The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ola Olukoyede, has called for greater commitment to integrity within the agency, with the aim of surpassing the Commission’s N365.4 billion monetary recoveries in 2024.
This was disclosed in a statement by the Commission on Saturday following its three-day Management Retreat.
The retreat provided an opportunity for a critical and no-holds-barred review of the EFCC’s activities in 2024, including asset recovery, arrests, prosecutions, strategic redirection, organizational re-engineering, and the establishment of new departments alongside the restructuring of existing ones.
Need for Increased Commitment
One of the key speakers at the retreat, Professor Tonnie Iredia, cautioned against the misrepresentation of the EFCC’s work, warning that negative public perception could undermine the anti-corruption fight. He urged greater involvement of Nigerians in supporting the Commission’s efforts.
Similarly, Mr. Femi Falana, SAN, commended Olukoyede and the entire EFCC team for their resilience and commitment to advancing the anti-graft war.
Falana also highlighted challenges posed by the judiciary, assuring that efforts would be made to address them and ensure that the Commission effectively delivers on its mandate to combat corruption across the country.
The EFCC is one of Nigeria’s frontline anti-graft agencies.
In October 2024, the Commission disclosed that it had recovered N248 billion, $105.4 million, and other foreign currencies between October 18, 2023, and October 18, 2024.
She said that between January 2, 2024, and August 2, 2024, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), with COTRIMCO’s support, secured 2,387 convictions, while the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) filed 54 cases and secured 11 convictions.