Thursday, October 23, 2025 - The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ola Olukoyede has disclosed that under his leadership, the Commission has recovered over N566 billion alongside other currencies and assets and that such funds have been deployed to key national initiative, including the Students Loan Scheme and Consumer Credit Scheme and other government agencies such as the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), and National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA).
He made this disclosure in Abuja on Thursday, October 23,
2025.
Olukoyede, who was appointed on October 18, 2023, was
reported at the media chat by the Director of Public Affairs of the Commission,
Commander of the EFCC, CE Wilson Uwujaren.
He mentioned that between October 2023 and September 2025,
the Commission received over 19,000 petitions, conducted 29,240 investigations,
filed 10,525 cases in court, and secured 7,503 convictions.
He disclosed that within the same period, the Commission
recovered N566,319,820,343.40, $411,566,192.32, £71,306.25, €182,877.10, and
other foreign currencies from proceeds of financial and economic crimes.
Olukoyede also announced the recovery of 1,502 non-monetary
assets, comprising 402 properties in 2023, 975 in 2024, and 125 so far in 2025.
“Among these
recovered assets are two notable landmarks: the final forfeiture of 753 units
of duplexes in Lokogoma, Abuja, and the forfeiture of Nok University, now the
Federal University of Applied Sciences, Kachia, Kaduna State” he said
He listed several high-profile cases prosecuted within the
period, including those involving former governors Willie Obiano, Abdulfatah
Ahmed, Darius Ishaku, Theodore Orji, and Yahaya Bello. Others are former
ministers Olu Agunloye, Mamman Saleh, Hadi Sirika, Charles Ugwu, and former
Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele.
He further disclosed that the Commission in December 2024
arrested 792 suspects involved in investment and cryptocurrency fraud in Lagos,
among whom were 192 foreigners who were prosecuted and deported.
“This
development sent a strong message that Nigeria will not allow its territory to
be turned into a safe haven for cybercriminals” Olukoyede stated
He added that the Commission also revisited and revived
several longstanding corruption cases, including those involving Fred Ajudua,
former People Democratic Party, PDP Chairman Haliru Bello Mohammed,
former National Security Adviser, NSA Sambo Dasuki, and former Nigerian
Social Insurance Trust Fund, NSITF boss Ngozi Olojeme.
“Some of the properties recovered
have been allocated to government agencies for use as offices, in line with the
Commission’s policy of ensuring that recovered assets are put to productive
use,” he said.
Olukoyede highlighted the establishment of a Task Force on Naira Abuse and
Dollarisation of the Economy, which has made notable impact in sanitizing
currency operations across the country.
0 Comments