The Maiduguri Zonal Commander of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Onwukwe C. Obiora has called on the people of the Northeast to join hands with the anti-graft agency in the fight against economic and financial crimes in the country by reporting corrupt activities using the ‘‘Eagle Eye’’ mobile application recently launched by the EFCC Chairman, Mr Abdulrasheed Bawa, as a way of embracing the whistleblowing policy of the Federal government.
The Commander gave the charge through the Head, Public Affairs Department of Maiduguri Command, Egbodofo Olumide, during a Town Hall meeting held at Dujima International Hotel Maiduguri, Borno State at the weekend, organized by a Non- Governmental Organization, Wadata Media and Advocacy Centre (WAMAC), with support from MacArthur Foundation, with the theme: “Community Participation in the Fight Against Corruption in Nigeria Using Local Languages”.
According to Obiora, “the town hall meeting is an important one and timely, recognizing that corruption is undoubtedly one of the greatest challenges of our time, a challenge that not only leads to impoverishment and loss of lives but also threatens the stability of the society’’.
While commending WAMAC for the collaborative effort, the Commander stressed the need for citizens’ involvement in the fight against corruption as a necessity to build public ownership of the anti-corruption crusade.
Obiora stated that EFCC alone cannot fight corruption despite the unequivocal commitments, strategies and programmes adopted and implemented by the Commission to combat corruption which has placed the anti-graft agency at the forefront of the fight in Nigeria with huge successes recorded as evident in the number of convictions recorded, monies and assets recovered.
He reiterated the EFCC chairman’s commitment to continually interface with stakeholders in the country in sensitizing the public and creating awareness on how to combat the menace of corruption.
In his remark, the Chairman and Team Lead of WAMAC, Mr Zubair Abdulrauf Idris said, ‘‘WAMAC is committed to the promotion of good governance and citizens participation in the fight against corruption and…stepping into the difficult terrain of the fight against corruption through investigative journalism and reportage on twelve radio stations across the six geo-political zones in Nigeria’’.
Participants at the meeting were drawn from the Civil Society Organizations, Media, Community Based Organizations, Religious and Community leaders, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Commissioner of Information (representing Borno State Government), Nigerian Police and other Security Agencies.
