26th May, 2016
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Enugu zonal office, on Thursday took its anti-corruption crusade to major streets of Enugu as part of activities marking the 2016 Democracy Day.
The South-East Zonal Head of the commission, Mr Obioha Okorie, in Enugu said that the rally was in solidarity with the current administration’s efforts at reducing corruption.
The country began to celebrate the Democracy Day on May 29, 1999 when former President Olusegun Obasanjo assumed office.
Okorie said that other stakeholders such as the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), the police, youth corps members and students were involved in the rally.
“The essence of the rally is to sensitise the people regarding ahead of this year’s democracy day and the agenda of the current government at ensuring that corruption is reduced.
“Corruption has become a global issue and it should be the desire of everybody to fight for a better Nigeria as it is now a moral burden in this country,” he said.
Okorie said that the onslaught against corruption had far exceeded what an institution could do, adding that a holistic approach needed to be put in place to tackle the menace.
He said that the commission had achieved a major landmark in its bid to curb economic and financial crimes in the country.
“We are now fighting to sustain what we have achieved over the years by involving the relevant stakeholders.
“The fight is continuous and we call on the clergy, the civil society organisations and all other partners to come together in order to sustain the ongoing efforts to reduce of corruption in the country,” Okorie said.
The EFCC officers and other stakeholders displaying various placards marched from Ozubulu Street in Independence Layout through Presidential Road to Ogui Road terminating at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium.
Some of the placards had such inscriptions as : “No hiding place for the corrupt’, ‘Corruption is a threat to our democracy.
“Yahoo, Yahoo is not a job, be warned,’ Kill corruption before it kills Nigeria’ and `Economic and financial crime is a crime against humanity.’’
The theme of the rally is ‘A corrupt free Nigeria is possible’.