The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) raised the alarm over planned campaigns of calumny by people it described as politicians and groups with vested interests in suspects facing criminal investigation.
This anti-graft agency said the planned campaigns are primarily targeted at the 2027 general election, insisting that it remains apolitical in its activities.
This was disclosed in a statement issued on Wednesday by Dele Oyewale, EFCC’s Head, Media and Publicity.
According to him, a motley crowd of paid jobbers, made up of politicians, academics, civil society activists and some Nigerian fugitives in the diaspora had been recruited for the campaigns of calumny through sponsored media attacks targeting EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede and the commission itself.
Oyewale stated that the campaigns were aimed at befuddling EFCC’s works through scaremongering with a view to intimidating it into a timid mode, where the commission would “be afraid to investigate opposition politicians for fear of being labelled as partisan”.
“The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, wishes to alert the public of planned campaigns of calumny by politicians and groups having vested interests in suspects being investigated or facing prosecution by the Commission.
“A motley crowd of paid jobbers comprising politicians , academics, so-called civil society activists and some Nigerian fugitives in the diaspora have been recruited by these disgruntled elements to orchestrate campaigns of calumny through sponsored media attacks targeting the Chairman of the EFCC, Ola Olukoyede and the institution itself with phantom allegations of political bias in the execution of the Commission’s mandate.
“Their objective is to befuddle the works of the Commission and, through scaremongering, intimidate the Commission into a timid mode, where it will be afraid to investigate opposition politicians for fear of being labelled as partisan.
“This campaign is likely to intensify as the political space becomes charged, in the months leading to the 2027 general election,” Oyewale stated.
He, however, warned those involved that they are under close watch, vowing that the anti-graft agency would not tolerate any attempt to distract it from its assignment of improving accountability in the country.
He added that prevailing facts show that any politicians with corruption baggage, belonging to the ruling party or opposition party, have no hiding place from the EFCC.
According to him, “The Commission wishes to put those recruited into this ignoble enterprise on notice that their activities are under close watch, and EFCC will not tolerate any attempt to distract it from the patriotic task of improving public accountability in Nigeria.
“The EFCC reiterates its non-political stance in all its activities. Facts on the ground clearly show that any political actor belonging to the ruling party or opposition party, with corruption baggage, has no hiding place from the operational radar and dynamics of the Commission.
“As a matter of fact, several strong members of the ruling and opposition parties are either facing trial before the courts or being investigated by the Commission,” the EFCC spokesman stated.
While reiterating the fact that the EFCC is keeping faith with it’s Establishment Act, Oyewale declared that the commission would not be pressured or blackmailed into making public disclosures of politically exposed persons it is investigating for one alleged corruption case or the other.
He continued, “It is needful that Nigerians appreciate the fact that the Commission is keeping faith with its Establishment Act in all its operations.
“Commentaries about presumption of innocence of a defendant in court are in line with the provisions of the Constitution and not intended as defence of any individual or group.
“Additionally, the Commission has no alliance or working relationship with any political party. All these facts are unassailable.
“The EFCC will not be pressured or blackmailed into making public disclosures of politically exposed persons being investigated for one alleged corruption case or the other.
“Therefore, the Commission reiterates its commitment to justice, without fear or favour, in the fulfilment of its mandate.”
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