ABUJA – The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has issued a stern call to the Nigerian media to uphold higher ethical standards, warning that responsible reportage is the linchpin of a successful anti-corruption crusade.
Speaking on Thursday, April 9, 2026, at the VON Forum in Abuja, Olukoyede lamented the recurring trend of the media framing legitimate criminal investigations as political vendettas.
He cited a specific case involving the disappearance of $35 million from the national treasury, funds originally earmarked for a refinery, where the subsequent arrest of a high-profile suspect was met with headlines alleging a witch-hunt.
“The media spared no time to look at the facts that necessitated the arrest. When I arraign members of the ruling party, nobody makes noise.
“But the moment someone from the other side who stole money is taken to court, all hell breaks loose,” Olukoyede remarked.
Addressing the theme “51 Years of Nigeria’s Role in Deepening Democratic Stability in ECOWAS,” the EFCC boss used the very venue of the event to illustrate the Commission's effectiveness.
He pointed out that the building occupied by the Voice of Nigeria (VON) is itself a recovered proceeds of crime, formerly owned by a corrupt government official.
Olukoyede maintained that the anti-corruption fight remains insulated from partisan politics and urged the press to reinforce its editorial integrity to reflect this reality.
Olukoyede, who also chairs the Network of National Anti-Corruption Institutions in West Africa (NACIWA), revealed a major shift toward regional security.
He announced that ECOWAS has officially adopted a new NACIWA protocol designed to dismantle the financial networks of insurgent groups.
The protocol allows for seamless cross-border investigations within West Africa.
Earlier in the forum, the Director General of the Voice of Nigeria, Mallam Jibrin Baba Ndace, praised the EFCC Chairman’s commitment to regional stability.
Ndace highlighted Nigeria’s historic role as the pillar of ECOWAS, noting decades of diplomatic and peacekeeping interventions in nations such as Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Mali.
He emphasised that Nigeria’s internal fight against financial crime is directly linked to the broader goal of democratic and economic stability across the African continent.
#EFCC #Nigeria #AntiCorruption #MediaEthics #ECOWAS #NACIWA #OlaOlukoyede #Security #WestAfrica #FinancialCrime
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