Abuja, Nigeria – The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has announced the dismissal of 27 officers in 2024 over allegations of misconduct and fraudulent activities.
The commission also revealed it is probing a $400,000 fraud claim involving a Sectional Head and a supposed EFCC staff member.
The EFCC spokesman, Dele Oyewale, disclosed these developments in a statement issued on Monday. According to the statement, the dismissals were based on recommendations from the EFCC Staff Disciplinary Committee and approved by the EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede.
“In its quest to enforce integrity and rid its fold of fraudulent elements, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission dismissed 27 officers from its workforce in 2024,” Oyewale said.
The Olukoyede reaffirmed the commission’s zero-tolerance stance on corruption and assured the public of thorough investigations into allegations against its staff. “The core values of the commission remain sacrosanct and will always be upheld,” he stated.
The agency is currently investigating a trending claim of $400,000 involving a Sectional Head and an unidentified individual purported to be an EFCC staff member. Olukoyede stressed that all allegations would be scrutinized to ensure accountability.
The antigraft agency also warned the public about impersonators and blackmailers exploiting the name of its chairman to extort money from high-profile individuals under investigation. The statement highlighted the arraignment of two suspects, Ojobo Joshua and Aliyu Hashim, before Justice Jude Onwuebuzie of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja.
The suspects allegedly demanded $1 million from a former Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Mohammed Bello-Koko, to secure a “soft landing” in a non-existent investigation.
The agency urged the public to report similar schemes and assured that criminal elements involved in such activities would be prosecuted.
EFCC Chairman’s Integrity
Oyewale emphasized that its Chairman Ola Olukoyede remains steadfast in his commitment to integrity and cannot be influenced by monetary offers.
The commission also noted that some suspects under investigation resort to blackmail when they fail to compromise investigators. “These blackmailers should not be given any attention,” Oyewale added.
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