EFCC sacks 27 officers over fraud, gross misconduct

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

The dismissals, carried out in 2024, were based on the recommendations of the staff disciplinary committee of the anti-graft agency, which were subsequently approved by the EFCC’s Executive Chairman, Mr. Ola Olukoyede.

In a statement released on Monday, EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale confirmed the action, emphasizing the agency’s zero-tolerance policy towards corruption. Olukoyede reiterated that no officer is above disciplinary measures, stressing the commission’s commitment to maintaining integrity within its ranks.

“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.