The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Olanipekun Olukoyede, has revealed that he turned down gifts worth nearly N500 million from high-ranking officials during his mother’s burial in 2019.
Speaking at the 38th Anti-Corruption Situation Room in Abuja, Olukoyede recounted how ministers, permanent secretaries, directors, and other top government officials sent cheques and bank drafts to him during the funeral in his hometown in Ekiti State. At the time, he was serving as Secretary of the EFCC, and he feared that accepting such gifts could compromise his integrity.
Rejecting Millions in “Traditional Gifts”
Olukoyede recalled his shock when he returned home and was presented with a carton filled with cheques.
“I lost my mother in 2019. We went for the funeral. I was the secretary of the EFCC then. People came. By the time I got to my small compound, which I built several years ago before I joined the EFCC, I saw about 17 cows in my compound, including pregnant ones,” he said.
The EFCC boss continued, “My gate man presented a box (carton) to me, and inside it, I saw so many cheques and drafts from ministers, permanent secretaries, directors, DGs of agencies, etc. I went in and showed it to my wife. She said, ‘Praise God.’ I said, ‘Praise God for what?’ By the time we put all the cheques together, it counted close to N500m.”
He explained that despite the gifts being given in the name of tradition, he knew that keeping them could put his reputation at risk.
How It Could Have Ruined His Career
Olukoyede reflected on how the money could have been used against him had he deposited it into his bank account.
“I did the burial in September 2019. By July 2020, I was under investigation. Now, assuming all those cheques were paid into my account as traditional gifts, and some of the agencies we were investigating at the EFCC—some of their directors, DGs, and ministers—sent cheques to me, how would I have explained that before a panel?”
He added, “Even though that would not have influenced my decisions, people would have questioned my integrity. If they found those cheques in my account, would it have been a good defence for me to say it was my mother’s burial? That is what integrity is—going beyond the level of expectation.”
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Rejecting Family Members’ Business Interests
The EFCC chairman also shared another instance where he refused to grant favors to his own family members.
During his time as EFCC Secretary, the agency conducted an auction of forfeited assets. His brother-in-law, an international auctioneer, applied for a contract but was immediately rejected.
Olukoyede said, “My brother-in-law applied. His application came to me. I saw it and I shredded it.”
His decision upset his brother-in-law, who stopped speaking to him for six months.
His elder brother also sought to buy a truck from the auction using a different name to bypass the rules, but Olukoyede turned him down.
He stated, “I told him to go and read what we published. Conflict of interest—no staff of EFCC or immediate family members are allowed. He said they would use another name. I told him I was not interested.”
Integrity Saved Him from Jail
Olukoyede explained that his strict stance on integrity ultimately saved him when he was investigated.
“Eight months later, they set up a panel to investigate EFCC activities. My chairman and I were placed on suspension, and they began to investigate what we did in office. They investigated the particular auction I did in Port Harcourt. Now, assuming they found the name of my brother-in-law as one of the auctioneers, what would have been the result? Probably, I would be in jail by now,” he said.
Commitment to Anti-Corruption
The EFCC boss emphasized that his actions were driven by his commitment to fighting corruption in Nigeria.
“If we are going to fight corruption, we must lead by example. It is not enough to say we are against corruption—we must live it in our daily decisions,” he concluded.
His revelations highlight the challenges faced by public officials in Nigeria and the ethical dilemmas that come with power and responsibility.