The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Ola Olukoyede, has called on students nationwide to identify and emulate positive role models to avoid involvement in internet fraud and financial crimes. Mr Olukoyede made the appeal on Thursday, 7th November 2024, during a study tour by students of Val De Mauris Academy, Abuja, at the EFCC headquarters.
Speaking through Assistant Commander of the EFCC, Aisha Mohammed, Head of the Commission’s Enlightenment and Reorientation Unit, Mr Olukoyede stressed that choosing good role models would instill in students the values needed to resist illegal activities online. “Integrity is what you do when no one is watching you. Our hope is on you. Be focused; the future is bright, and the sky will be your starting point,” she advised.
Chris Oluka, Head of the Communication and Creative Unit, urged students to engage their minds in positive pursuits, using the internet for educational and creative ventures. Oluka noted that the internet should be a resource for learning, research, and constructive activities, not for crime. He cautioned that the EFCC would enforce the law impartially, reminding students, “Every crime is a crime, irrespective of who is involved, and the EFCC will fight you to the very last.”
Further addressing the students, Assistant Superintendent of the EFCC, Ogunjobi Olalekan, encouraged them to remain focused and diligent, emphasising the wide range of career opportunities available through hard work and determination. “You can be programmers, forensic analysts, investigators, and nation builders,” he said.
As part of the tour, two students, Odimba Ikenna Ugochukwu and Sunday Aneke Sophia, emerged as winners of the EFCC quiz competition, each receiving a mobile phone for their achievements. Additionally, Khadijah Kabiru Bakan and Faheem Goodluck Hussein were named EFCC Ambassadors, recognising their commitment to the values promoted by the Commission.
The EFCC’s outreach aimed to foster a generation of young Nigerians equipped with integrity and ethical values, underscoring the importance of positive role models in shaping the country’s future.
