Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ola Olukoyede, has advised young Nigerian women to shun graft and other fraudulent activities. 

He urged them to focus on integrity, hard work and national development.

The EFCC, in a statement on Monday, said Mr Olukoyede gave the charge on Sunday, during his goodwill message at the graduation and award ceremony of African Girl Guide, AGG, 12-Week Leadership Exposure Programme, held in Abuja, with the theme, “Leading Beyond the Programme: Sustaining Purpose, Influence, and Impact.”

According to the EFCC chairman, represented by the Head of the commission’s Enlightenment and Reorientation Unit, Assistant Commander of EFCC, ACE II Aisha Mohammed, the training the graduates had prepared them for positive contributions to society.

Mr Olukoyede said, “Your theme is exactly what Nigeria needs. In EFCC, we fight the ‘yahoo yahoo’ and the ‘get-rich-quick’ mentality that is destroying many of our youth. But we know law enforcement alone is not enough; we need home training; we need the Girl Guide training. In EFCC, we know that corruption starts with a compromise of character. And character is what you are building here.

“Be the girl who says no to fraud, no to shortcuts, and yes to hard work. Your influence is powerful when you pool it together.”

Mr Olukoyede promised them that the EFCC would keep collaborating with youth organisations to create opportunities for young people to positively harness their talents.

He stated, “Nigeria’s future is in your hands, and we are counting on you to be women of integrity in school, in business, in government and in the home.”

Also, the Director-General of the Nationality Orientation Agency, Lanre Issa-Onilu, represented by the Deputy Director, Abuse Rights Narcotics Department, Margaret Yenami, urged them to embrace integrity, confidence, courage, responsibility and continuous learning as essential qualities of leadership, to reconnect Nigerians to the values that define the nation.

Mr lssa-Onilu stated, “Leadership is not all about wielding authority, giving command, or giving orders. It is all about your ability to create positive change, do what is right and inspire others.”

He advised the graduates to represent Nigeria positively wherever they found themselves.