The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has inaugurated Integrity Clubs in 50 secondary schools in Abuja as part of efforts to strengthen anti-corruption awareness and promote integrity among young Nigerians.
The Commission disclosed this in a statement posted on its official X account, saying the inauguration took place on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, at Junior Secondary School, Jabi 2, Abuja.
The EFCC Executive Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, represented by the Head of the Enlightenment and Re-Orientation Unit, Assistant Commander of the EFCC, ACE II Aisha Mohammed, said corruption remained a major obstacle to Nigeria’s development, stressing the need to instil integrity and accountability in young people.
“Corruption has always been the bane of our development as a country. We are battling with several developmental issues in our land owing to the unsavoury effects of corrupt practices. This situation cannot and must not be allowed to continue,” he said.
Olukoyede said the Commission had intensified its anti-corruption campaign since its establishment, recording more than 23,000 convictions and recovering monetary and non-monetary assets.
“The Commission, since inception, has taken the anti-corruption fight to the level of a war. We have secured more than 23,000 convictions, recovered immense monetary and non-monetary assets and, in the process, deprived corrupt individuals of the enjoyment of their proceeds of crime,” he said.
He added that the Commission had strengthened public awareness and consciousness against corruption, describing the Integrity Clubs initiative as part of its commitment to public engagement and citizens’ participation in the fight against corruption.
Addressing the students, the EFCC chairman urged them to understand the damaging effects of corruption and the threat it posed to their future, emphasising that a better society required integrity, transparency, accountability and a collective rejection of corrupt practices.
He also cautioned the students against cybercrime, sextortion, impersonation and other forms of fraud associated with young people.
“I enjoin you to stay away from cybercrime, sextortion, impersonation and other typologies of fraud peculiar to young people. The EFCC values you and wants a better future for you.
“Train your minds to embrace hard work, innovation, enterprise and positive means of wealth creation. Refuse to follow the ways of least resistance because there are consequences for corrupt practices,” he said.
Olukoyede further advised the students to prioritise their future over temporary gains, warning that shortcuts could undermine their prospects of achieving a sustainable future.
He urged members of the newly inaugurated clubs to serve as EFCC ambassadors by upholding integrity in their schools, homes and communities.
Speaking at the event, the Acting Chairman of the FCT Universal Basic Education Board (FCT-UBEB), Nsu Rabo, said providing education for all was a collective responsibility.
He noted that the EFCC’s involvement demonstrated its commitment to children’s development and the promotion of responsible citizenship.
Rabo thanked the programme’s partners for their support and assured them of the board’s cooperation, urging them to sustain their efforts.
“Whatever you are doing here is going to be showcased across the country, so you should do your best in this contest. I wish you all the best,” he said.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary of FCT Transport Services, Florence Okonkwo, described children of the present generation as fortunate because of their access to knowledge and information.
“Children of this generation are very lucky because they have no reason to fail. You are in an era where you know a lot about everything,” she said.
Okonkwo encouraged the students to take advantage of available opportunities and demonstrate responsibility in their conduct.
Earlier, the Coordinator of the FCT Chapter of the Society of Women in Taxation (SWIT), Victoria Udo, described the initiative as an investment in Nigeria’s future, stressing the importance of instilling integrity and accountability in children from an early age.
“Today, we are not just hosting a programme; we are planting a seed. Nation-building is not built by accident; it is built on tax compliance,” she said.
The EFCC said its Integrity Clubs and Zero Tolerance Clubs (ZTC) remain integral to its enlightenment and re-orientation activities.
The clubs are designed to mobilise pupils in primary and secondary schools, as well as young people in tertiary institutions, to participate in the fight against economic and financial crimes.
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