The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission tells council chairs and traditional rulers in Nigeria that anti-corruption enforcement would penetrate the grassroots to bring development closer to the people.  

EFCC chairman Ola Olukoyede, represented by spokesperson Wilson Uwujaren, at the maiden Annual National Conference of Local Government Council Chairmen and Traditional Rulers Councils in Abuja on Tuesday, said the agency’s anti-corruption fight would not stop at the federal level.

“It (EFCC) is equally committed to transparency and accountability at the sub-national level and would want to see the improved resources flow to the third tier of government, translate into improvement in the quality of lives of the grassroots population,” stated the EFCC boss.

Mr Olukoyede said economic crime and security threats would no longer be treated as separate concerns, citing the financing of terrorist organisations, illegal mining, cross-border cybercrime, and money laundering as serious security issues.  

He said the EFCC had recorded 920 cases and 212 convictions, with further investigations and prosecutions ongoing into money laundering, terrorist financing, illegal mining and virtual-assets fraud.

He added that almost 60 per cent of the anti-graft agency’s processes and operations had been digitalised, alongside continued investment in the Cybercrime Rapid Response Centre and investigative technology, to protect Nigeria’s fast-growing digital economy from fraud and abuse.

“We will investigate professionally, prosecute on the strength of evidence and respect the constitutional role of the courts in determining guilt or innocence. No title should place anyone outside the reach of the law, but neither should the fight against corruption be separated from due process,” the EFCC chief explained.

Between October 2023 and the period covered by its recent stewardship account, the EFCC recorded recoveries exceeding ₦1.233 trillion, alongside about $684.48 million, £373,905.78 and €9.34 million, said Mr Olukoyede.

He said roughly two-thirds of the naira recovered was returned to ministries, departments and agencies, state revenue services, companies and individuals, with federal and state tax recoveries alone totalling about ₦288.1 billion.