Ola Olukoyede, chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has said Nigerians condemn corruption while defending corrupt leaders when they face prosecution.
Gatekeepers News reports that Olukoyede criticised Nigerians for their hypocrisy while speaking on Friday in Abuja when officials of the Centre for Crisis Communication
(CCC), led by Chris Olukolade, director of its board of trustees visited him.
The EFCC chairman said underdevelopment would be a thing of the past if every citizen saw corruption as a common enemy.
He said, “One of the major problems in Nigeria which when tackled, will make under-development a thing of the past, is corruption and financial crimes.”
“A society that is ready to move forward is a responsibility not only of the government, but of the citizens.”
“This is what has actually led some of us to be very committed to this cause. We are ready to go the whole hog to do what we need to do within the confines and provisions of the law and the power that the Constitution has conferred on us.”
“If everybody makes up his or her mind to do the right thing, we’ll move forward in this country.”
Olukoyede said collaboration and synergy with CCC will boost strategic communication and public engagement, adding that public support is crucial to the EFCC’s success.
The EFCC boss noted that the antigraft agency will partner to raise public awareness on its activities and the importance of integrity among Nigerians.
He said, “It is so unfortunate that the same people who approbate also reprobate at the same time.”
“Everybody is crying that Nigerians are corrupt, that the system is corrupt; that corruption is killing us and destroying our system, but when we investigate high profile cases and arraign people in court, the same people will carry placards and be supporting corrupt leaders.”
“It doesn’t show that we are serious about this fight, the fight is supposed to be a collaborative effort.”
