The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ola Olukoyede, has announced the dismissal of two staff members for corruption, adding that more staff members will be prosecuted if found guilty of similar offenses.
Olukoyede made this disclosure during the opening of the 6th Annual Criminal Law Review Conference in Abuja, a five-day event organized by the Rule of Law Development Foundation.
The EFCC Chairman stated that the two officials were dismissed two weeks ago for engaging in corrupt practices, emphasizing that anyone working in the agency must be free of any wrongdoing. He affirmed that, beyond dismissal, corrupt staff will face prosecution, as he expects staff to uphold the same standard of accountability that the EFCC demands from others.
Olukoyede declared: “You can’t be fighting corruption and your hands are dirty. I will not only be dismissing them, I will also be prosecuting them. If an EFCC staff cannot stand in public and challenge the system with integrity, they have no place here.” He further urged Nigerians to report any EFCC staff involved in corrupt activities.
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The EFCC chairman also reflected on his own experience, revealing that he was once subjected to a two-year investigation while serving as the commission’s secretary. “I have been on the other side. I know what it means to undergo an investigation. My objective is to use this mandate to stimulate the economy and uphold the rule of law,” he stated.
Olukoyede also underscored the importance of integrity and ethics in the legal profession, emphasizing that true integrity goes beyond legal expertise and is rooted in both law and morality. He called for a review of the standards and values governing legal practice to ensure that corruption has no place in Nigeria’s legal and national systems.
In closing, Olukoyede welcomed constructive criticism of the EFCC but urged the public to provide feedback responsibly. He added, *“What do we gain by running down our institutions? Let’s work together to build the nation we all desire.”
