The Zonal Commander, Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Michael Nzekwe, has decried the rising cases of internet fraud in tertiary institutions in Kwara State, calling on members of the academia to support the EFCC to nip the menace on the bud.
He made the call on Thursday, May 4, 2023 at the Commission’s Office, GRA, Ilorin during an interactive meeting with Heads of Tertiary Institutions, which included Vice Chancellors of Universities, Rectors of Polytechnics and Provosts of Colleges of Education in Kwara State.
Nzekwe described as unfortunate recent developments that now turned our citadels of learning to environment rift with corrupt practices, maladministration and diversion of public funds. “Our universities must endeavour to change the current negative narrative regarding the quality of education in Nigeria,” he said.
The Zonal Commander further observed that the EFCC could only achieve the onerous task of riding the country of corruption “when every institution gets involved and actively participate in the fight to rescue our country from the shackles of corruption.
The meeting, which focused on the causes of corruption, its effects on students and the institutions as well as the larger society also deliberated on the preventive measures to adopt in curbing corrupt practices in tertiary institutions.
“We at EFCC are passionate towards engendering discipline, honesty, hardwork, accountability and transparency through our proactive mechanism of checkmating corruption and we will remain antagonistic against fraud and every form of corruption in our institutions,” Nzekwe said.
He also used the opportunity to intimate participants of ongoing efforts by the Chairman, EFCC, Abdulrasheed Bawa, towards ensuring that anti-corruption courses were incorporated into the Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges of Education curriculum.
Contributing, Professor O.A Omotesho, who stood in for the Vice Chancellor, University of Ilorin, praised the giant strides of the EFCC, especially its efforts in ensuring probity and transparency in private and public sector in the State. He urged the Commissions as a matter of necessity to develop a database where details of the convicted persons could be found. He said such a database would assist the decisions of the school authorities on convicted persons.
Also speaking, the Rector, Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, Dr. Abdul Jimoh, commended the initiative of the Ilorin Zonal Command of the EFCC in bringing Heads of Tertiary Institutions together on a round table to discuss issues of corruption as it affected their various institutions. He said Kwara Polytechnic had already made it a policy that it would no longer offer admission to applicants already been convicted over one crime or the other.
In his remark, Dr. Salimonu Ishaq, Deputy Rector, Federal Polytechnic, Offa, expressed readiness of the institution to collaborate with the EFCC, while urging it not to be deterred as corruption would always fight back.
Dr Adewunmi Idowu and Alhaji Hamzat Nurudeen, who are Deputy Provost, Kwara State College of Education, Oro and Acting Provost, Muyideen College of Education, Ilorin, while calling for the sustainability of the engagement called on members of the to support and embrace the good work of the EFCC for a better Nigeria. The also urged the Commission to focus more on its preventive measures rather than been reactive.
The interactive session, which lasted about two hours attracted participants from federal, state and private owned tertiary institutions in the state.
