By OLUBUKOLA AIYEDOGBON
ILORIN- The Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has called on stakeholders particularly law enforcement agencies, to support the anti-graft crusade of the commission.
The EFCC Zonal Commander, Mr Michael Nzekwe, made the appeal during a familiarization visit to the Customs Area Comptroller in Kwara, Aliyu Bello in Ilorin on Monday.
Nzekwe said the visit was to seek a buy-in of sister agencies to work together and free the country from the shackles of corruption.
He highlighted the importance of collaboration in order to fulfill the mandate of the commission, as stated in Section 6 of the EFCC Act.
“The EFCC alone cannot win the anti corruption war without the support of key stakeholders,” he added.
According to him, the Act requires the commission to enforce responsibilities and take measures to prevent economic crimes through aggressive public enlightenment and education.
“If the collaboration between the two agencies is strengthened, economic saboteurs and other sundry criminals wreaking underserved havoc on the nation’s economy will have no hiding place,” Nzekwe said.
Responding, the Customs Comptroller, Bello, commended the EFCC for its giant strides and promised to cooperate and support the commission in forging a united stand against corruption.
He said that both the Customs and EFCC had worked closely in special joint operations, investigations and training.
“In the past, Customs and EFCC collaborations have been a reference point for best practices and we are glad to say that the relationship has extended to frontiers of our collaboration to fight corruption.
“In synergy, we are sending strong signals to all economic saboteurs that they now face a more difficult task to evade payment of customs duty or illegal movement of cash through our borders,” the customs boss said.
While on a similar visit to the Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), the EFCC zonal commander said that bonding among security agencies was the only way to guarantee safety and development in Nigeria.
He said that the visit was more of strengthening the bond between the FRSC and EFCC.
“We will be seeking your support in the area of verification of some information in terms of anti-corruption issues, money laundering and other related offences on your portals that can be of assistance to our work”, he said.
The FRSC Sector Commander, Fredrick Ogidan described the EFCC as the foremost anti-graft agency in Nigeria.
Ogidan said it was important for agencies of government to work together to make Nigeria a better place for all.
The sector commander assured that the corps was open to partnership and was prepared to provide the needed support which the anti-graft agency needed.
In a similar visit to the Kwara Coordinator, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Mrs Francisca Olaleye, she commended the EFCC for always making its men available to give sensitisation talks at the NYSC Orientation Camps.
Olaleye said that there was need for the anti-corruption messages to be far reaching, so as to make wider impact.
She therefore advised the commission to organise more elaborate anti-corruption campaign that would bring together corps members and NYSC Officials from all the local government areas in the state.
“We already have a working relationship, and I am assuring you that the relationship is going to get better by the grace of God”, Olaleye said.
Earlier the EFCC zonal commander, solicited the support of NYSC in curbing the rising trend of cybercrime, also known as ‘Yahoo-Yahoo’, among the youths. (NAN)
