The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ola Olukoyede, has called for greater commitment to integrity within the agency, with the aim of surpassing the Commission’s N365.4 billion monetary recoveries in 2024.
This was disclosed in a statement by the Commission on Saturday following its three-day Management Retreat.
The retreat provided an opportunity for a critical and no-holds-barred review of the EFCC’s activities in 2024, including asset recovery, arrests, prosecutions, strategic redirection, organizational re-engineering, and the establishment of new departments alongside the restructuring of existing ones.
Need for Increased Commitment
- At the meeting, Olukoyede reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to enhanced professionalism and integrity in driving Nigeria’s fight against economic and financial crimes.
- Speaking on the theme of the retreat, “EFCC: The Journey So Far, Ensuring Professionalism and Integrity,” Olukoyede emphasized that professionalism and integrity are key to the Commission’s future relevance and effectiveness.
- According to the statement, “In 2024, the Commission secured 4,111 convictions and recovered over N365.4 billion.”
- The EFCC chairman commended the sacrifice, hard work, discipline, and dedication of the Commission’s staff in achieving these milestones.
- However, he called for even “greater dedication to surpass the records set in 2024 and ensure stronger commitment to integrity in the agency’s processes”.
- Olukoyede stressed that integrity is a fragile commodity that must be carefully nurtured, protected, and safeguarded to maintain public trust and respect.
- He assured that the EFCC’s workforce is on course to becoming an honest, highly motivated, and effective team.
More Insights
One of the key speakers at the retreat, Professor Tonnie Iredia, cautioned against the misrepresentation of the EFCC’s work, warning that negative public perception could undermine the anti-corruption fight. He urged greater involvement of Nigerians in supporting the Commission’s efforts.
Similarly, Mr. Femi Falana, SAN, commended Olukoyede and the entire EFCC team for their resilience and commitment to advancing the anti-graft war.
Falana also highlighted challenges posed by the judiciary, assuring that efforts would be made to address them and ensure that the Commission effectively delivers on its mandate to combat corruption across the country.
What You Should Know
The EFCC is one of Nigeria’s frontline anti-graft agencies.
In October 2024, the Commission disclosed that it had recovered N248 billion, $105.4 million, and other foreign currencies between October 18, 2023, and October 18, 2024.
- Additionally, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Motonmori Kekere-Ekun, revealed on September 30, 2024, that a total of 2,398 financial crime convictions were recorded in the judiciary between January 2, 2024, and August 2, 2024, by anti-graft agencies.
- She attributed this achievement to the expertise of the EFCC and other relevant stakeholders.
- Justice Kekere-Ekun also noted that the Corruption and Financial Crime Cases Trial Monitoring Committee (COTRIMCO), chaired by Justice Suleiman Galadima, CFR, JSC (Rtd.), has played a crucial role in expediting the trial of corruption and financial crime cases in Nigeria.
She said that between January 2, 2024, and August 2, 2024, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), with COTRIMCO’s support, secured 2,387 convictions, while the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) filed 54 cases and secured 11 convictions.