The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), in the quest to enforce integrity and rid its fold of fraudulent elements, dismissed 27 officers from its workforce in 2024.
The officers, according to a statement, were dismissed for various offences bordering on fraudulent activities and misconduct.
The statement released by Head, Media and Publicity, Mr Dele Oyewale, on Monday, disclosed that the affected staff were relieved of their appointments following the recommendation of the Staff Disciplinary Committee of EFCC, which was ratified by the Executive Chairman, Mr. Ola Olukoyede.
The statement said, “Olukoyede reiterated the commitment of the commission to zero tolerance for corruption, warning that no officer is immune to disciplinary measures.
“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.”
Meanwhile, EFCC alerted the public to the sinister activities of impersonators and blackmailers using the name of its executive chairman to extort money from high-profile suspects being investigated by the EFCC.
Oyewale said two members of an alleged syndicate, Ojobo Joshua and Aliyu Hashim, were recently arraigned before Justice Jude Onwuebuzie of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, for allegedly contacting a former Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mr. Mohammed Bello-Kaka, and demanding $1 million from him for “Olukoyede to give him soft landing” on a non-existing investigation.
While stating that such characters were still on the loose seeking victims, the anti-graft agency maintained that Olukoyede remained a man of integrity that could not be swayed by monetary influences.
EFCC urged the public to always report such disreputable elements to the commission.
The statement added, “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.”
Alex Enumah
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