Standing Firm Against Corruption: EFCC Chairman Rejects N500m Gift

 

The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Olanipekun Olukoyede, has disclosed how he turned down N500 million offered to him by ministers, permanent secretaries, directors, and agency heads during his mother's funeral in 2019.

Olukoyede made the revelation on Thursday, February 27, 2025, at the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre) 38th Anti-Corruption Situation Room (ACSR) Conference in Abuja. Themed “Ethics, Integrity, Corruption Risk Assessments, and Anti-Corruption at National and Sub-National Levels in Nigeria”, the event focused on strengthening Nigeria’s fight against corruption.

A Test of Integrity

Recounting his experience, Olukoyede shared how he returned the money after receiving a box filled with cheques and bank drafts from high-ranking government officials.

"I lost my mother in the year 2019 in Ekiti State. We went for the funeral. I was the Secretary of the EFCC then. People came. By the time I got home, I saw about 17 cows in my compound, including pregnant ones," he said.

"My gateman presented a carton to me filled with cheques and drafts from ministers, permanent secretaries, directors, and DGs. When I put the cheques together, it amounted to close to N500 million."

Despite the common cultural practice of giving gifts during funerals, Olukoyede questioned the ethics of accepting such gifts while serving as a top official at the EFCC. He revealed that he wrote letters to the donors and returned every cheque and draft.

Why He Rejected the Money

He explained that although the gifts could be seen as traditional, the source of the funds and the ongoing investigations into some of the donors made it ethically inappropriate to accept them.

"Though the money could be considered a traditional gift, I wondered if it was expedient for me to take such gifts as Secretary of the EFCC," he said.

He emphasized that if the money had been deposited into his account, it would have complicated his defence during an investigation the following year.

"By July 2020, I was under investigation. Assuming those cheques were paid into my account, how would I have explained it to a panel investigating me? Integrity is when you go beyond the level of expectation."

Rejecting Family Bids for EFCC Auctions

In another act of integrity, Olukoyede recalled how he rejected separate bids by his brother-in-law and elder brother during an auction process he supervised as EFCC Secretary.

"My brother-in-law applied for the auction, but I shredded his application. My PA informed him, and he didn’t talk to me for six months," he recounted.

His elder brother also tried to bid for the auction under a different name, but Olukoyede insisted on following due process.

Setting an Example in Leadership

Olukoyede’s revelations highlight the importance of ethical leadership in Nigeria’s anti-corruption fight. His transparency and adherence to due process set a commendable example in a country where corruption remains a major challenge.

In his concluding remarks, Olukoyede encouraged public officials to uphold integrity and accountability in all aspects of their work, even in the face of difficult personal decisions.

“Integrity is not just about doing what is right when people are watching—it’s about doing the right thing even when no one is looking,” he said.