The National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, on Thursday, urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to sustain its fight against corruption.
In a statement signed by Comr. Adegoke Naheem Ademola, Chief of Staff to the NANS President, he said corruption undermines the nation’s integrity and should be tackled headlong.
However, NANS cautioned that lawful enforcement must not become a source of intimidation for students.
The association said it was “not against” the activities of the anti-graft agency and did not condone financial crimes in any form.
Ademola described the association as a stakeholder in nation-building and said NANS was totally opposed to fraud and every act capable of undermining the country’s integrity.
According to the statement, the association supports the mandate of the Commission to investigate, prevent and prosecute financial crimes, and maintains that no Nigerian, regardless of status, should be above the law.
NANS argued that a Nigeria free from fraud would allow institutions to function better and give citizens greater confidence in the system.
However, drawing a line on how operations are conducted, Ademola said NANS opposed “any form of illegal abuse, harassment, intimidation, or operation that makes our students feel unsafe or threatened.”
While acknowledging the lawful duties of security agencies, he stressed that such duties must remain within the bounds of the law and respect the safety and dignity of Nigerian students.
The statement referenced the EFCC’s operations in the early hours of the day in Akure, Ondo State by the Ado-Ekiti zone of the EFCC, urging the commission not to relent.