The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has called on the media and civil society organisations (CSOs) to intensify collaboration with the Commission in the national fight against corruption and financial crimes, describing corruption as a “monster” threatening Nigeria’s progress.
Speaking through Acting Zonal Director of the EFCC Ibadan Directorate, ACE Hauwa Garba Ringim, Olukoyede made the appeal during a one-day interactive workshop organised for journalists and CSOs in Ibadan.
The session created a platform for candid discussions on how to boost transparency, enhance citizen engagement, and strengthen EFCC’s public accountability efforts.
Olukoyede commended the media and civil society for their roles in shaping public perception and exposing internet fraud, especially in the Southwest.
“Your advocacy, enlightenment, and investigative reports continue to help Nigerians understand our work and why it matters,” he said.
He urged journalists to ensure fair, factual, and timely reporting of EFCC activities, adding that the media and CSOs remain vital allies in promoting transparency in governance.
Delivering a paper on “Prosecuting Financial Crimes: Issues, Challenges and the Way Forward,” Head of Legal and Prosecution, DCE Gift Iwebafa Odibo, outlined the risks faced by EFCC prosecutors, particularly in high-profile cases, and called for tougher sanctions against cybercriminals.
Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, stressed the need for greater grassroots sensitisation and collaboration. He noted that under Olukoyede’s leadership in 2024, the EFCC arraigned five former governors and five ex-ministers, describing it as proof of political will to curb corruption.
“We must take this fight beyond the headlines—into communities, schools, homes, and hearts,” Oyewale said.
Head of Digital Forensics (Lagos), CSE Alex Ogbole, warned against cryptocurrency-related scams, advising Nigerians to be cautious of suspicious investment schemes.
Also, Head of Enlightenment and Reorientation, Aisha Mohammed, raised alarm over minors’ growing involvement in cybercrime, urging parents to take responsibility.
“If we don’t act now, we may soon have a ‘Yahoo ex-convict’ in every household,” she cautioned.
