Ilorin zonal office of the Economics and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured 26 convictions between February when it commenced operations and now.
In his lecture at the 26th edition of the ‘Media Parliament’ of Kwara state council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Ilorin on Wednesday, zonal head of the agency, Mr Isyaku Sharu, also said that several properties ranging from hotels, plaza, residential apartments, fleet of cars and millions of cash were recovered and forfeited to the Federal government.
Sharu also said that the commission had also checked Cybercrimes known as “Yahoo Yahoo” in Kwara, Kogi and Ekiti states which were the areas of operation of the zone.
He said that the commission had created awareness on corruption through public enlightenment campaigns in schools and among youth corps members.
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He appealed to journalists to assist the commission in its assignments by sensitizing the people on the nation’s long-lasting values which abhor illicit and fraudulent tendencies
Speaking on the topic, “Anti-corruption fight in Nigeria, Progress and Challenges: The Kwara state Experience”, Sharu while admitting that corruption had become endemic in the country said that the commission was established in the state as a result of the several complaints of the people.
” The continuous complaints of the people of Kwara state became much louder in the periods ending the year 2018 wherein the Acting Executive Chairman of EFCC; Ibrahim Magu had to create the Ilorin zonal office of the commission to look into the long-standing persistent economic and financial crimes issues in the state.
“It is noteworthy that Kwara state is one of the first created States as far back as 27th May 1967 and has had several leaders, but the state has over the years not maximized its potentials largely due to the alleged cases of mismanagement and embezzlement of state resources”, he stated.
The zonal head however lamented that “in the course of carrying out our assignment, we have noticed with great disappointment that the people of Kwara state are sometimes scared of exposing the corrupt and bad eggs amongst them.”
In his remarks, Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Mallam Attahiru Madami urged journalists to do everything they can to eradicate corruption from the society.
He lamented that”we no longer practice our family value system which abhors bad behavior and bad name.”
He stressed the urgent need for Nigerians to eradicate corruption from the country, saying that ” if we don’t kill corruption it will kill us.”
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