The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Cr Commission, EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, has charged youths across the country to stay away from internet crimes and thread the paths of integrity, transparency, and accountability for the sake of their future and the progress of the nation.

He gave the charge recently while delivering a Goodwill Message at the Grand Finale of the Reality House’s “Head-to-Head” debate at the Universal Basic Education Commission, (UBEC) Training Facility, Abuja.

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Olukoyede who spoke through the Head, Enlightenment and Reorientation Unit of the EFCC, Assistant Commander of EFCC, ACE11, Aisha Mohammed told the youths that “Corruption is not just someone else’s problem, it is yours, mine, and ours. It is all about unfair advantages, bribes, lies and cheating. It is also the silent bystander, the ignored warning sign, and the compromised value. You have a choice: to accept the status-quo or challenge it; to be part of the problem or part of the solution. You are the future, and the future is now. Let’s create a Nigerian society of integrity, transparency, and accountability that we can be proud of.”

He noted that the debate’s goal of instilling good morals in school children aligned with the EFCC’s policy of “Catching Them Young,” which is geared towards raising an ethical youth population. He urged the students to recognize their special place as future leaders and stand against corruption and financial crimes, both as a personal and collective resolve.

While inducting the students as anti-corruption foot-soldiers of the EFCC, he charged them to always embody and exhibit the values of probity and hard work, promoted by the EFCC and to speak out against corruption and incidences of financial crimes.

In her remarks, the Minister of State, Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Mariya Mahmud, who was represented by Grace Adayilo noted that the debate was a strong tool for developing critical thinking and deep understanding of complex issues involved in corruption.  She commended the students for their ability to engage in insightful comparisons of thoughts with their peers.

On his part, the Acting Chairman of the FCT Universal Basic Education Board, Alhassan Sule, emphasized the importance of education in society and lauded the students for their superlative performances.

The Grand Finale of the debate featured Junior Secondary School, JSS Kubwa against JSS Dutse Alhaji 11 on the topic “Poverty: A Threat to School Population,” in which the latter carried the day.

Awards were presented to the students who made outstanding performances, while all those who made meaningful contributions on EFCC’s lecture