By Isaac Aregbesola
THE ECONOMIC and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) dismissed 27 of its officers in 2024 in its quest to enforce integrity and stop fraud.
Its spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, in a statement on Monday in Abuja, said that the affected officers were involved in fraudulent activities and misconduct.
According to him, their dismissal was ratified by the EFCC Chairman, Mr Ola Olukoyede, following the recommendation of the anti-graft staff disciplinary committee.
He said Olukoyede reiterated the EFCC’s commitment to zero tolerance for corruption, warning that no officer would be 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.”
The spokesperson also alerted the public of the activities of impersonators and blackmailers using the name of the commission’s chairman to extort money from high-profile suspects.
Oyewale noted that two members of an alleged syndicate; Ojobo Joshua and Aliyu Hashim, were recently arraigned before Justice Jude Onwuebuzie of the FCT High Court, Abuja.
“They were arraigned for allegedly contacting a former Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Mr Mohammed Bello-Koko and demanding one million dollars from him for “Olukoyede to give him soft landing” on a non-existing investigation.
“Olukoyede remains a man of integrity that cannot be swayed by monetary influences,” he said.
He warned the public that such characters were still on the loose seeking victims.
Oyewale said that the EFCC was also aware of moves 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, will always clutch at any straw.
“Such blackmailers should not be accorded any form of attention. The public is enjoined to always report such disreputable elements to the commission,” he said. (NAN)
