Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, said two of the agency’s staff members were recently dismissed over allegations of corruption.
Olukoyede disclosed this during the opening of the 6th Annual Criminal Law Review Conference organised by the Rule of Law Development Foundation in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 5-day event is titled: “Optimising the Administration of Criminal Justice in Nigeria: How to Navigate Emerging and Systemic Challenges of Insecurity and Economic Hardship.”
The EFCC chairman, who said the two officials were dismissed two week ago, said besides dismissal, erring workers would also be prosecuted henceforth.
“So many other reforms are going on; the issue of our staff and all of that. Just two weeks ago, I had cause to dismiss two staff. You can’t be fighting corruption and your hands are dirty.
“He who comes to equity, your hands must also be cleaned. And I say I will not only be dismissing them, I will also be prosecuting them because that is what we prosecute others for.
“So you will see that; we are preparing the case files of some of the people we have dismissed. If an EFCC staff will not be able to stand publicly with his two hands up and challenge the entire public; whose goat have I collected? Whose bottle of water have I taken illegitimately?
“And I have said this to Nigerians; who has ever given me one kobo in the course of my work, come out and say it. I stand to be challenged. I can’t be easily influenced by things like that. That’s why we must make up our minds to work together to do the right thing. Any staff that is corrupt, I will show you the way out. Again, there are some people who may want to be overzealous. Out of 12, you must have Judas.
“I can’t stand here and say all is perfect. As many as you see, report them to us and we will do justice,” he said.