Soludo: Fight Against Corruption, Financial Crimes Is Collective Responsibility

Governor of Anambra State, Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo, on Friday declared that the fight against corruption and financial crimes must be seen as a collective responsibility, stressing that no society could make meaningful progress under the weight of economic and financial crimes.

Soludo stated this as the keynote speaker at the official inauguration of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Awka Zonal Directorate at Udoka Estate, Awka, the Anambra State capital.

According to a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr Christian Aburime, Soludo, who expressed excitement at hosting the anti-graft agency’s new operational hub, commended the EFCC for decentralising its operations and taking the fight against financial crimes closer to the grassroots.

Drawing from his personal experience after leaving office as Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Soludo said the fight against financial crimes required the collective efforts of all Nigerians.
He said:“We are excited to host this EFCC office in Awka. You are beginning to drill down the function of fighting crimes to the grassroots. Fighting crime is everybody’s business, and the work of the EFCC is pivotal for our national development.
“In a society with pervasive economic and financial crimes, there can be no forwardness—it is the foundation.
“Nobody who earns legitimate money throws it around; unfortunately, the young ones want to behave like that without earning any income. All Nigerians, including Anambra, strongly support the EFCC.
“On one occasion, I was given one month’s invitation notice by the EFCC during its investigation of the Minting Company. I honoured the invitation and followed through with the investigation until it was eventually concluded.
“People deserve to know the end of every investigation, and we will help you produce results for our people.”

The commissioning was performed on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, who reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment, under the Renewed Hope Agenda, to creating the necessary environment for anti-corruption agencies to operate effectively.

Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma, expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for expanding the financial space for subnational governments.

He also praised the decentralisation of EFCC operations, noting that the agency’s modern operational approach now reflected a more commendable human face.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Financial Crimes, Senator Emmanuel Udende, and the Chairman of the House Committee on Financial Crimes, Hon. Ginger Obinna Onwusibe, reiterated the legislature’s full backing for the commission’s operations.

The Chairman of the Anambra State Traditional Rulers’ Council, Igwe Chidubem Iweka, advocated long-term preventive measures against corruption, including the integration of anti-corruption courses into the primary school curriculum and the administration of traditional oaths of office for public officials.

In his address, the Executive Chairman of the EFCC, Olanipekun Olukoyede, said the creation of the Awka Directorate, alongside recent expansions in Ekiti and Katsina states, was aimed at broadening the commission’s institutional presence, expanding access to justice and protecting legitimate economic activities.

Olukoyede said the EFCC was expanding its focus towards prevention by, among other measures, monitoring Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) releases to safeguard public funds before they could be diverted or stolen.

He also called on communities to make whistleblowing a norm and maintain vigilance over financial transactions within their communities.

Reassuring citizens that EFCC officers were deployed strictly to enforce the law within the limits of their statutory mandate and not to oppress the public, the EFCC chairman said the new Awka Zonal Directorate was expected to significantly boost intelligence gathering, accelerate the prosecution of financial crimes, safeguard public revenues and strengthen investor confidence across Anambra and Imo states and the wider South-East region.

The new directorate office complex will also serve as an operational base for activities covering Imo State.