The Rotary Club of Karu, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), District 9127, has commended the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for its impact in tackling economic and financial crimes, as well as other acts of corruption across the country.
The commendation was given by the incoming District Governor of Rotary District 9127, Rotarian Ife James Utodio, during a courtesy visit to the EFCC Academy. According to him, the EFCC has become a national agency of redemption to the extent that its logo is now regarded as a national symbol.
“The EFCC logo is a national symbol, and we need to display it and educate our youths and children on the need to identify and respect it, alongside other national symbols,” he said.
He explained that Rotary shares the same ideology with the EFCC in fighting corruption. “Even the Four-Way Test was created many years ago, in 1932, to guide us in our dealings and to work against corruption in the workplace, personal life, and business,” he noted.
Utodio further elaborated that Rotary has consistently advocated for molding its members and communities to be straightforward, honest, and truthful. He stated that the visit to the EFCC Academy was to intimate the institution of Rotary’s desire to impact its immediate community in collaboration with the Commission.
He outlined the club’s plans for the year, which include initiatives in community health, education, ethics, civil responsibility, and other areas of community development. He expressed hope that the EFCC Academy would be able to educate the community at its gatherings on cybercrime and cyber protection, targeting both youths and adults. He also revealed plans to organize essay competitions in secondary schools in Karu on financial crimes.
Utodio stressed that Rotary would continue to create awareness about the celebration of Nigerian national symbols, usually observed on September 30 every year.
“Many people do not know this is done because the awareness is not there. We want to create that awareness and celebrate our symbols — the national flag, national anthem, and military logo. The EFCC logo is a national symbol. We need to display it and educate our youths and school children to identify and respect these symbols because they represent the country,” he said.
He assured that with Rotary’s global reach, the organization would help amplify the EFCC’s message to over 1.4 million people worldwide.
In his response, the Acting Commandant of the EFCC Academy, Assistant Commander of the EFCC (ACE I) Joseph Ogwiji, welcomed the delegation and commended the club’s desire to localize its impact and collaborate with the Commission. He explained that while the EFCC focuses on broader national issues, Rotary approaches societal challenges at the community level.
“The EFCC thrives on integrity, truthfulness, accountability, and transparency — values that align with those mentioned by Rotary,” he said.
He added that prevention remains a cardinal element of the EFCC’s mandate, noting that it is a key focus of the international community. According to him, countries are increasingly prioritizing the growth and development of their people rather than the self-mobilization and aggrandizement of wealth, which he described as a major challenge facing the country.
