The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ola Olukoyede, announced the dismissal of two staff members over corruption allegations, stating that more staff would face similar actions if necessary.
Olukoyede made this revelation during the opening of the 6th Annual Criminal Law Review Conference, organised by the Rule of Law Development Foundation in Abuja. The five-day event, themed “Optimising the Administration of Criminal Justice in Nigeria: How to Navigate Emerging and Systemic Challenges of Insecurity and Economic Hardship,” gathered legal experts and stakeholders.
In his speech, Olukoyede revealed that the two dismissals occurred two weeks ago. “So many other reforms are going on; the issue of our staff and all of that. Just two weeks ago, I had cause to dismiss two staff. You can’t be fighting corruption and your hands are dirty. He who comes to equity, your hands must also be cleaned,” he said.
The EFCC Chairman further pledged to prosecute dismissed staff. “I will not only be dismissing them, I will also be prosecuting them because that is what we prosecute others for,” he added. “So you will see that; we are preparing the case files of some of the people we have dismissed.”
Olukoyede also emphasised that any corrupt EFCC staff would be shown the door. “Any staff that is corrupt, I will show you the way out,” he declared. He acknowledged that challenges within the agency were inevitable but reiterated his commitment to transparency: “There are some people who may want to be overzealous. Out of 12, you must have Judas.”
Reflecting on his own experience, Olukoyede shared that he was once investigated for two years during his tenure as EFCC Secretary. “I am not just sitting there as chairman of EFCC. I have been on the other side. I have been subjected to investigation myself for two years. So I know what it means to subject people to investigations,” he explained.
The EFCC Chairman stressed the importance of integrity, both in law and in life. “Integrity is not about law, it is not about your advocacy ability to write beautiful briefs. No. It is about law and morality. Your conscience must tell you to do the right thing. That is what integrity is all about,” he said.
Olukoyede also called for a review of legal ethics and practices, underscoring the importance of upholding strong standards: “Ethics, value, and standard of legal practice must also be reviewed. These are essential to me because the job of EFCC is to ensure that corruption does not find space in our national life.”
The EFCC Chairman concluded by welcoming constructive criticism of the agency but urged it to be responsible. “I have never been averse to that. But let us do it responsibly. What do we benefit from running down our institutions?” he asked.
