Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA) and other foreign Civil Society Organisations, have commended EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, for his doggedness in the fight against economic and financial crimes.
EFCC Spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, said this in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.
Oyewale explained that HEDA’s Chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju, gave the commendation when he led a delegation of CSOs in Nigeria and overseas to the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
Suraju expressed satisfaction with Olukoyede’s consistency and focus in tackling the menace of corruption, stating that his group was impressed with his management of the EFCC within a year.
“We are happy that you have not allowed the organisation to lose its focus and its essence.
“We are here to give you the necessary support you need from civil societies along with our international partners,” he said.
He acknowledged Olukoyede’s resolve in the discharge of his duties, especially the recovery of proceeds of crime which the government expended on the students’ loan scheme and consumer credit system.
According to him, this development reinforced the United Nation Convention on the fight against Corruption that stipulated that recovered loot should be utilised directly for the benefits of victims.
Also speaking, co-founder of Corner House in the United Kingdom, Nicholas Hildyard, described the EFCC as a respectable anti-graft agency across the world.
Hildyard said that the commission was one of the most respected anti-graft agencies around the world because its determination to fight corruption had always been absolutely inspiring.
The Director of Recommon, an Italian civil society organisation, Antonio Tricarico commended Olukoyede for his effective of the commission.
They promised their organisations ’ unalloyed support for the EFCC.
Responding, Olukoyede appreciated the CSOs for their visit and assured them of his undiluted focus and resoluteness in discharging the mandate of the commission, especially by doing the right things.
He said that the commission would not relent in its effort to achieve its mandate, in spite of the daunting task of fighting corruption in Nigeria.
“We are more resolute to continue to do the right thing. If you try to bring us down you will not succeed because the truth will always prevail.
“So, we are not going to give up and be assured of our continued support and collaboration.
“It takes someone with courage, someone that is reform- minded, someone who is ready to fight the devil to do the kind of work we are doing, because we are working against all odds,” he said.
He assured the group that the problems in the extractive industry would always attract the attention and commitment of the EFCC.
Olukoyede said that all stakeholders in the anti-corruption fight would be carried along to make Nigeria a better country.
“We are ready to collaborate with you and whatever we will do to ensure that the problems we are having, particularly in the extractive industry, are tackled, is acceptable to us.
“We keep fighting and they keep fighting back, we are very determined and resolute to do the right thing.
“What I advocate always is, let us strive to do the right thing, whether your interest is political, pecuniary or whatever, let us agree that the right thing must be done,” he said. (NAN)
