Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has disclosed that he was under investigation by the anti-graft agency for two years over allegations of corruption.
Speaking on Monday at the opening of the sixth Annual Criminal Law Review Conference organized by the Rule of Law Development Foundation in Abuja, Mr. Olukoyede emphasized his commitment to transparency and accountability within the EFCC.
He also announced the recent dismissal of two EFCC operatives found guilty of corrupt practices. The operatives, dismissed two weeks ago, are set to face prosecution, underscoring the agency’s zero-tolerance stance on corruption within its ranks.
“We are preparing the case files of some of the people we have dismissed. If an EFCC staff will not be able to stand publicly with his two hands up and challenge the entire public; whose goat have I collected? Whose bottle of water have I taken illegitimately?
“I have said this to Nigerians; who has ever given me one kobo in the course of my work, come out and say it. I stand to be challenged. I can’t be easily influenced by things like that. Any staff that is corrupt, I will show you the way out.
“Again, there are some people who may want to be overzealous. Out of 12, you must have Judas. I can’t stand here and say all is perfect. As many as you see, report them to us, and we will do justice,” he said.
Mr Olukoyede said that he was once subjected to investigation for two years as an EFCC secretary.
“I am not just sitting there as chairman of EFCC. I have been on the other side. I have been subjected to investigation myself for two years. So, I know what it means to subject people to investigations. My major objective is to use the instrumentality of this mandate to stimulate the economy and to also follow the rule of law,” he said.
He said integrity is needed to survive, even as legal practitioners.
“Integrity is not about law. It is not about your advocacy ability to write beautiful briefs. No. It is about law and morality. Your conscience must tell you to do the right thing. That is what integrity is all about. Finally, ethics, values and standards of legal practice must also be reviewed.
“These are essential to me because the job of EFCC is to ensure that corruption does not find space in our national life,” he said.
Mr Olukoyede said he welcomed constructive criticism of the agency.
(NAN)