EFCC suspends two officials over corruption allegations

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has signaled a renewed commitment to internal accountability by sacking two of its staff over allegations of corruption.

EFCC chairman, Ola Olukoyede, made this disclosure at the annual criminal law review conference organized by the Rule of Law Development Foundation in Abuja on Tuesday.

Olukoyede emphasized the agency’s resolve to reform its operations and maintain integrity among its personnel. “You can’t fight corruption with dirty hands,” he said, confirming that the dismissed officials were under prosecution investigation.

“We are preparing the case files of those who were expelled. “Integrity requires that everyone representing the EFCC is beyond reproach,” he said.

Olukoyede also issued a public challenge, calling on anyone with evidence of accepting bribes to come forward.

The EFCC chairman announced a series of reforms aimed at improving the efficiency and transparency of the agency. These include a revised arrest and detention policy that minimizes the need for night detention during investigations.

“I investigated an entire ministry (ministers, directors and others) without detaining anyone overnight, but obtained all the necessary information,” Olukoyede said.

Other reforms include speeding up prosecutions. Olukoyede stated that the era of filing trials with excessive counts (sometimes as high as 150 charges) was over.

It limited prosecutions to a maximum of 15 charges to ensure focus and rigor.

“No case should fail for lack of diligent prosecution,” he said, adding that he personally reviews case files, especially for high-profile matters.

Olukoyede, who previously served as the secretary of the commission, spoke of his two-year experience of investigation.

He said this experience had deepened his understanding of the importance of justice and adherence to the rule of law in the activities of the EFCC.

“My main goal is to stimulate the economy through our work, while also ensuring that integrity and ethics guide our actions,” he said.

Olukoyede welcomed the public scrutiny of the EFCC but urged critics to be constructive.

“What will we gain by collapsing our institutions? If you notice anything wrong, come to us. “We will contact you and explain our reforms,” ​​he said.

He also highlighted improvements in the agency’s interrogation rooms, ensuring compliance with court orders and respecting human rights during investigations.

The conference also touched upon an important legal victory for the EFCC.

He recalled that on November 15, the Supreme Court dismissed the case of 16 states challenging the constitutionality of the EFCC Act.

“Uwani Abba-Aji (Justice),
“Officials leading a seven-member panel decided that the Act does not require approval by state assemblies,” he said.

Joseph Daudu, coordinator of the Rule of Law Development Foundation, lauded the conference as a platform to assess the effectiveness of the criminal justice system, from crime detection to prosecution.

Olukoyede added that he was committed to rebuilding public confidence in his agency’s ability to combat corruption effectively and transparently.