AGF Fagbemi Urges Religious Leaders To Avoid Activities That Hurt Nigeria

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has urged religious leaders to refrain from activities that hinder Nigeria’s progress, particularly during the ongoing fight against corruption.

Fagbemi made the call in Abuja at the opening of a Public Engagement on Youth, Religion and the Fight Against Corruption, organized by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The event, as highlighted in statement by the AGF’s spokesperson, Kamarudeen Ogundele, marked the launch of the “Interfaith Preaching and Teaching Manuals” and the “Fraud Risk Assessment Project for Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).”

Fagbemi said the project, approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, underlines the important role of religious institutions in helping to tack economic and financial crimes.

Fagbemi emphasized the importance of religion as a “social control agent,” motivating individuals towards positive change.

“It is not in doubt that religion serves as an agent of social control of behaviour and motivates people to work for positive change. It should therefore not be heard that a religious organization, leader or follower is involved directly or indirectly in any activity that will negatively impact our society,” he said.

The AGF enjoined religious as well as traditional rulers to use their positions to motivate people to work for positive changes in the country.

Fagbemi said, “There is no doubt that our nation is blessed with both human and natural resources which must be effectively annexed and deployed for us to witness the desired progress in our national life.

“The statistic from www.worldometers.info as at 24th of January 2024 put our current population at 226,898,639 with the youth accounting for 70% of the said total population. This shows that the fight against economic and financial crimes will receive an unprecedented boost if we take advantage of the teeming useful youth population.

“It is on this note that I am urging our religious leaders and teeming youth to take ownership of the fight against corruption and to effectively collaborate with the EFCC in combatting financial crimes and sundry offences. We cannot over-emphasize the importance of a collective effort in the fight against corruption. This fight is real; and we must pungently successfully fight it to a standstill.”

The statement added, “The AGF said Tinubu was determined to collaborate with all stakeholders in tackling corruption using a multi-dimensional or cocktail of approach of the prevention of crimes as well as effective and efficient investigation and prosecution of offenders.”