I have no land, house in Abuja, says EFCC Chairman

By Usman Abdulnassir

The Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) Mr Ola Olukoyede has said that he has no plot(s) of land or any private house in Abuja.

He spoke in Abuja after several speakers have commended him for his track records in transparency and accountability which the speakers said reflected in the way he has conducted himself even before he became the EFCC Chairman. There were also commendations for the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, (ICPC) in the growing efforts to combat corruption and place Nigeria in the global map of fame.

The speakers had praised the EFCC Chairman and other anti corruption drivers for their track records adding that the country needs people of integrity to ensure sustainable development.

The encounter was at the 38th Anti-Corruption Situation Room organised by Nigeria’s leading anti-corruption group, Human and Environmental Development Agenda, (HEDA Resource Centre) held in Abuja few days ago.
Olukoyede said it was important for public officers to demonstrate integrity in order to lay solid foundation in the country’s battle against graft.

The 38th anti-corruption situation room is in furtherance of the drive for transparency in the social, cultural, economic and political culture in Nigeria. It remains the most outstanding quarterly national advocacy event for transparency and equity to strengthen good governance, integrity and sustainable livelihood in Nigeria. Corruption in Nigeria remains a major obstacle to sustainable growth.

The HEDA Chairma, Mr Olanrewaju Suraju said his group was determined to continue the fierce battle against corruption irrespective of the risks involved. He said Nigeria needs to tame corruption in order to deal with underdevelopement and human misery.

Olukoyede admitted that he was not a perfect man but that Nigerians ought to strive to perfection adding that truth and personal integrity are essential for the country’s social, cultural, economic and political transformation.
He said during the burial of his mother in 2019, he had to reject many gifts offered by politically exposed persons to avoid erasing the legacy of transparency he was determined to strengthen in Nigeria.
He said he was happy he did not receive graft adding that subsequent events before his appointment as the EFCC Chairman saw investigations of his past including deposits in his accounts.
‘If I had taken bribe including gifts, I would have been in trouble and would not have been picked as the EFCC Chairman. I would have had to explain before a panel. The first thing they did was to check my accounts. For me that is what is called integrity. It is about doing not just what is expedient or not expedient, but what is moral. I have never collected one kobo from anyone,’ the EFCC Chairman said.
He said many of the corruption cases in Nigeria are mind boggling adding that both leaders and the led have challenges of integrity.
He said corruption is what makes Nigeria to loose over billions of dollars every year regretting that youths of today now go into kidnapping and ritual killings for money.
He said the EFCC under his leadership was determined to ‘trace them and fight them. When we recover, we shall follow it up.’ He said money recovered from looters should not be allowed to be looted again. ‘We will not allow it to happen,’ he said.
Speaking further he said ‘Any civil servant who has house(s) at Asokoro or Maitama, you have stolen money. I do not have any house in Abuja. I do not have a plot of land in Abuja. I’m not alone. We have many people who have integrity in this country. Let us support them.Let us move the country forward.’
At the conference were representatives of anti-corruption agencies, the media, scholars, labour and civil society including but not limited to Prof Shehu Abdullahi, Dr Mussa Adamu Aliyu, (SAN), Kano State Anti Corruption Commission, Magaji, Garba Abari, Mrs Eke Anyanwu, Dr Chido Onumah, MacArthur Foundation, The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) represented by Mr Wilson Uwajaren, Dr Bayo Adebukola, Sulaimon Arigbabu, Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, (ICPC), TUGAR Director, Mrs Jane Onwumere, Barrister Kunle Adegoke, (SAN), Ms Lillian Ekeanyawu, Prof Isah Raddah
Participants at the historic event said combating corruption is not just about the Federal Government that Nigerians should monitor budgets and expenditure of local councils, to ensure funds collected are used effectively;
‘The EFCC should show interest in enforcing the judgment of the Supreme Court on local government autonomy through the Attorney General of the Federation, (AGF);It is important for every state to have anti-corruption agencies.’
They also observed that combating corruption requires unity of generations. Youths have a very important role play in combating corruption in order to prevent a stalled future.
‘Fighting corruption also requires integrity approach that would lead to transparency, inclusiveness, result-driven strategies and fairness. Dealing with corruption requires beaming of searchlight on all sectors while there is the need to be flexible in managing public expectations’ the participants said
They argued that to fight corruption effectively requires good leadership among the civil society organisations, that Nigeria needs to create a good, effective legislative framework.
They urged the Code of Conduct Bureau should be active, prioritise asset findings of politically exposed persons, strengthen prevention mechanism;
‘At present, prevention is not enough public and private institutions should create systems of reward, electoral reforms driven by the civil society, strengthen oversight functions, earn the trust and confidence of the people, be accountable and create a compliance friendly environment.There is the need for effective monitoring system, effective coordination, collaboration and cooperation.’