Agwai, Utomi urge youths to brace for corruption fight

CP want death penalty for graft, ICPC seeks approval for arms
General Martin Luther Agwai (rtd.) and Professor Pat Utomi have urged Nigerian youths to brace up for the fight against corruption and be ready to win the fight against the monster to secure the future of the next generation.

They gave the charge at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Academy in Karu during the Eminent Persons Lecture for Detective Superintendent Course 8 Batch B in Abuja.

Speaking on, “Fighting Corruption and Moving Nigeria Forward: The Fight the Young Must Win,” Agwai said corruption has been at the centre of attention in national and international arenas for many years now and that it was time to fight it head on.

Agwai charged the newly recruited cadets not to allow their backgrounds to affect them in life, adding that they should focus on their future and help fight corruption by shunning all corrupt practices.On his part, Utomi urged the cadets to see their national call to duty as a selfless service, adding that all hands must be on deck in the fight against corruption and that this was the only way to ‘kill’ corruption in the country.

“There are problems in many countries as well as Nigeria, the ability to come together to solve the problems, kills corruption. Lagos in the 1970s was faced with Traffic, Malaysia faced with ethnicity riots in 1960s, but what makes the countries to still sustain their prides till today, is that everyone has learned how to fight back,” he stated.

Relatedly, Commissioner of Police in Kaduna State Ali Aji-Janga has canvassed a review of punishment for corruption in the country to include life imprisonment and death penalty.He stated this at the fourth Multidisciplinary National Conference with the theme, “The Challenges of Insecurity to National Development: Repositioning Science and Technology in Nigeria,” in Zaria, Kaduna State.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the CP was the special guest at the event organised by Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic.Aji-Janga, who was represented by Zaria Area Commander, ACP Surajo Mohammed-Fana, said it was imperative to apply stiffer punishment in view of the negative consequences of corruption on the overall development of the nation.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye has solicited support of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, Department of State Services (DSS) and other stakeholders in its quest to secure Federal Government’s approval for some categories of its staff to bear arms.ICPC Spokesperson, Rasheedat Okoduwa in a statement in Abuja said Owasanoye made the request when the ICPC Board visited the IGP in his office recently.