Anti-Graft War: I Wont Succumb to Blackmail- Waziri

Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mrs Farida Waziri, has vowed never to succumb to the blackmail and threats of political jobbers and people in high places who are being investigated by the Commission for corrupt practices.

She made the vow when she received officials of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS led by its National President, Comrade Baballe Bashir, in her office on Thursday, March 5 2009 even as she called on Nigerian youths to get involved in the fight against corruption stressing that the involvement of youths in the fight is critical.

“Since you are the leaders of tomorrow, there is need to reject and say no to the culture of corruption in our country. Don’t allow today’s leaders to steal what is meant for your tomorrow,” she said.

She lamented that since she has shown signs of commitment to her job, she has come under threats and blackmail from both her detractors and the corrupt who she has refused to give space to continue their looting business.

According to her,” when their threats could not cow me, they resorted to peddling shameless lies and writing blackmail petitions to all arms of government to malign me. They are cowards and we will never be cowed by their antics. With the determination of the people to fight corruption, we will stand up to them and defeat them because the people are in the majority.”

Waziri regretted that Nigeria which is one of the most endowed countries in the world being the 6 th largest oil producing nation, blessed with abundant mineral resources has almost been crippled by corruption resulting in decayed infrastructure, poverty and lack of basic amenities.

“It is a great challenge I have placed before you, to stand up for your future and defend our common heritage from being cornered by a greedy few,” she said. Mrs Waziri who reiterated her resolve and that of the Commission to take the fight against corruption to the next level said she would not be dissuaded by sponsored attacks on her and the EFCC. “For us in EFCC, we have put our hands on the plough, there is no looking back. This is one course I have committed my life to pursuing for over four decades. Along the line, I have faced threats and I am still being threatened till date by forces of evil,” she stated.

Earlier in his speech, Comrade Baballe Bashir, commended Mrs Waziri for being focussed and committed. The NANS President said gone were the days when innocent people were politically castigated, tried and jailed on the pages of newspaper without any fair trial by a competent court of law. “Your adherence to the rule of law in all your activities has been highly remarkable. The success recorded by your administration through the level of fairness and justice is quite commendable and encouraging to us as students/youths.”

Bashir also commended the EFCC chairman for the Anti-Corruption Revolution, ANCOR campaign which has been successfully launched in Abuja and Lagos. ANCOR is EFCC initiative and strategy of getting Nigerians to buy in and own the war against corruption. Bashir said a strong and effective collaboration between EFCC and NANS would go a long way in driving the message of anti-corruption home among Nigerian students at the various campuses. “We are ready to partner with your Commission and other relevant stakeholders to ensure the inculcation of anti-corruption studies in our school curriculum,” Bashir said while asking for the intervention of EFCC in curtailing the mismanagement of public funds within the universities. “We urge you to beam your searchlight on the academia, where there are several allegations of corrupt practices ranging from extortion by lecturers, sorting by students, to mismanagement of resources by management of our institutions across the nation.” he said.