By Sumaila Ogbaje

The Commandant, National Defence College (NDC), Rear Adm. Olumuyiwa Olotu, has called for collective efforts of all Nigerians and institutions in the fight against corruption in Nigeria.

Olotu made the call at a seminar titled; “The Cycle of Corruption: Ripple Effects and Remedies”, organised by the Centre for Strategic Research and Studies of NDC, on Monday in Abuja.

The seminar is in commemoration of the Global Anti-Corruption Day with the theme; “Uniting the World Against Corruption”.

The commandant said that corruption was a complex and negative global phenomenon, interrupting the progress of nations in all spheres of life.

He said that regions and nations had incurred huge losses that involved lives and properties precipitated by corrupt practices.

According to him, corruption is at a rapid increase and has warped the economies of many countries including Nigeria and led to poor governance.

“This has once again brought to the fore, the fact that “if we do not kill corruption, corruption will kill Nigeria”, he said.

Olotu commended the Federal Government for its constant effort to eradicate the menace, saying the complexity of corruption and how to address it involved collective efforts both within and outside government.

He said the NDC had over the years been facilitating and driving the process of finding strategic and sustainable solutions to problems confronting the nation.

The commandant said that the college was determined to set in motion activities that could turn the tide in the fight against corruption.

Olotu assured that the seminar would provide stakeholders the opportunity to share ideas and experiences with a view to proffering workable recommendations in the fight against the menace.

The Secretary, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Muhammad Hammajoda, said there was need for cooperation among anti-graft agencies to achieve better result in the fight against corruption in Nigeria.

Hammajoda added that individual attitudes and mindset were responsible for the heightened corruption in the country, adding that honesty, transparency and accountability were required to curb the menace.

On his part, the Acting Chairman, Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), Mr Murtala Kankia, also said that fighting corruption required collaborative efefforts.

Kankia said the decay in the nation’s educational system and the health sector, as well as lack of development and progress were largely due to corruption.

He said that there must be  attitudinal change on the part of individuals to win the war.

The Secretary, Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Mr Clifford Oparaodu, said that corruption had remained the bane of development all over the world.

Represented by the Deputy Director, Education, John Odey, the ICPC secretary said that wars around the globe, and  terrorism in many regions of the world, including Nigeria were because of corruption.

Oparaodu added that the backwardness, political, economic and social dislocations being experienced in Nigeria and other parts of the world were also as a result of corruption.

He said that ICPC had continued to develop strategies to ensure that the menace of corruption in Nigeria was tackled with the seriousness that it deserved.

The Chief Executive Officer, Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit, Modibbo Tukur, said they were committed to supporting stakeholder in the fight against corruption, money laundering and terrorism financing.

Tukur, who was represented by Mrs Shotunde Biola, Associate Director of Intelligence and Investigation, said NFIU had introduced a number of measures to stem corruption in Nigeria.

He added that the unit was working in close cooperation with over 165 countries to collate intelligence to stop corrupt practices in the financial system.

The Lead Discussant and Group Board Chairman of YIAGA Africa, Hessein Abdul, said the seminar would look at major drivers of corruption, key challenges and progress made in the fight against corruption.

Abdul said that corruption had continued to thrive in spite of the establishment of different institutions to fight it, adding that there was need to interrogate and ask the right questions to see why Nigeria is where it is.

According to him, the challenge is not about the institutions fighting corruption, but largely about the character of governance.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Kabir Muhammad/ Maharazu Ahmed