Bawa urges Nigerian students to shun Cybercrime

Etim Ekpimah

The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Abdulrasheed Bawa has called on Nigerian students to take ownership of the fight against corruption and channel their potentials positively for the good of the country.

The EFCC boss also admonished youths to serve as role models by shunning all forms of cybercrimes, urging them to embrace the virtue of hard work and contentment. He noted that “there is no shortcut to wealth and fame”.

Bawa gave this admonition on Tuesday, October 5, 2021, at the Kogi State Polytechnic Lokoja, Kogi State, while speaking as a guest at the official flag-off of the campaign against social vices on campuses organised by the National Association of Nigerians Students, NANS.

The programme is designed to sensitise students across campuses in Nigeria on the ills of social vices and dissuade them from engaging in them.

This was contained in a statement signed by Head, Media and Publicity, EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren on Wednesday.

Bawa, who spoke through Abbah Sambo Usman, Head, Cybercrime Section, EFCC Headquarters, Abuja, on “Involvement of Youth in Cybercrime: The New Menace”, decried the rate at which youths get involved in cybercrime and blamed society for the development.

According to him, “Everybody wants to live large and big. Our society is fond of glorifying ‘the affluent and the corrupt’. In fact, we celebrate them. Nobody is asking questions on how they come about their wealth! The moment you are rich you become a celebrity and people want to model their life after you. This is sad and unfortunate! The society must stop this attitude, for our country to move forward.”

He said all hands must be on deck to defeat the menace. In specific terms, the EFCC boss urged the students to shun ostentatious and flamboyant lifestyles.

While reiterating the determination of the EFCC not to give up in the fight against corruption and cybercrime he warned that “There are laws that forbade cybercrime. The government have enacted several laws and backed them up with procedures of enforcement. I can assure you that the laws are going to be strictly enforced on all offenders.”

The anti-graft czar commended the initiative of the umbrella body of the Nigerian students and expressed the readiness of the Commission to support any initiative by stakeholders aimed at ridding the country of corruption.

On the Chairman’s team was the Head, Public Affairs Department, Ilorin Zonal Command of the EFCC, Ayodele Babatunde, who sensitised the students on the various ways to collaborate with the Commission in the anti-corruption fight.

In his remark, the Rector, Kogi State Polytechnic, Dr Salisu O. Usman expressed gratitude to the EFCC Chairman for sending a powerful team to attend the event.

While identifying with the successes of the EFCC in the anti-corruption fight currently championed by Abdulrasheed Bawa, Dr Salisu said the Chairman’s sterling performances in the office is an indication that the youths have the potentials to take this country to the next level.

He pledged the support of his institution to the Commission in its efforts to bring Nigeria out of the shackles of corruption. According to him, “We always tell our students that inasmuch as they are here to learn, they should also realise that we place much premium on character. Any student lacking in this regard will not get our certificate”.