- Corruption in EFCC: who polices the moral police?
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Chairman Ola Olukoyede recently deplored what he called “craze and quest for gratification, bribes and other compromises” by some of the agency’s investigators in the course of their work. He said he had set a process in motion to fish out and penalise such operatives.
In an address to staff members of the commission at the headquarters in Abuja, the chairman said public opinion about EFCC investigators was low, a situation he described as embarrassing to the anti-graft agency. He warned that corrupt tendencies would not be tolerated under his watch, and threatened the big stick against investigators caught in such act. Olukoyede said: “Public opinions about the conduct of some of our investigators are adverse. The craze and quest for gratification, bribes and other compromises by some of our investigators are becoming too embarrassing and this must not continue. Let me sound a note of warning in this regard. I will not hesitate to wield the big stick against any form of infraction by any staff of the commission.” He added that “the Department of Internal Affairs has been directed to be more ardent in its work and monitor every staff in all their engagements. The image of the commission is too important to be placed on the line by any corrupt officer.”
Not that the staff are expected to uphold unblemished morals without commensurate incentives, as steps are already being taken to improve their welfare. “I may not talk about specifics. However, the new year promises to bring smiles on the faces of staff across all the commands. We will continue to do our best to put all of you at your best. However, to whom much is given, much is expected,” Olukoyede said.
It is instructive that the EFCC boss acknowledged corruption within the agency whose raison d’etre is to root
out corruption from the Nigerian society. The red flag he raised fell in line with his long avowed leadership agenda to ensure the staff of the anti-graft agency live above board, so they would have a solid moral ground to tackle corruption in the body politic.
In December, last year, he vowed to punish officers of the commission for infractions traceable to unethical practice. In an address in Ilorin, Kwara State, during a walk to mark the 2023 International Anti-Corruption Day, he stressed that professionalism, as well as adherence and commitment to the rule of law would enable Nigerians to contribute to the country’s economic growth, and EFCC staff must lead the way in that regard. “I want every EFCC operative to be more diligent and resourceful concerning our assigned tasks. My leadership will punish infractions traceable to unethical practices. We will ensure that the right things are done at all times,” he said.
Earlier on, in October, shortly after he took the helm at the commission, Olukoyede directed staff members to immediately declare their assets in line with civil service regulations and procedures, saying fighting corruption required those at the vanguard to be above board. “All of us are going to declare our assets, from Level 17 downwards. I did mine, so there’s no reason for anyone to be afraid to do the same. Even the commission’s secretary did. You all may also have done it in the past, but there’s a need for all of us to do it again. We will declare our assets, and we are going to investigate them,” he told senior staff members of the commission in Abuja, adding: “We must live above board by setting the pace with good examples. As anti-corruption fighters, our hands must be clean.”
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Olukoyede was right in demanding exemplary conduct from EFCC personnel, because an age-long maxim says he who comes to equity must come with clean hands. It is a sad irony that operatives of the anti-graft agency are under suspicion of fighting corruption with hands soiled with corruption. This has been such that about all of past chief executives of the commission – perhaps with the sole exception of the pioneer chairman – were forced out of office under a cloud of controversy relating to graft allegations. It’s been a case of the society’s moral watchdog needing a watchdog over itself.
Now that the new sheriff has raised the alarm, we must hope there will no more be hiding place for corrupt elements in the anti-corruption commission. The agency also needs a rebound in its integrity quotient. One way of ensuring this is for Olukoyede to report back on findings from those investigations he talked about, and follow through with diligent prosecution of any EFCC personnel found culpable.
There is a morale booster for the nation’s anti-graft drive in Nigeria’s improved ranking on Transparency International Corruption Perception Index (CPI) for 2023 published last week. The index shows the war on graft can be won if harder fought, only that those leading the charge must have high integrity asset to be effective.
