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…Says case file predates him
From Sola Ojo, Abuja
The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), Mr. Ola Olukoyede, has said that the Justice Salami’s Panel never indicted him, but rather cleared him and all his entitlements fully paid.
He made this known in an interview on a national television, monitored by Daily Sun at the weekend. He also spoke on asset recovery, allegations of political bias, high-profile corruption cases, international cooperation and his reform agenda for 2026.
Excerpts:
The EFCC has reported major assets recoveries in recent years. Can you highlight some of these achievements?
Yes, indeed. Nigerians are aware of several significant recoveries we have made, including the well-known estate in Lokogoma here in Abuja. Beyond that, we have recovered many properties and handed them over to the Federal Government for public use. A good example is the recovery of a property from a former Director in the Federal Ministry of Finance. That asset has now been converted into the University of Applied Sciences in Kachia, Kaduna State. It is perhaps the only university serving that entire region. These are the kinds of recoveries we are making, assets taken from corruption and returned for the benefit of Nigerians.
Some of your critics say the EFCC focuses more on opposition figures and goes soft on people close to the government. How do you respond to this?
That perception has existed for years, even before I assumed office. But Nigerians should know that it is not supported by facts. Both members of the ruling party and the opposition are being prosecuted regularly. The statistics are there in the courts for anyone who cares to check. We have taken prominent members of the ruling party to court, and we have also taken prominent members of opposition parties to court. In fact, one former minister who was already facing charges later defected to the ruling party, yet the case continued. So, the idea that joining the ruling party gives immunity is simply not true. Many people who make these claims do not do due diligence. They speak without facts and figures. Nigerians should be fair to this Commission.
There are also claims that the EFCC is used as a political tool by the government?
I challenge anyone making that claim to bring out facts and figures. The EFCC does not work for any political party. We work for Nigeria. We go after anyone who commits a crime, whether they belong to the ruling party or the opposition. What matters to us is not your political affiliation but whether you have broken the law. We relate with our international counterparts, and many of them have commended our work. Some foreign law enforcement agencies have even told me that the way we investigate both ruling and opposition figures is something they wish to emulate in their own countries. Nigerians should be proud of this institution. We risk our lives daily to investigate and prosecute corruption cases.
Looking ahead, what should Nigerians expect from the EFCC in 2026?
Nigerians who believe in what we are doing should expect even more in 2026. We will consolidate on the modest achievements of the last two years, especially in institutional reforms, professionalism and accountability. We have strengthened our processes, our internal controls and the way we conduct investigations. That is why you now see more structured, coordinated and professional operations.
The EFCC has been criticised for conducting arrests at night and raiding homes. Why does the Commission do these?
There is a difference between investigating politically exposed persons and investigating cybercriminals. When you are investigating cybercrime, you cannot rely on polite invitations. These criminals use electronic devices, and once they know you are coming, they delete evidence, destroy gadgets or disappear. That is why sting operations and surprise arrests are necessary. This is the same approach used by agencies like the FBI and other international partners. It is done to preserve evidence and ensure successful prosecution. However, we still operate within the law and due process.
So, Nigerians should not fear EFCC operations?
Absolutely. In 2026, whenever Nigerians see EFCC officers at someone’s door, they should know it is legally backed and professionally carried out. We do not operate outside the law. Our goal is not harassment. Our goal is justice, accountability and the protection of Nigeria’s future.
The EFCC works with international partners. How important is this collaboration to your work?
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We carry out joint operations with our counterparts abroad, including the FBI, the UK’s National Crime Agency and other international agencies. These collaborations are done professionally and have significantly improved our standards. Personally, I have received commendations from several countries. I have hosted senior international law enforcement officials in my office who came specifically to acknowledge the quality of our work. We have had delegations from the United States and Europe come to commend what we are doing here.
If foreign institutions recognise our professionalism, Nigerians should also support these institutions. Corruption is our collective problem. No institution is perfect anywhere in the world, but with our modest achievements, Nigerians should allow these institutions to grow and improve.
Recently, several politically exposed persons were arrested during the festive period. Why did this happen now?
