Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, has charged the 328 Detective Superintendent Course Eight Cadets of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) that passed out from the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) yesterday to ensure that they take the fight against corruption to the next level.

“I urge you to see your graduation not as a jamboree, but as a call for service delivery to eradicate corruption in Nigeria, in line with the mandate of the EFCC,” he said.

Representing President Muhammadu Buhari as the Reviewing Officer at the Passing-Out-Parade, POP, which held at the NDA Parade Ground, Ribadu Campus, Kaduna, Mustapha expressed delight over “the conscientious decision of these young men and women to help our beloved nation to tackle corruption.” He stressed that corruption was “a malignant cancer that has blighted our development efforts over the years.”

“I am thrilled by the prospects which you bring to the corruption fight and my charge to you today, is to live by the values of discipline, integrity, selflessness, patriotism and professionalism, which the NDA and the EFCC are known for,” the SGF said.

He noted that the administration of President Buhari has an unalloyed political will to fight corruption to a standstill in Nigeria and has put in place measures to ensure victory.

Mustapha urged the young men and women to make their 12 months of training, which began on August 13, 2018 to count by “sacrificing your youth to fight corruption”.

Talking about a corrupt-free Nigeria, he said, might be like a wildest dream, “however, with a mixture of political will that the Buhari administration has shown and the courage of the EFCC under Ibrahim Magu it is possible to have a society where the corrupt are reduced to endangered species.”

He further said: “We are counting on you to apply all you have learnt during the training and it is my hope that you will dedicate your life to protecting the commonwealth of this great country from those who have eroded the nation’s resources and denied the majority of Nigerians the benefit that should come to them.”

According to him, the POP “fitted perfectly with the next agenda of President Buhari, which has made significant progress with the implementation of the Treasury Single Account, TSA, which has helped block leakages, and the Whistle-Blower Policy to facilitate the recovery of stolen funds.

“The priority going forward is to consolidate on the gains of the past years, and therefore need you as anti-corruption combatants to the next level.”

The SGF gave assurance that the administration of President Buhari “will create the right environment for anti-graft agencies to carry out their mandate without hindrance” and reiterated the president’s promise not to interfere in the activities of the EFCC and other anti-graft agencies.

“Wherever you find corruption go ahead and do your job, the way you have been taught. My government will continue to support the EFCC,” he said, adding that with the commissioning of the EFCC Head Office Complex last year, with the assurance that “more will be done to motivate and insulate the officers from corruption influencers.”

He used the opportunity to call on all Nigerians to support the fight against corruption, stressing the corruption fight “calls for total vigilance”.

The parade, which was the climax of the series of trainings, including military drills, physical fitness training, first aid, along with EFCC trainings in Legal Studies, General Studies, Financial Studies, and Operations Studies, witnessed march-past in slow time and quick time to the delight of dignitaries.

For this year’s POP, five awards were up for grabs and they went to: N. Ingawa, who won the Presidential Award for Best Overall Student; J.S. Ogbonkwu, who won the Chief of Defence Staff Award as 2nd Best Cadet; A. Gabdo, who won the EFCC Chairman’s Award and emerged 3rd Best Cadet; W.I. Imam, who won the NDA Commandant’s best overall cadet in military subjects; and A. Usman, who won the EFCC Chairman’s Award for Command and Leadership.

Nasir El-Rufai, governor of Kaduna State, and chief host, who was among dignitaries who graced the epoch-making event gave cash prizes of N250,000 to all the awardees.

Ibrahim Magu, acting EFCC Chairman and host of the event noted that the anti-corruption agency will remain resolute in championing the agenda of President Buhari to eradicate corruption in Nigeria.

•The newly graduated EFCC cadets with SGF Mustapha, Governor El-Rufai, Ag. Chairman Magu and other dignitaries

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