The Executive Chairman of Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has urged the agency’s workforce to strengthen their commitment to integrity as it seeks to exceed its N365.4 billion monetary recoveries from 2024.
This was revealed in a statement issued by the EFCC on Saturday, following a three-day management retreat aimed at reviewing the commission’s performance and strategising for the future.
The retreat provided a platform for a candid evaluation of the EFCC’s operations, including asset recovery, arrests, prosecutions, and institutional reforms. Discussions also covered the creation of new departments and the restructuring of existing ones to enhance efficiency.
Olukoyede reaffirmed the agency’s dedication to professionalism and ethical conduct, which he described as essential for maintaining public trust. The theme of the retreat, “EFCC: The Journey So Far, Ensuring Professionalism and Integrity,” underscored the commission’s mission to combat financial crimes more effectively.
According to the EFCC, the agency secured 4,111 convictions and recovered over N365.4 billion in 2024. While commending staff for their dedication, Olukoyede urged them to push harder to surpass these achievements in the coming year.
At the retreat, Professor Tonnie Iredia cautioned against the misrepresentation of the EFCC’s efforts, warning that negative public perception could undermine its mission. He called for increased public support to strengthen the fight against corruption.
Similarly, human rights lawyer Femi Falana, SAN, praised Olukoyede and the EFCC for their resilience but acknowledged legal obstacles that hinder anti-corruption efforts. He assured that steps would be taken to address challenges within the judiciary to ensure the EFCC can effectively carry out its mandate.
The EFCC remains one of Nigeria’s leading anti-graft agencies. In October 2024, the commission reported recovering N248 billion, $105.4 million, and other foreign currencies between October 2023 and October 2024.
Additionally, Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Motonmori Kekere-Ekun, disclosed that 2,398 financial crime convictions were secured by anti-graft agencies between January and August 2024. Of these, the EFCC, with support from the Corruption and Financial Crime Cases Trial Monitoring Committee (COTRIMCO), secured 2,387 convictions, while the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) secured 11.
Justice Kekere-Ekun credited these successes to the collaboration between anti-corruption agencies and the judiciary, noting that COTRIMCO, led by retired Justice Suleiman Galadima, has played a significant role in expediting financial crime trials in Nigeria.
