The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Ayuba Wabba, says it is sad that corrupt Nigerians who are facing trial are hiring protesters to defend them.

Wabba said this when he visited the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, at the Abuja headquarters of the commission.


 
According to a statement by the spokesperson for the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, the NLC boss said the union would continue to support the anti-graft agency.

Wabba said, “We have a situation where people, who have stolen from the commonwealth and are being prosecuted in court, go to their villages to hire people that they take to court to protest on their behalf, just because they have the resources at their disposal.”

Such a scenario, according to him, necessitated the need to re-energise the NLC’s partnership with the EFCC as a collective effort is now essential.

The NLC boss stressed the importance of having a united front in confronting the ‘monster’ called corruption.

“Corruption is a monster that has done more harm to our country than any other thing, because it is the cause of crises in the various sectors of Nigeria, be it power, health or housing,” he said.

While noting that the NLC had in the past shown support for the agency, Wabba stressed that more than ever before, there was a need to renew such affiliation and unity, because “corruption is now fighting back.

“We’ve partnered in the past, but now we have more civil servants who are willing to be whistle- blowers to provide information for the EFCC,” he said.

He said that the union was also working to galvanise other civil society organisations to assist the agency expand its anti-corruption crusade to the grassroots.

While appreciating the union, the EFCC boss assured the delegation that the agency was resolute in carrying out its mandate.

“The negative impact of corruption affects the whole country, including our children and the unborn generation, and so, we need your support more than ever before,” he said.

Corruption, according to Magu, was fighting back, as many of those being prosecuted for corrupt practices had the money to throw about. He, however, stressed the resolve of the commission to remain steadfast in executing the war against corruption.

“All of us have the duty to kill corruption,” he said.