EFCC fires 27 officers over fraud, misconduct

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has dismissed 27 officers from its workforce over allegations of fraudulent activities and gross misconduct.

According to a statement issued on Monday by EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale, the dismissals, which occurred in 2024, followed the recommendations of the commission’s staff disciplinary committee. These recommendations were approved by the EFCC’s Executive Chairman, Mr. Ola Olukoyede.

Olukoyede reiterated the commission’s unwavering commitment to upholding integrity within its ranks. He emphasized that the EFCC maintains a zero-tolerance stance toward corruption, even within its workforce, and assured that no officer is above disciplinary action.

“Every modicum of allegation against any staff of the commission would always be investigated, including a trending $400,000 claim of a yet-to-be-identified supposed staff of the EFCC against a sectional head. The core values of the commission are sacrosanct and would always be held in optimal regard at all times,” Oyewale stated.

Meanwhile, the commission has alerted the public of the sinister activities of impersonators and blackmailers using the name of its chairman to extort money from high-profile suspects being investigated by the agency.

EFCC said two members of an alleged syndicate, Ojobo Joshua and Aliyu Hashim were recently arraigned before Justice Jude Onwuebuzie of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court, Abuja for allegedly contacting a former Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Mr Mohammed Bello-Kaka, demanding $1million from him for “Olukoyede to give him soft landing” on a non-existing investigation.

The anti-graft agency said such characters are still on the loose seeking their victims.

The commission said, “Olukoyede remains a man of integrity who cannot be swayed by monetary influences.

The statement enjoined the public to always report such disreputable elements to the commission.

“Additionally, the EFCC is aware of moves being hatched in some quarters to blackmail officers of the commission through unwholesome means. Suspects being investigated for some economic and financial crimes who have failed to compromise their investigators would always clutch at any straw. Such blackmailers should not be accorded any form of attention,” Oyewale said in the statement.