The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ola Olukoyede, has said that the anti-graft agency under his leadership will “continue to be broad-based, holistic and unsparing of anyone linked with any form of economic and financial crimes.”
According to a statement posted on the official X handle of the agency on Monday, Olukoyede said this in Abuja on Sunday at an Anti-Corruption Concert organised to create awareness and public involvement in the fight against internet crimes.
In the statement, the chairman said, “We will not spare anyone. We will not spare the mega thieves. As we are doing the mega, we will also do those at the lower end. In the last two months, we have arraigned two former governors.
“So, it is not true that we are only focused on internet fraudsters. Of course, internet fraud is bad enough, but our focus is on every form of economic and financial crimes.”
Olukoyede also cautioned youths against indulgence in internet-related offences, pointing out that the consequences of being convicted for such crimes are grave.
He said, “Youths need to know that being ex-convicts has career limitations. Ex-convicts can’t run for public offices, and the stigma alone is even terrible. So, I urge you to avoid internet crimes by all means. Your future is more important than any immediate gains from such crimes.”
He charged youths to embrace hard work and diligence, saying, “the path of success is the path of hard work and dignity. There is dignity in labour. Let’s come together. All of us must come together and agree that corruption is evil. Don’t leave the fight to EFCC alone”
It was reported in January that Olukoyede said there would be no hiding place for the corrupt in Nigeria.
He said, “Nobody is too big to be investigated in this country. Once you are not playing according to the rules, we will investigate you.”
In February, he also charged the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria to evolve functional strategies and initiatives to tackle corruption and improve governance at the local government level.