The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, had a busy week commissioning two magnificent office complexes in the Enugu and Ilorin zonal commands of the Commission.
By Tony Egbulefu
The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, literarily had his plate full of delicacies few days ago. And this came through the commissioning of two ultra-modern office complexes in the Enugu and Ilorin zonal commands of the Commission.
The two events presented special moments for him and members of staff of the EFCC not only in the two zonal commands but across the entire Commission. The commissioning of the two office complexes flashed bright colours of a carnival as guests and staff of the Commission wore delight on their faces like shining spectacles.
Olukoyede’s commissioning of the two offices lent credence to his commitment to elevate the EFCC’s standards of operation, infrastructure and human capital development. Apart from the pursuit of infrastructural upgrade, the reconstruction of the Enugu Zonal Office particularly became compelling following an unfortunate fire outbreak that laid waste substantial parts of the building.
“A couple of months ago, we recorded a fire incident in this Command that left one of our buildings completely gutted and vital work equipment destroyed. It is gladdening that we have not only put the sad episode behind us, we have moved ahead as evident in this new office complex which we are gathered to commission,” he said. To him, the uniqueness of the occasion spoke of triumph over adversity and birth of a new lease of life for the Command, its workforce, and, indeed, the entire EFCC.
The event in Enugu drew dignitaries in the state and beyond including the state governor, Peter Mba; National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu; General Officer Commanding, GOC 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major General HT Dada; Air Officer Commanding Ground Training Command of Nigerian Air force, Enugu, Air Vice Marshal U.K Abdullahi; Founder, Adoration Ministry, Rev Father Ejike Mbaka among others.
The EFCC boss further stressed the importance of a befitting and functional office environment for personnel’s motivation and productivity.
“This need is being met for the personnel of the Enugu Command today and my vision is to ensure that staff in all EFCC outposts work in decent offices with facilities that compare with other law enforcement organisations anywhere in the world. This magnificent building is multi-purpose, boasting of offices for personnel of the Command, interrogation rooms, holding facility for suspects, canteen for staff and suspects, an expansive parking lot, and more”, he said.
While expressing gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for his support and commitment to fight economic and financial crimes, Olukoyede indicated the readiness of the EFCC to tackle all manner of economic and financial crimes in the South-East, in order to launch the region into greater growth and development.
“By the special grace of God and the support of all of you, the commission will do more. We are determined to create an environment that will make it difficult for fraudsters to operate, which in turn will allow businesses to thrive in line with the vision of Mr. President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu
“It bears reiterating that the EFCC needs more collaboration in getting its job done. I call on civil society organisations in the South-east to come forward and work with this Command. Let every stakeholder in the anti-corruption community rally behind the EFCC by providing support in whatever way possible to the Commission to deliver on its mandate. Let us walk together and we will be able to corporately break the fangs of corrupt practices,” he said.
Governor Mba of Enugu State, who identified with the project since he assumed the leadership of the state observed that the new edifice testified to the commitment of the federal government through the EFCC to sustain the anti-corruption war and expressed confidence that the commissioning of the structure will go a long way in giving a stronger bite to the Commission’s operations in the region. Olukoyede’s commitment to bringing the project to fruition, Mba said, was well founded “in view of the many proven negative effects corruption has on economic development.”
National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, who established the Enugu Command and five additional zonal commands during his time as the Executive Chairman of the Commission, noted that the commissioning of the new office complex in Enugu State was a new chapter in the evolution of the EFCC. He expressed delight with the transformation of the complex from what it was in 2006 and commended the EFCC Chairman and his team for the vision to put up the edifice for use by personnel of the zone.
He noted that it was crucial that law enforcement agencies which are critical to the nation and the citizen’s collective safety, security, prosperity and general wellbeing are afforded requisite facilities to ensure their welfare and efficiency. “This is why I commend the Chairman of the EFCC and his team for this initiative. I am confident that this state-of-the-art facility will further motivate the staff to rededicate themselves to the cause of fighting economic and financial crimes – a major challenge hindering our development as a nation.”
Ribadu noted that issues of welfare are particularly important to law enforcement officers who daily stake their comfort and oftentimes their safety and lives for the well-being of others. He assured that the Tinubu administration would not compromise on the welfare of the Commission’s officers.
