News Investigators/ The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), South-East Zone, has condemned the killing of Aminu Salisu, one of the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), in Awka, Anambra.
EFCC Spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, said this in a statement on Saturday in Abuja.
Mr Salisu, an Assistant Superintendent of the EFCC, ASE11 was allegedly shot dead by a suspected internet fraudster, while on a legitimate duty on Jan. 17.
According to Mr Oyewale, the students expressed their grief and solidarity with the commission, when a delegation, led by Comrade Charles Ijeomah, paid a condolence visit to the EFCC’s Chairman, Mr Ola Olukoyede, in Abuja on Friday.
Ijeomah pledged the collaboration, cooperation and support of the entire Southeast students to the commission against financial crimes.
“He said that the onus fell on the leadership to sanitise and give proper orientation to the students not to indulge in internet crime and we have been succeeding.
“We are sorry for the incident that happened lately in Awka. Maybe you may have seen our comments, our stand, we condemned it.
”We are here to let the authority of EFCC understand that we commiserate with you and to tell you not to judge the Southeast with what happened.”
The student leader said criminal acts were not in their blood and it was against their nature, stressing that the region comprised hardworking people.
”We don’t indulge in crime. Anybody that indulges in crime in the Southeast is not a true son of Igbo.
”We know how to make money but this idea of being in one room with a device to trick someone is not in our blood.
”Our aim of coming here is to let EFCC know that Southeast students are with you and that we are going to partner with you more to educate our students to end any kind of internet crime.
”We are 100 per cent open to any form of interaction, collaboration and cooperation between the students of South-east and the EFCC.”
Speaking further, Ijeomah disclosed that the union had programmes and proposals that when implemented, would bring the EFCC closer to university campuses in the Southeast and help to further sensitize the students.
The Commission Secretary, Mr. Muhammad Hammajoda, who received the delegation on behalf of the Chairman appreciated the students on the condolence visit.
He said that everyone was a stakeholder in the fight against corruption directly or indirectly.
”We don’t have any other country apart from Nigeria.
”You spent your personal money and time to be with us for you to understand what we are doing and to also be part of us.
”We appreciate you and we will continue to appreciate you. We will support you in trying to disseminate anti-corruption information,” he said.
He, therefore, urged the students to take advantage of the existing Federal Government’s Student’s Loan Scheme for their benefit.
He promised that the commission would identify with all the noble programmes of the students in the zone if invited.
Hammajoda encouraged the students’ leaders on their crusade against students’ involvement in internet crime.
“We are sinking day by day with corruption. So let’s educate ourselves that this cyber crime will not take you anywhere.
”All of us are victims. Nobody has protection against it.
”Anyone can be attacked. We have a very sound youth population with a very high IQ (intelligence quotient) and ingenuity to do many things,” he said.
Also speaking, Chief of Staff to the Chairman, Michael Nzekwe, noted that “cybercrime has done too much damage to us as a country.
”If you check and find out how much it affected us, you’ll be shocked.
”Internationally, the image of the country has been battered. When you travel outside the country they look at you in a certain way with your green passport.
”So, cybercrime is just one thing that all of us have to put our hands together and be deliberate and intentional to see that we eliminate. EFCC has done so much in ensuring that.”
NAN