What Nigerians are seeing now is the maturity of our investigation processes. Some cases take two, three or even five years to reach maturity. When I assumed office, I promised Nigerians that cases that appeared forgotten would be revived. We went back to old files, strengthened investigations and ensured that we had solid proof of evidence before going to court. I also promised Nigerians that I would not be stampeded into filing charges unless I was personally satisfied that the evidence was strong. What you are seeing now is the result of years of careful work. More cases are coming. We will not take weak cases to court. Every case we file can stand legal scrutiny.
There have been allegations of terrorism financing against the former Attorne- General Abubakar Malami, is that correct?
Let me be clear. At no time did the EFCC accuse the former Attorney- General of terrorism financing. What we filed were charges of money laundering and unlawful acquisition of assets. Those charges are on record at the Federal High Court. If terrorism financing was mentioned in the media, it did not come from us. It was speculation by third parties. If you read the court processes we filed, you will see that nothing was fabricated. We do not cook up charges. We file charges based on evidence. Sometimes, the name of a serving governor must appear in court documents to establish facts. We fully respect constitutional immunity. Many of these individuals were already being investigated before they became governors. Our mandate is clear. We will not abandon it because of political pressure or propaganda.
But, Malami claims you are targeting him because he set up the Justice Ayo Salami panel which indicted you, is that true?
That claim is misleading. If anyone says I was indicted by that panel, they should publish the report. The panel was set up in 2020 and concluded in 2021. Mr. Malami had custody of the report until 2023. If I was indicted, why was it not published then? Why did it only surface after investigations into his activities resumed? So, I have never seen any report indicting me. The internal investigation cleared me, and the president who set up that panel later issued me a letter of clearance. I was reinstated and all my entitlements were paid. I have never been found guilty of any wrongdoing by any court or investigative body.
Why do high-profile corruption cases take so long?
These cases are complex and often involve money moved across several countries. In one case involving a former governor, I have made about seven requests to foreign banks and authorities, and just about two responses so far. Without those responses, we cannot finalise our evidence. Different countries have different legal systems. You need court orders, mutual legal assistance and cooperation. Money moves fast across borders, but the law moves carefully. No case is dead at the EFCC. It may take time, but it will get there. The EFCC investigate and prosecutes, but courts convict. High-profile defendants hire the best lawyers and file applications that delay trials. Some cases have been in court since 2007. The judiciary is not the problem, but the system is slow. Judges still write proceedings by long hand. So, to listen to just one witness takes days or weeks. After that, he will send it to typesetter, edit and correct errors. All these take time. We need modern courts and technology to speed up justice.
Does the president tell you who to investigate?
No. We respect the office of the president, but we do not take instructions from anybody. We are accountable to Nigerians through the National Assembly, where we submit our annual reports. For example, we have submitted the 2024 report to the National Assembly.
Your critics including the former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai accused you of ethnic prosecutions, alleging that you go after northerners than southerners. Is there a regional or ethnic bias in EFCC operations?
No. We have over 5,000 operatives from all parts of Nigeria in our 14 zonal offices. Some accuse me of targeting the North, others say I target the South. These conflicting claims show there is no bias. Corruption is a Nigerian problem. And don’t forget, during the past administration, they were saying people from South are being targeted. In fact, the South is also accusing me of prosecuting southerners especially when it comes to cybercrimes like the ‘yahoo boys’.
What is your key agenda for the EFCC in 2026?
Our ultimate agenda is to drastically reduce financial crimes in Nigeria. That is why I introduced a Fraud Risk Assessment and Control Framework driven by our Prevention Department. Over the past year, this department has become very active. We now monitor capital budgets of ministries, departments and agencies in real time. We track how government funds are spent, and we have revived several abandoned or misused projects for which government had already released money. We have recovered funds, compelled defaulting contractors to return to site and saved Nigeria hundreds of billions of naira in just one year. This is money that would otherwise have been stolen and that we would have had to chase later. Prevention is cheaper and more effective than prosecution, and that is what we are strengthening in 2026.
