The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) and the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mazi Afam Osigwe (SAN), have expressed support for integrating the youths in the anti-corruption fight.
Speaking at the commemoration of the International Anti-Corruption Day with the theme: “Uniting Youths Against Corruption: Shaping Tomorrow’s Integrity”, Fagbemi said the youth have, throughout history, been at the forefront of transformative movements being trailblazers, dynamic forces, intelligent, passionate, and brimming with innovative ideas.
“Corruption as we know erodes the fabric of any society, stifles progress and deprives the young of educational opportunities, job prospects, engagement in public life, success in sports, access to healthcare and other essential services just to mention a few.
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“It robs governments of the resources that could be used for essential public services like healthcare, education, infrastructure, etc. It fuels inequality, erodes trust in institutions, and undermines the very foundations of democratic societies,” he said.
Similarly, while addressing the press to mark the United Nations Day, Osigwe called on the National Judicial Council (NJC), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and others to institute a lifestyle audit mechanism to identify officials living above their means as a deterrence against corruption.
The association urged all sectors to come together and move with one strong force against corruption “as we unite with the youths to equip them with the knowledge, platforms and encouragement they need to become the vanguard of a new era of transparency, accountability and ethical leadership.”
“As lawyers and stakeholders in Nigeria, we all face some form of corruption in our dealings but we may have discounted the consequences of it in order to “get things done”. So even the legal profession is not free of this ill.
“The promotion of the rule of law which the NBA is committed to and the economic development of Nigeria can only survive in an environment devoid of corruption,” he said.
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