The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has urged Nigerians living abroad to support the fight against corruption by helping to track and report illegal financial transactions involving stolen wealth.
Naijaonpoint reports that he made the call while speaking at the Canada-Nigeria Legal Exchange Forum held at the Intercontinental Toronto Centre on Monday, November 3, 2025.
The event was organised by the Canadian Association of Nigerian Lawyers (CANL).
Olukoyede explained that the anti-corruption war still faces major hurdles, including delays in prosecuting politically exposed persons and the role of some foreign institutions in laundering funds stolen from Nigeria.
He said that the slow return of stolen assets and the involvement of professionals in financial crimes continue to hinder progress.
To address these problems, Olukoyede said the EFCC has introduced several internal reforms aimed at improving transparency, accountability, and staff discipline.
Some of the new measures include the Gift Policy, Exhibit Room Security Policy, and Sting Operations Policy designed to prevent misconduct within the agency.
He also announced that zonal commands in Lagos, Ekiti, Katsina, and Anambra have been upgraded to zonal directorates to improve operations and provide clear promotion pathways.
The Department of Internal Affairs has been renamed the Department of Ethics and Integrity to strengthen accountability, while all EFCC personnel, including Olukoyede himself, were required to declare their assets.
According to him, the EFCC has recorded major achievements following these changes.
In two years, the agency secured 7,503 convictions, recovered N566 billion and $411 million, and seized over 1,500 properties, including 753 duplexes in Abuja’s Lokogoma area and the Nok University campus in Kaduna, which was converted to the Federal University of Applied Sciences.
Olukoyede said new specialised units were also created to handle emerging threats such as digital fraud, international asset recovery, and visa-related scams.
These include the Department of Fraud Risk Assessment and Control, Digital Transformation and Innovation Unit, and the International Asset Tracing and Recovery Unit.
He called on Nigerians in Canada to play an active role in preventing money laundering by reporting suspicious financial dealings to relevant authorities.
He warned that failure to act could undermine the progress being made in the fight against corruption.
The EFCC boss further stated that the Commission has deepened its collaboration with international agencies, including the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and law enforcement bodies in Spain, Germany, and South Korea, to enhance asset recovery and strengthen global anti-corruption efforts.
He added that recovered funds have been channelled into social projects such as the Student Loan Scheme and Consumer Credit Scheme, as well as agencies like the NDDC, AMCON, FIRS, and the National Health Insurance Authority.
Olukoyede stressed that both Nigerians at home and abroad must work together to protect the country’s wealth and image, saying that collective responsibility is key to ensuring lasting progress in the fight against corruption.
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