'I have fired 40 of my agents for being corrupt', says Nigeria's anti-corruption chief
The EFCC boss says more than five of the dismissed officials are already facing prosecution.
Nigeria's chief anti-corruption official, Ola Olukoyede, has revealed that over 40 agents under his command have been terminated due to corruption. He also stated that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission's (EFCC) Department of Internal Affairs has been renamed "the Department of Ethics and Integrity" under his leadership.
Over the past three years, Nigeria's anti-corruption body has terminated more than 40 employees due to alleged corruption and financial misconduct. This information was disclosed by Ola Olukoyede, chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), during an event held to assess the agency's accomplishments since he assumed leadership in October 2023.
Olukoyede stated that more than five of the dismissed officials are currently facing prosecution, with case files being prepared for others. The EFCC investigates financial crimes such as fraud, money laundering, and corruption, regularly pursuing cases against politicians, public officials, business figures, and others accused of misusing public funds.
"In the past two-and-a-half years or three years of my service, I've asked them to dismiss over 40 staff on account of corruption and financial malpractice," Olukoyede informed journalists at a briefing in Abuja, the capital. He further explained that as part of the reforms he has overseen at the agency, the EFCC's Department of Internal Affairs has been rebranded as "the Department of Ethics and Integrity."
To combat conflicts of interest, a policy on gifts and hospitality has also been implemented. This policy mandates officers to declare gifts exceeding a certain undisclosed threshold, including those received from relatives abroad. Olukoyede emphasized, "You must be sure that your hands are clean. You can't be fighting corruption when your hands are soiled with corrupt practices."
The BBC sought further details from the EFCC regarding the alleged corruption involving its former staff members, but the agency stated that this information was not available. However, the EFCC was eager to highlight its other achievements over the past three years, which were presented at Monday's briefing.
Olukoyede, 56, reported that he has overseen a record-breaking period for the EFCC, recovering 1.23 trillion naira ($925 million, £683 million), with a conviction rate exceeding 75%. He stated, "The commission received 49,673 petitions, investigated 39,615 cases, filed 14,476 cases in court and secured 10,872 convictions between October 2023 and July 2026." The EFCC chairman added that in the first half of 2026 alone, the agency recorded 1,370 convictions from 1,889 filings. He attributed these results to "diligence, resilience and a prosecutorial approach anchored on evidence and courtroom outcomes."
Other figures disclosed at the event indicate that the EFCC's caseload is increasingly focused on cybercrime and fraud, rather than solely on corruption cases against high-profile officials.