The executive chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has called on heads of tertiary institutions across the country to counsel their students against internet fraud.

He made the appeal on Monday at the commission’s zonal command office in Ilorin in an interactive session with heads of tertiary institutions from Kogi.

Mr Olukoyede, represented by the Ilorin zonal commander, Michael Nzekwe, urged tertiary institutions to join hands with the commission in tackling the rising tide of internet fraud among students.

The engagement is in furtherance of the meeting earlier held on May 4, as part of proactive measures by the command to checkmate cybercrime in Kwara.

He advised authorities of tertiary institutions to put in place measures that would discourage students from indulging in crimes.

“Parents should also be more committed to the moral upbringing of their children, both in school and at home, in order to bolster the prevention agenda.

“The commission can achieve the task of ridding the country of corruption if every institution gets involved and actively participate in the fight against the menace,” he said.

He also tasked learning institutions to rise to change the negative narratives regarding the quality of education in Nigeria.

According to him, a corruption-free Nigeria is possible if every individual is proactively and sincerely involved in the fight against corruption.

Responding, the vice chancellor of Confluence University of Science and Technology, Osara, Prof. Salawu Sadiku, lauded the initiative of the EFCC.

Mr Sadiku urged the commission to ensure that anti-corruption courses were incorporated into the school curriculum and taught at all levels.

“Youths of today are exposed to a number of vices that are capable of ruining their lives permanently.

“We need to do more for students to focus on their studies and desist from all forms of cybercrimes,” he said.

Similarly, the rector, Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja, Dr Salisu Usman, and the provost, College of Education, Okene, Dr Umar Hassan, emphasised the need to introduce anti-corruption watchdogs to checkmate cybercrime on campuses.

The rector, Federal Polytechnic, Idah, Dr Yahaya Usman, and the provost, College of Education (Technical), Kabba, Victoria Jagboro, jointly urged EFCC to strengthen its intelligence gathering mechanisms, and guidance and counselling efforts.

(NAN)