Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has condemned the tendency of Nigerians to denounce corruption while simultaneously rallying behind corrupt individuals when they are prosecuted.
Speaking in Abuja during a visit by officials of the Centre for Crisis Communication (CCC), led by Chris Olukolade, Olukoyede identified corruption as the greatest impediment to Nigeria’s progress.
“One of the major problems in Nigeria which when tackled, will make under-development a thing of the past, is corruption and financial crimes,” he said.
He stressed that the fight against corruption should not be left solely to the government, urging citizens to take collective responsibility in fostering integrity and accountability.
Olukoyede also criticised the contradictions in public attitudes, highlighting how Nigerians, despite their grievances about corruption, often shield corrupt figures from prosecution.
“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,” he stated.
Reaffirming the EFCC’s dedication to tackling financial crimes within legal bounds, Olukoyede called for stronger public cooperation in the anti-corruption campaign. He added that the agency would collaborate with the CCC to strengthen strategic communication and public awareness initiatives on integrity and accountability.