The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has urged graduating cadets of the Nigeria Police Academy (POLAC) to take ownership of the fight against corruption.
EFCC Chairman Mr. Ola Olukoyede gave the charge while delivering a lecture at POLAC, Wudil, Kano State.
EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale disclosed this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.
Olukoyede delivered the lecture, titled ‘The Fight Against Corruption: The Role of the Nigeria Police Force,’ through ACE1 Friday Ebelo.
Ebelo is the Acting Zonal Director of the EFCC’s Kano Zonal Directorate.
Olukoyede described the anti-corruption campaign as an existential battle that must be won to secure Nigeria’s future.
He said the Nigeria Police Force occupied a critical position in the nation’s anti-corruption architecture because of its proximity to communities.
The EFCC chairman said the police often represented the first line of defence against corruption and other crimes.
He explained that the EFCC remained the leading agency for investigating, prosecuting, preventing and recovering assets linked to economic and financial crimes.
Olukoyede, however, stressed that effective enforcement required police officers to maintain personal integrity and remain above reproach.
“Any officer who wishes to fight corruption must first be above reproach,” he said.
The EFCC chairman warned that extortion represented only one dimension of corruption within law enforcement and public administration.
“There are many administrative and ethical compromises that have been normalized, but they are equally corrosive,” Olukoyede said.
He urged the graduating cadets to reject practices that could undermine investigations, justice and public confidence in law enforcement.
“As law enforcement officers, we must shun all forms of corrupt practices, including the compromise of investigations,” he said.
He specifically warned against falsifying police diaries and perverting justice for pecuniary benefits.
Olukoyede cited Section 104 of the Nigeria Police Act 2020 and the Police Code of Conduct.
He reminded the cadets that corrupt practices constituted severe misconduct, potentially attracting outright dismissal and criminal prosecution.
The EFCC chairman warned that failure to defeat corruption would have serious consequences for Nigeria’s economy, security and future generations.
He said persistent corruption could stall economic growth, increase unemployment, and further weaken the nation’s security architecture.
According to him, corruption also threatens to compromise the future prospects of generations yet unborn.
Olukoyede said a corruption-free Nigeria, by contrast, could enjoy stronger global confidence and increased foreign direct investment.
He added that reduced corruption would contribute to improved socio-economic well-being for Nigerians.
The EFCC chairman also explained that the Commission’s anti-corruption strategy extended beyond prosecution to asset tracing and recovery.
He highlighted significant recoveries involving real estate, large sums of local and foreign currencies and gold bars.
Olukoyede said recovered assets were returned to the Federal Government in accordance with established procedures.
He urged the graduating cadets to deploy their professional training responsibly while protecting citizens’ human rights.
The EFCC chairman also charged them to prioritise public service over personal interests and maintain strong spiritual grounding.
He challenged the cadets to consider their individual contributions to the national anti-corruption campaign.
“What are you willing to contribute to this fight? Remember, if we do not kill corruption, corruption will kill us,” he said.
