its responsibility of applying appropriate sanctions against corrupt leaders.
Going spiritual, the legal icon asked religious leaders in the country to correctively decree God’s judgement on corrupt leaders.
“I urge pastors and Imams to collectively decree God’s judgement on corrupt people. They should remind God of His words in the scriptures against people stealing our collective patrimony”, he said.
He added that, “Corruption is the greatest industry in Nigeria and it has led to economic collapse. That is why there is poverty and hunger in a land that God has blessed us to flourish.
“We export corruption because the money that our people steal in billions of dollars is residing in those countries and it is cheap money in their systems. Something is fundamentally wrong with our system.
“Those corrupt people are stronger than our legal system. They are stronger than our law enforcement agencies.
“That is why I recommend death sentence as punishment against treasury looters. In Hong Kong, Singapore, China, North Korea punishing for treasury looters is death sentence. We should not be afraid to sentence to death those stealing our money.
“The wealth of the country of over 200 million people is in the hands of about 2,000 people, according to a study. This is the only country where we hero-worship corrupt people.
“If forefathers of the Americas, Europe had stolen the countries’ money, where will our children be running to now?”, he asked.