Olukoyede’s record-breaking strides in EFCC and Olu Fasan’s errors of analysis

Olu Fasan’s opinion piece in the Vanguard of Thursday, February 13, 2025 entitled: ” EFCC’s Failure: Olukoyede’s Blame- Shifting is Mere Shadow- Boxing”, clearly brought to the fore precipitate desperation to deny, ignore, lampoon and disregard the obvious and undeniable achievements of the Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr Ola Olukoyede since he assumed office more than a year ago. Besides, the piece equally exposed Fasan as lacking total grasp of the position of Olukoyede on the character traits of many Nigerians in their disposition to the fight against corruption.

Recently, Olukoyede decried the hypocritical tendency of some Nigerians towards the vexed issue of corruption in the land. He rightfully observed that ” Everyone is crying that Nigerians are corrupt, that the system is corrupt, that corruption is killing us and destroying our system, but when we investigate high- profile cases and arraign people in court, the same poeple will carry placards and be supporting corrupt leaders. It doesn’t show that we are serious about this fight”.

Nothing can be more factual than this. There is no ” blame- shifting” or “shadow- boxing” in this but ungarnished reality about the attitudinal trajectory of many Nigerians regarding the issue of corruption. Fasan’s backgrounding of his visceral attacks of Olukoyede and the EFCC on such a disclosure clearly shows malice, prejudice or a naked dance to please some paymasters. We all know that corruption has leprous fingers contaminating the masses of our people. A recent show of shame in Okenne where a former governor standing trial for suspected money laundering charges drew tumultous cheers from the same people he allegedly defrauded, is enough cause for concern.

Across the country, the EFCC is sensitive to the unhelpful embrace and canonisation of many suspects of corruption cases. Rather than hold them at arm’s length, we regularly offer them front seats in social gatherings, religious meetings, tribal festivities and other public functions. Our social media is always awash with rationalisations, justifications and shameful defences of even convicts of corruption. Fasan’s tirade and gratuitous insults on the EFCC and its hard- working Chairman is another parade of corruption in bold statements. How do we make progress in such a society where anti- graft fighters are seen as enemies and their genuine efforts are treated as smelly trash cans?

Talking about the mud Fasan splashed on the EFCC and its operations. How on earth will anyone dismissively describe Olukoyede’s EFCC as a failure? In recent times, it is public knowledge that the Commission uncovered several underhanded dealings across the country, resulting in unprecedented recoveries, arrests, arraignments and ongoing trials of many suspects of economic and financial crimes. It is also clear as crystal that such operational dynamics are without comparison locally and globally.

Is it the Lokogoma, Abuja’s recovery of 753 duplexes and other apartments? Or the arrests and arraignments of 792 suspected cyber terrorists, investment and romance fraudsters? Or the several high- profile cases the Commission is prosecuting in our courts? To denigrate such open attainments, Fasan may either be living in Mars but if he is on planet earth and denied such global records of the EFCC, then, every fair- minded Nigerian should be able to discern mischief and calumny in his commentaries.

Now, let’s get to the brass tacks. Since assuming office in October, 2023, Olukoyede has turned the anti- corruption war into a redemptive engagement. The three-pronged agenda which has become his blueprint for fighting economic and financial crimes is all too known. So far, the EFCC under his watch is witnessing steady turnaround. In 2024 alone, the Commission achieved monetary recoveries in billions and unmatchable convictions and advances in all the cases it is handling. His policy thrust of tackling corruption through preventive frameworks has birthed
a full- fledged department, Fraud Risk Assessment and Control, FRAC, in the Commission. There is no time in the annals of the EFCC that such progress has been made.

Fasan’s diatribe that Ola Olukoyede ” is full of hot air on corruption in Nigeria” is not true. Evidently, Nigerians are feeling the impact of the policy drives he has initiated. The onslaught on Naira abuse and dollarisation of the economy is gaining traction. Till date, more than 50 Nigerians from all walks of life have been convicted on this matter. The whole issue is protecting the local economy from heamorrage and reversing age- long traditions pulling back growth and development. The courageous tackling of internet fraud and associated criminalities is re- building the foreign direct investment profile of Nigeria. Steadily, our nation is bouncing back and it is owing to the relentless efforts of the Commission Olukoyede is heading.

At this point, Fasan’s claims that ” the EFCC is too incompetent, corrupt and politicised to tackle endemic corruption in Nigeria” deserve closer examination. To all intents and purpose, these claims are without any sound basis or empirical strength. Only last year, four former governors were brought before the courts to answer charges of corruption preferred against them. Four former ministers followed the same route and are standing trial on their stewardship. All these are outside ongoing investigations which will soon be made public. So, where is incompetence in all these? Can a lameduck anti- graft agency achieve such a feat?

To the credit of Olukoyede, internal corruption is becoming a taboo in the EFCC. For the umpteenth time, the Commission has come out clearly on its ethics and integrity policies which have since sent 27 officers out of its workforce. A corrupt agency will not go that far. The EFCC’s boss has never claimed to be heading an angelic agency. Rather, he has been forthright in driving internal cleansing to make the Commission free of compromisers and sharp dealers. Fasan glossed over this important credit of the Commission in his hurry to cast aspersions on its works.

Nigeria is better with EFCC. Every well- meaning Nigerian knows this. The international community knows it. We know that corruption fights back. However, calling white black or driving chariots of warfare against the Commission owing to some vested interests would not serve any purpose. Olukoyede is drawing meaningful local and international accolades everyday owing to verifiable proofs of his achievements on all fronts. We can only advise Nigerians like Fasan to be more positive and see the stars on the sky rather than its dark clouds. Olukoyede will continue on his winning strides and Nigeria will surely get better.

Oyewale is head, media & publicity of the EFCC.