Internal Clean-Up: EFCC Sacks Over 40 Officers for Corruption as Asset Recoveries Top ₦1.23 Trillion
In an unusual move to purge corrupt elements from within its ranks, Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has dismissed over 40 officers for corruption and financial misconduct over the last two and a half years.
EFCC Executive Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, revealed this during a comprehensive media briefing in Abuja, asserting that the anti-graft agency must hold itself to the highest ethical standards before holding others accountable.
“We Cannot Fight Corruption While Practicing It”
Addressing journalists, Olukoyede confirmed that several of the dismissed personnel are already being actively prosecuted in court, with case files being finalized for others.
“In the past two and a half years or three years of my service, I have asked them to dismiss over 40 staff on account of corruption and financial malpractice,” Olukoyede disclosed.
“More than five of them are being prosecuted at the moment… EFCC personnel cannot effectively fight corruption while engaging in corrupt practices themselves.”
To curb internal graft, the agency has rolled out strict measures:
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Gift Declaration Policy: All personnel must declare received gifts exceeding set limits, including gifts from relatives abroad.
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Ethics Unit Overhaul: The former Department of Internal Affairs has been officially rebranded as the Department of Ethics and Integrity.
The Numbers: ₦1.23 Trillion Recovered in 34 Months
Alongside internal housecleaning details, Olukoyede presented a stewardship report outlining the agency’s achievements between October 2023 and July 2026.
The commission recorded unprecedented financial and physical asset recoveries:
Key Financial & Asset Breakdown
Note: Advance-fee fraud (44.7%) and cybercrime (17.7%) accounted for more than 62% of all recorded financial offenses investigated by the agency.
💬 What Are Your Thoughts?
Is firing internal bad actors enough to rebuild trust in Nigeria’s primary anti-graft agency? Should public servants face mandatory asset tracking?
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