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Since its establishment in 2003 by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC has continued to marvel its admirers and critics.
The truth is that the EFCC is like an open book, it has nothing to hide. Were it not so, nobody would have been aware of its activities, neither will anybody know its giant strides in terms of the fight against corruption of all shades .
If the EFCC had not revealed to Nigerians what it ’ve achieved since inception, we will neither know nor question its activities. The Commission’s integrity and openness are the reasons it bares in the public domain, its achievements in fighting corruption.Two other trailblazing institutions that have continued to regale Nigerians with their sterling and outstanding operational performances are the Nigerian Custom Service-especially in the area of revenue generation through collection of tariffs and import duties- and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) which has become a thick bone on the throat of drug barons.
Before now, many Nigerians strongly believe that the EFCC merely acts as the Executive’s attack dog against its opponents and critics. Many view the anti- graft agency as a lackey of incumbent Presidents which dances to the tune of the drums being played by such President. Impressively, the story changed with the appointment of Olanipekun Olukoyede as the Chairman of the Commission. Before Olukoyede’s coming as Chairman, he had held sway at the Commission as the Chief of Staff to its former Chairman before transitioning as the Commission’s Secretary . Since his appointment as Chairman, Olukoyede has reinvented and repositioned the EFCC, making it Africa’s foremost and most professional anti- graft body. Unassumimg but audacious, firm and focused, Olukoyede, a lawyer and Certified Crime Examiner (CFE), can be likened to a big masquerade that has stepped out to show his true color- an economic crime burster, a nightmare to corrupt individuals and a thorough breed investigator who possesses well aticulated strategies on how to combat corruption.
The EFCC Chairman’s past statements and comments on corruption underpin his unwavering commitment to his job and resolve to fight the menace to a standstill: ‘’We must not allow corruption to become a way of life”, “there is no substitute for integrity and accountability, “we must recover the confidence of Nigerians in the fight against financial crimes.
Glistening record of his operational activities are already being celebrated outside our shores. This explains why he was recently re-elected as President of the Network of National Anti-corruption Institutions in West Africa, NACIWA, for another term of three years. NACIWA has heads of anti-corruption agencies in West Africa as members. Mr Olukoyede’s records and achievements continue to excite Nigerians who believe that corruption has to be stamped out completely in the country if we are to make socio-economic and infrastructural headway as a country. According to a social commentator: “Corruption is the enemy of development and good governance”, “the fight against corruption begins with choosing integrity over personal gain”, corruption may enrich a few, but it impoverishes a nation”
A pep into EFCC records between October 1 2023 and 30 June 2026, shows that it made recoveries totalling N1, 233,612,040,411.11, $684.478,457.32, £373,905.78, €9,343,803.66 in addition to recoveries in other currencies.
Of the Naira amount, approximately N397.26billion ( 33%) represented direct recoveries for the federal government, while N836.34billion(67%) represented indirect recoveries made on behalf of ministries, departments and agencies, staterevenue services, companies, individuals and foreign victims. All these were sequel to aggressive and pain staking investigations
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between October 2023 and July 2026. Additionally, the Commission received 49,673 petitions, and investigated 39,615 cases, filed 14,476 cases in court and secured 10,872 convictions. This gives us a conviction-to-filing ratio of 75.1 per cent. In the first half of 2026 alone, the commission recorded 1,370 convictions from 1,889 filings.
From the above statistics it’s obvious that corruption is daily eating into every fabric of the society but Olukoyede, the dogged corruption fighter, is equally giving a good account of himself.
It is my view that the fight against corruption will assum a radical dimension in Nigeria if the EFCC nay the Nigerian government adopts the Chinese punishment model for people found guilty of corruption: Life imprisonment and more severe punishment like death sentence depending on the degree of the offence. I believe that corruption will abruptly end in Nigeria if the Chinese model is adopted and faithfully implemented. I also recommend that Nigeria’s educational syllabus be injected with subjects around the evils of corruption so that our youths can be taught the evils and dangers of corruption; so that they can see corruption for what it is: a cankerworm that does no good to anyone. It is pertinent for Nigerians to constantly assist the Commission by offering valuable information on corrupt individuals corrupt holding public offices and in the private sector. This is because all of us have roles to play in curbing corruption in all its ramifications . In other words, when we see something , we must say something. Nigerians should continue to support and encourage the EFCC under Olukoyede in its audacious task of stamping out corruption in the country. it is patrotic to do so. It is very clear that as far as the big masquerade- Olukoyede is on the right track leading the fight from the front, effusive applause globally and nationally will not cease.
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Members of the public who has valid information on the activities corrupt persons either in public offices or in the private sector are encouraged to send vital information about the person to
EFCC Hotline: +2348093322644
EFCC Email: [email protected]
(Operation see something -say something).
Have a blessed weekend ahead.
