, Nigeria’s foremost anti-corruption agency, has become embroiled in the very vice it was established to eradicate.){kind=link}
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nigeria’s foremost anti-corruption agency, has become embroiled in the very vice it was established to eradicate.
In a damning revelation, the commission said it dismissed 27 officers in the last one year over alleged fraud and misconduct.
A statement released on Monday said the action followed recommendations from the agency’s Staff Disciplinary Committee, ratified by EFCC chairperson Ola Olukoyede.
It did not disclose the identities of the disgraced officers or the specific cases against them, just as the agency did in November 2024, when two officials were dismissed for corruption without full disclosure.
Monday’s statement attempted to reassure Nigerians, promising thorough investigations into all allegations of misconduct. It referenced a viral $400,000 bribery claim involving a supposed EFCC staff member and a sectional head, vowing to uphold the commission’s “core values.”
The dismissals bolster public suspicions that the agency is a breeding ground for the very crimes it is tasked to fight.
“Every modicum of allegation against any staff of the Commission would always be investigated, including a trending $400,000 claim of a yet-to-be-identified supposed staff of the EFCC against a Sectional Head. The core values of the Commission are sacrosanct and would always be held in optimal regard at all times,” spokesperson Dele Oyewale said in the statement.
Not Better
The agency’s tarnished reputation is not new. Officials of the EFCC have been repeatedly accused of soliciting and accepting bribes to abandon cases, as well as engaging in arbitrary actions, including unlawful arrests and assaults on citizens.
A former acting chairman of the EFCC was removed from office amid allegations of corruption, including the misappropriation of seized assets. The EFCC’s credibility crisis has not improved under Mr. Olukoyede, who took office in October 2024. Upon assuming office, he directed staff to declare their assets, ostensibly signalling a commitment to clean up the agency.
While the commission argues it has made record convictions for financial crimes, critics point out that its efforts are disproportionately focused on low-level cybercriminals, popularly known as Yahoo Boys, while politically connected individuals accused of embezzling billions of naira often evade justice.
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