EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede has highlighted the hypocrisy of Nigerians who condemn corruption yet support corrupt leaders when they’re being prosecuted. He emphasized that if citizens saw corruption as a common enemy, underdevelopment would be a thing of the past.¹
Olukoyede stressed the importance of collaboration and synergy with organizations like the Centre for Crisis Communication (CCC) to boost strategic communication and public engagement. He believes public support is crucial to the EFCC’s success in fighting corruption.
The EFCC chairman also noted that his agency will partner with other organizations to raise public awareness about its activities and the importance of integrity among Nigerians. He expressed frustration that despite the EFCC’s efforts, Nigerians often rally behind corrupt leaders, undermining the fight against corruption.
Olukoyede has prioritized prevention over enforcement since taking office, establishing a new directorate called Fraud Risk Assessment and Control (FRAC) to block financial leakages. The EFCC is also leveraging intelligence gathering to achieve recent successes.
To drive prevention, Olukoyede emphasized the need to track government spending and ensure capital projects are executed. He believes prevention is key, as it costs less to prevent corruption than to react after it’s occurred.