ABUJA, Nigeria – The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, disclosed on Tuesday, June 11, 2024 that the Commission had received 14,000 petitions from the public in the past year.
This revelation came during a courtesy visit by Charles Omini, the Special Envoy for West Africa, of the International Human Rights Protection Service (IHRPS), to the EFCC’s corporate headquarters in Abuja.
Olukoyede emphasised the commission’s commitment to eliminating economic and financial crimes in Nigeria, underscoring that their efforts are aimed at ensuring Nigerians experience good governance.
“What we are doing is about this country; there is nothing personal in it. We are passionate about giving Nigerians a taste of good governance for once in their lifetime. In the last one year, we have received over fourteen thousand credible petitions within the space of twelve months,” he stated.
Highlighting Nigeria’s potential, Olukoyede asserted, “Nigerians have no business being poor if we manage our resources and are accountable. If we do the right things, by now we should be at par with America. There is nowhere in Nigeria that you dig, and you won’t see natural resources or mineral resources. The forest alone can make us in the class of advanced countries. There is no region in Nigeria that does not have tourist attractions.”
Olukoyede reiterated that corruption is a fight that can be won if all Nigerians unite in their efforts.
He drew comparisons to other countries that have successfully tackled corruption.
“The war is winnable,” he said. “There are some countries where their own cases were even worse than ours. Our associates in Singapore and Hong Kong told us they used to be worse than Nigeria, but we have gotten to that point where everyone will say let us come back to the discussion table and do the right thing.”
“Everybody is now realizing that we have done ourselves so much evil. If all of us can come together, we will overwhelm them.”
He called on the envoy to strengthen the anti-corruption campaign by raising awareness among Nigerians about how corruption deprives them of their rights to a good life and governance.
“Let people know that their rights have been violated; it is not about EFCC, it is about every one of us. Let us collaborate more,” he urged.
Dr. Omini commended Olukoyede and the EFCC for their relentless efforts in combating corruption and economic crimes in Nigeria.
“We have seen the level of impact. You stood very well to make sure corruption in Nigeria is reduced at all levels. Our first phase of partnership that has brought us here is for our strategic and technical team. The crusade you are carrying on, we are going to partner with you and make sure we take this crusade at every level to every Nigerian and beyond Nigeria,” he said.
Omini emphasised the importance of protecting the rights of the EFCC and its officers, stating, “Part of our collaboration that brought us here today is to make sure we stand with you at all levels, that your rights and the rights of your officers and men are defended at all times.”
The visit concluded with the group presenting an award to Olukoyede, recognising his dedication and impact in the fight against corruption.