The EFCC, the NSA disclosed, was strategic to the counter-terrorism efforts of the federal government and urged the Commission to be on the fore front of government’s efforts to check the laundering of proceeds of violent crimes such as kidnapping and banditry in the country. “We must work collectively to secure our country and deliver a good life to the generality of our citizens,” he said.
The Ilorin event, which took place on Thursday, December 20, was no less grand. Among the special guests at the occasion were the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN; Kwara State governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq; Emir of Ilorin, Dr Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari; Chief Judge of Kwara State, Justice Abiodun Adebara and Director Public Affairs Department, EFCC, DCE Wilson Uwujaren.
Others at the occasion were, foremost Nigerian industrialist and the Jagunmolu of Igbaja, Alhaji Abdulraheem Oladimeji; Vice Chancellor of the Alhikma University, Prof Noah Yusuf and Comptroller of Nigeria Correctional Service, Adebayo Oyun.
Like the Enugu complex, that of Ilorin is also a one-stop facility, providing space for every activity of the Commission . Again, like that of Enugu, the Ilorin office complex was also a fruit of multiple stakeholders’ collaboration “I wish to state that we did not achieve this alone. It has taken the intervention of other stakeholders to fully deliver this project,” Olukoyede disclosed. He traced some of the interventions to Governor Abdulrazaq, the Presidency and the National Assembly which appropriated funds for the completion of the project.
Having operated the Ilorin Zonal Command from a rented apartment since 2019 when it was established, Olukoyede was upbeat about the upgrade of facilities in the new structure. “Its inviting ambience and facilities will, no doubt, motivate personnel of the Commission to redouble their efforts in the discharge of their responsibilities to members of the public. The improved efficiency in service delivery will ultimately translate to reduction in criminality and improvement in the ease of doing business in Kwara and Ekiti States,” he said.
Indeed, the Ilorin Zonal Command occupies a strategic place in the financial crimes enforcement blueprint of the EFCC. Along with the Abuja Command, it is responsible for enforcement activities in most of the North-central region, whose huge deposits of solid mineral resources have lately attracted all sorts of criminal tribes. The burgeoning criminal activities have been a matter of concern to the Commission, leading to increasing arrest and prosecution of illegal miners in the state and beyond.
The EFCC boss expressed readiness of the Commission to pursue vigorous enforcement of extant laws against illegal miners in the actualisation of the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Tinubu administration in the solid minerals sector, promising that the Commission will be unsparing in its efforts to sanitise the business environment and support the country’s drive to attract foreign direct investment, FDI, by tackling frauds of all colourations.
Fagbemi, SAN, who cut the tape for the commissioning, commended the leadership of the EFCC for the foresight in initiating and completing the project, saying it signified a desire to reinvigorate the fight against economic and other financial crimes in the country. The effects of corruption, he noted, have undermined government’s reform efforts at all levels and increasingly disrupting families, economic and social lives.
He reiterated government’s commitment to strengthening policy and legal frameworks for combatting corruption by ensuring improved governance, regulation, infrastructural and personnel capacities of law enforcement agencies for efficient and effective service delivery.
The AGF was unsparing in his hats off to Olukoyede. “It is gladdening that personnel of the Commission who have long operated from a rented accommodation now have the pleasure of working in an environment that is befitting of a law enforcement agency of the calibre of the EFCC. This magnificent edifice and that of the Enugu Zonal Command, which was commissioned two days ago, are yet another attestation to the commitment of its leadership under Mr. Ola Olukoyede to ensure that the anti-corruption crusade is on a sure footing,” he said.
The host governor, Abdulrasaq called for more support for the EFCC, stating that the fight against corruption was a national campaign “that we must all support, especially at institutional levels” adding that “erecting strong mechanisms to prevent the commission of crime; having the right legal framework and networks to checkmate corrupt practices, and striking the right balance between the public’s right to know of anti-corruption efforts of the government and actually recovering looted funds through strategic partnerships have been a bold feature of President Tinubu’s agenda to fight graft in a sustainable way.”
The two events, coming together within one week, pointedly bear the insignia of focus, commitment, and readiness of the EFCC and its Chairman to forge ahead in the fight against economic and financial crimes. The commissioning of the two office complexes is surely a step in the right direction. Without any doubt, Olukoyede’s leadership of the EFCC has started yielding open accomplishments, and the future seems brighter for the EFCC and the nation at large.
• Egbulefu is a staff of the Public Affairs Department of the EFCC