The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ola Olukoyede, has raised fresh concerns over the scale of alleged corruption in Nigeria’s public sector, saying the commission receives more than 20,000 petitions relating to public corruption every year.
Olukoyede made the disclosure on Thursday in Abuja at a public lecture held to mark the 80th birthday of former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Kanu Agabi, SAN.
The EFCC chairman said the volume of petitions reaching the commission reflected what he described as the seriousness of corruption within the public sector.
“I receive over 20,000 petitions in a year in respect to public corruption, all terrible,” Olukoyede said, according to reports of the event.
He said some of the commission’s case files contained investigations involving public officials whose financial positions allegedly changed significantly after taking office.
According to Olukoyede, some individuals who had less than N100,000 in their bank accounts before assuming public office were allegedly linked to millions of dollars, substantial naira holdings and numerous properties after only three or four years in office.
“Somebody will spend three to four years as a public servant, but before he got to office he had less than N100 thousand in his account. By the time he’s leaving, we were able to trace several millions of dollars and naira to him,” he said.
Olukoyede also alleged that some investigations had uncovered public officials linked to dozens or even hundreds of properties.
He said the alleged diversion of public resources affected the wider population because money meant for public services and development could be lost through fraudulent activities.
The EFCC chairman urged Nigerians to see themselves as victims when public resources were allegedly diverted, stressing that the consequences extended beyond the individuals being investigated.
However, the receipt of a petition or the opening of an EFCC investigation does not by itself establish that a person has committed a crime. Allegations must be supported by evidence and, where charges are filed, determined through due process and the courts.
The remarks came against the backdrop of the EFCC’s recent disclosure of its enforcement activities under Olukoyede.
In a three-year stewardship report presented earlier in September, the commission said it had recovered N1.23tn, $684.47m and other foreign currencies in proceeds of crime between October 2023 and June 2026. It also reported 10,872 convictions during the period.
The EFCC said it received 49,673 petitions between October 2023 and July 2026, investigated 39,615 cases and filed 14,476 cases in court.
Olukoyede has also repeatedly argued that the fight against corruption should not be limited to investigations and prosecutions.
On Wednesday, he urged pastors and imams to use their platforms to discourage corruption, saying religious institutions could help influence individual character and prevent corrupt behaviour before it becomes a matter for law-enforcement agencies.
At the launch of the EFCC’s Anti-Corruption Interfaith Manual in Abuja, he said corruption affected Nigerians irrespective of religion or ethnicity and called on faith leaders to challenge the pursuit of wealth without regard to its source.
Also speaking at the Kanu Agabi event, the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu, identified social tolerance of corrupt practices and weaknesses within public institutions as factors sustaining corruption.
Aliyu called for stronger institutional systems and early integrity education, particularly for younger Nigerians.
The two anti-corruption agencies have therefore placed emphasis on both enforcement and prevention, with the EFCC focusing on investigation, prosecution and recovery of suspected proceeds of crime, while the ICPC has continued to advocate preventive measures and institutional reforms.
Olukoyede’s latest comments come as the commission continues to pursue cases involving alleged financial crimes across different sectors of the economy.
For the EFCC, the challenge extends beyond recovering stolen funds. The commission has argued that effective enforcement must also ensure that recovered assets and funds are returned to their rightful beneficiaries and used in the public interest.
The latest figures and concerns disclosed by the EFCC chairman have renewed attention on public-sector accountability and the mechanisms available for tracing unexplained wealth among public officials.
