The acting chairperson of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulkarim Chukkol, has cautioned new cadets of the agency against corruption.

Chukkol spoke on Friday at the passing-out ceremony of 318 detective superintendent cadets at the EFCC Academy in Abuja.

“Any act of corruption, disloyalty, disobedience to constituted authority…will be decisively dealt with and the defaulters shown the exit,” Mr Chukkol warned.

He urged the new detectives to familiarise themselves with EFCC’s laws and other statutory obligations to their official duties.

Toeing Chukkol’s admonition, EFCC secretary, George Ekpungu, advised the graduands to uphold the highest levels of integrity and exhibit appreciable standards of decorum in their dealings.

“We uphold integrity, honesty and highest standards…If you compromise your office, you will be sent back home to your parents. So parents caution your children on illegalities and avoid putting them under unnecessary pressure,” Mr Ekpungu said in a hall packed with parents and relatives of the graduating cadets.

Others speak

In an impassioned speech to the cadets, the commandant of the EFCC Academy, Ayo Olowonihi, reminded the graduates of the twelve-month journey of rigorous training.

He advised them not to let the country down, considering the commission’s investment in the cadets’ training.

Mr Olowonihi urged the cadets to imbibe the virtue of truth in exercising their responsibilities.

The cadets were trained in legal studies, operations, finance, general studies, forensics, field studies and ICT.

The highlight of the ceremony was the presentation of awards to outstanding cadets.

The best-graduating cadet was Ikotun Sola, while the 1st runner-up was Babalola Marry, and the 2nd runner-up was Olalere Abiodun.

Other awardees were – Yusuf Mohammed Fawal, who clinched the ‘Best Rifles Award’, while the female best max riffles award went to Atele Igyatwen.

Hauwa Mohammed grabbed the Award for Best Women Pistol, and Best Man Pistol Award went to Abubakar Sani.

At the previous graduation event, the suspended chair of the EFCC, Abdulrasheed Bawa, charged the detectives to shun corrupt practices.

The event took place days before the inauguration of President Bola Tinubu and about two weeks before he was suspended from office by the new president.

Following Mr Bawa’s suspension, Mr Chukkol, then director of operations at the commission, stepped in as acting chair of the EFCC.

Since Mr Bawa’s indefinite suspension on 14 June, he has been held by Nigeria’s spy agency, the State Security Service (SSS).

The EFCC has had a chequered leadership succession since its creation in 2003.