The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has challenged Nigerians to publicly come forward with evidence if he has ever been involved in fraudulent activities, insisting that he has never benefited from corruption throughout his years in public service.
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Olukoyede made the declaration during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics programme aired on Sunday, where he dismissed claims linking him to fraud or illicit enrichment.
“I’d like to tell Nigerians here, with every sense of responsibility, all through my service in the public sector, as Chief of Staff, in the EFCC, as Secretary in the EFCC, and I make bold to say that I’ve never been involved in any fraudulent activity,” he said.
The EFCC chairman further stated: “I serve as Chief of Staff, no Nigerian, and I challenge anybody to say, ‘Oh, this man has ever collected one bottle of coke or one naira to influence my sense of judgement in carrying out my responsibility.'”
Addressing concerns about asset management during his time as EFCC Secretary, Olukoyede said he handled seized assets without personal gain.
“As Secretary, I’ve got to manage assets here and to dispose assets. I never—you can’t trace any asset to me, nor any member of my family, as a matter of principle. And no Nigerian can say I collected one dime because of carrying out my activities,” he said.
He questioned the basis of the allegations against him, adding: “So the issue of fraudulent attachment, I don’t know where that would have come from. And I’ve told you now, I’ve never benefited from any of these assets. Never.”
When asked about his wealth, Olukoyede said Nigerians were free to verify his claims.
“I mean, Nigeria should go and investigate that. So I don’t understand the concept of being a rich man,” he said.
Responding to a question on asset declaration, the EFCC chairman said he complied fully with the law at every stage of his career.
“Of course I did that. I mean, I said that to the public. That was the first thing I did. I did it as Chief of Staff. I did it as Secretary. I did it as Chairman,” he said.
“I remember Nigerians also remember that I asked all my staff to also declare their assets. So look, it’s something that anybody can verify.”
Reiterating his challenge, Olukoyede said: “I’m telling you, I’ve never been involved in any fraudulent activity. Whether as Chief of Staff or as Secretary, and I’m telling Nigerians, if you have ever offered me a bribe, and I collected, come out and say it.”
Asked if he considered himself upright, he replied: “To the best of my knowledge. I do my work with every sense of diligence, and I do my work with every sense of commitment and loyalty to the mandate.”
The EFCC Chairman also explained that the delay in arraigning some politically exposed and high-profile suspects is due to the painstaking process of gathering evidence in such cases.
Olukoyede stated that while cybercrime cases can be concluded within a short period, corruption cases involving top politicians and complex financial transactions require extensive investigation before they can be taken to court.
“In 48 hours, I can investigate and arraign a cybercriminal. It is just a matter of getting the devices and all that, and I am done.
“But when it comes to politically-exposed persons or public corruption or high-profile corruption, it takes time, and I can’t go to court when I am not ready,” he said.
He stressed that the length of time it takes to prosecute such matters should not be interpreted as inactivity on the part of the commission.
The EFCC boss dismissed allegations that the agency is selective or biased in its anti-graft war, saying the commission is not targeting opposition politicians.
According to him, legal bottlenecks and cross-border issues involving assets and funds in other countries often slow down the process.
Citing the case involving a former Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, Olukoyede said there was nothing personal or political about the EFCC’s actions.
“If Nigeria is to move forward, all of us must agree that this fight must be fought without being partisan, and that’s what I want Nigerians to understand and to agree with us,” he added.
The EFCC Chairman disclosed that the agency arrested hundreds of suspected internet fraudsters, popularly known as Yahoo boys, within the last two months through sting operations.
According to him, the arrests were carried out discreetly as part of reforms aimed at improving the professionalism of the commission’s operations.
“We have, as I just told you now, in the last two months, carried out hundreds of arrests of Yahoo boys on sting operations,” he said.
Olukoyede explained that many of the suspects could not be apprehended in open places or broad daylight, necessitating carefully planned and intelligence-driven operations.
“There are some of these guys you can’t see in broad daylight. They don’t come out in the broad daylight, so you have to plan your operations very professionally,” he stated.
He added that most of the suspects were often found in hotels and apartments rather than their personal residences, saying: “There are some of them that you don’t find in their houses. Most times, you find them in hotels and apartments.”
Olukoyede assured Nigerians that EFCC operations would continue to follow legal procedures, stressing that the commission is empowered by law to effect arrests without warrants when necessary.
“We have the power to do so. Our law enables us and empowers us to do that,” Olukoyede stressed.
“Anytime, any day. We effect an arrest without a warrant. The badge I carry is my warrant to effect an arrest. Look, if I had to break down a door for me to effect an arrest, I would do that. And you see the FBI do, you see them do that, you see the NCA do that. So why is that our own different?” he added.
The EFCC boss said that similar approaches are adopted by foreign law enforcement agencies such as the FBI and the UK’s National Crime Agency.
He also revealed that the EFCC has been called to carry out joint operations with counterparts abroad and that he had received the Director of the FBI in his office to acknowledge the commission’s work.
“We have had cause to carry out joint operations with our counterparts abroad, FBI, NCA, and the records are there. Professionally, we have been given laurels.
“I, as a person, have had cause to receive the Director of the FBI in my office to acknowledge what we do here in this office. He came from America to acknowledge our work.”
Olukoyede called on Nigerians to support the EFCC, saying its efforts were geared towards fighting corruption and ensuring national progress.
“So if foreigners acknowledge what we do, what about Nigerians? Why can’t we allow these institutions to survive? If we have been complaining that corruption is our problem. Look, nobody is perfect, and you’re not going to get any perfect institution anywhere in the world. We have our shortcomings, but with our modest achievements, Nigerians should support us. Because this thing we do is for Nigeria, it’s for the progress of this country.”
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