The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is holding up a mirror to itself.
Three years into his tenure, EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede on Monday announced that the agency has dismissed more than 40 of its own officers for corruption and financial malpractice. He also confirmed that at least five others are currently facing prosecution in court.
Olukoyede made the disclosure in Abuja during a media briefing to mark his stewardship at the commission’s headquarters. He said the decision was not easy, but necessary if the anti-graft body wants to keep its moral authority.
“In the last two and a half to three years, I have approved the dismissal of over 40 staff on account of corruption and financial malpractice. More than five are being prosecuted right now,” he said.
Some of those cases, he explained, have already entered the court record and are open for public viewing. Others are still being processed, with case files being prepared for prosecution.
The chairman was blunt about why the commission had to act tough on its personnel. According to him, the EFCC cannot demand accountability from Nigerians while looking away from wrongdoing within its walls.
“If I can investigate, arrest and prosecute people outside for corruption, then I must do the same inside. Dismissal alone is not enough,” Olukoyede stated. “You cannot fight corruption with dirty hands. Clean hands must lead the fight.”
As part of efforts to rebuild trust, the commission has renamed its Internal Affairs Department to the Department of Ethics and Integrity. Olukoyede said the change reflects a deliberate push to strengthen values and discipline among staff.
The agency has also introduced a new gift policy. Under the new rule, officers will be required to declare any gift above a certain value, whether it comes from family, friends, or contacts abroad. Staff will also have to account for their sources of income and lifestyle to prevent conflict of interest.
While arrests and convictions remain important, Olukoyede said the real battle against corruption will be won through policy and institutional reforms that close loopholes.
“The most effective way to fight financial crime is not just law enforcement. It is sound policy and institutions that block leakages,” he said.
He called on the media and civil society to return to their watchdog role and keep both government and public institutions in check.
In the last one year alone, Olukoyede said the EFCC secured 3,175 convictions and recovered N156 billion. He added that the commission will continue to apply the same standards to its staff that it applies to every Nigerian, in order to protect the credibility of the anti-corruption fight.
Source: NAN