Yesterday,  Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said it had secured over 773 convictions and recovered money worth billions of naira since its inception in 2003.

It also warned unscrupulous students, to desist from using the internet to defraud innocent people.

Speaking at the inauguration of the Zero Tolerance for Corruption Club (ZTC) at the Usman Danfodio University, Sokoto, Its Chairman, Ibrahim Lamorde, said more than half of the convictions were secured under Advance Fee Fraud and other related offences.

He noted that the country was bedevilled with so many challenges, of which the most critical were those posed by corruption and other economic and financial crimes.

According to him, these cancerous crimes and how to tackle them had given sleepless nights to successive administrations.

Lamorde, who was represented by the Deputy Director, Public Affairs Department of the Commission, Mr. Osita Nwajah, stated that the Commission had been reorienting Nigerians to not only see the devastating effects of corruption and financial crimes in all facets of human endeavour, but to rise up and do something about it.

He disclosed that the EFCC came up with the idea of Zero Tolerance for Corruption in collaboration with the National Association of Nigerian Students, to promote awareness on corruption among students in tertiary institutions.

The EFCC boss regretted that on a daily basis, the Commission arrests and prosecutes offenders in various cases of internet scams, adding that 65 per cent of those people were students.

He disclosed that about 300 crimes were committed by students who were currently languishing in various prisons in the country.
"It hurts me so much to see the future leaders of our nation languishing in jails. I therefore appeal to your conscience to shun corruption and financial crimes by studying hard and not cutting corners", he advised.

In a remark, the Vice Chancellor, Usman Danfodio University, Sokoto, Prof. Riskuwa Shehu, described the establishment of the Zero Tolerance Corruption club in the nation's campuses as a welcome development.

He urged the members of the Club to intensify efforts in spreading the gospel of zero tolerance for corruption in the campuses.

Also speaking, the Head, Enlightenment and Re-Orientation Unit of the EFCC, Hajia Aisha Larai Musa, said the Zero Tolerance for Corruption was a non partisan and non-profit club with the aim of imparting anti corruption spirit and skills into students who were expected to spread the acquired skills to the society.

She said this would provide a platform for involvement of students in the fight against corruption, economic and financial crimes.

Hajia Musa emphasised that the EFCC would however, build the capacity of members of the Club on international best practices on preventing and reporting acts of economic and financial crimes.

"The EFCC also expects the Club to carry out activities such as seminars, drama and lectures on denouncing unwholesome practices prevalent on campuses such as examination malpractices, illicit sexual activities, extortion, admission fraud, cultism among others as this contributed in the production of half baked graduates", she added.