The Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu has called on religious leaders and those at the grassroots institutions to be more actively involved in the fight against corruption.
Magu made this call in Maiduguri, Borno State, on Thursday, November 21, 2019, while delivering a goodwill message in a town hall meeting, organised by the Peering Advocacy and Advancement Centre in Africa in collaboration with Actionaid and Department for International Development and Strengthening Citizen’s resistance Against Prevalence of Corruption SCRAP-C with the theme, “Strengthening Citizens Resistance against Prevalence of Corruption in Africa” at the Command Guest House, Maimalari Barracks, Maiduguri.
The EFCC boss who was represented by Hamza Rilwan of the Maiduguri Zonal Office of the EFCC, observed that the EFCC and other anti-corruption agencies can only achieve the onerous task of ridden the country of corruption “when every institution gets involved and actively participate in the fight to rescue our country from the shackles of corruption.”
While noting that the EFCC has experienced a boost with President Muhammadu Buhari, coming to power in 2015, he stated that, the Commission has been at the forefront of the fight against corruption in the country since its establishment in 2004, recording huge successes in convictions and asset recoveries.
Regretting that corruption has crippled the country’s political, traditional and religious institutions, he noted that both Christianity and Islam, which are the two major religions in the country, abhor stealing and all forms of corruption.
“The Holy Qur’an in Chapter 5:38 admonishes us not to steal and prescribes severe punishments for indulging in it and in the Holy Bible, God commanded us not to steal in Exodus Chapter 20:15,” Magu said.
He urged religious and traditional institution leaders to deploy the huge influence they have to cause their followers to enlist in the war against corruption.
