This revelation follows the dismissal of 27 EFCC officials for misconduct and fraudulent activities, a move aimed at strengthening accountability within the agency. The dismissals were based on recommendations from the EFCC Staff Disciplinary Committee, approved by the agency’s chairman, Ola Olukoyede.
In a related development, 10 EFCC officers from the Lagos Zonal Command have been detained over allegations of theft. According to an EFCC statement, the officers were arrested last week on Olukoyede’s directives and are being questioned about missing operational items they could not account for.
“In its continuing efforts to sweep the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission clean of corrupt tendencies, 10 officers of the Lagos Zonal Command are being detained over investigations of some missing items involving them,” the statement read. “Investigators are making good progress, and those found culpable will be subjected to internal disciplinary processes.”
When contacted, EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale neither confirmed nor denied the allegations. He referred to an earlier report announcing the arrest and detention of the 10 officers.
The scandal has raised concerns about the EFCC’s internal controls and its ability to combat corruption within its ranks. As the agency investigates this incident, it faces the challenge of restoring public trust in its operations.
This incident is the latest in a series of challenges confronting the anti-graft agency, which is tasked with leading Nigeria’s fight against corruption.
