By Tony Egbulefu

Under President Tinubu, the EFCC has left no one in doubt that a new era that recognises no sacred cows has dawned in the anti-corruption fight.

In all of the successes of the Commission within the one year period of the present government, Olukoyede has seized every moment that presents itself to express gratitude to President Tinubu for his unflinching support to the anti-corruption fight. As he has said, “With the political will of this administration, we have a golden opportunity to rewrite the story of our nation’s quest for improved transparency and accountability in public affairs.”

As Nigeria’s premier anti-corruption agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) motivates the anti-corruption war of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led federal government. With the corruption fight as a pillar of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu, the government in the past one year has been remarkable as one that chose to do away with media hype and rhetorics in its anti-corruption programme, preferring rather that the outcomes bear the testimonies.

The federal government’s prioritisation of the fight against corruption gives evidence to President Tinubu’s good understanding of the damage corruption has inflicted on the health of the national economy and wellbeing of the citizens.

On 21 December, 2023, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), the attorney general and minister of Justice, while speaking at an EFCC event in Ilorin, made a public declaration of the rule of engagement of the Tinubu government through the Commission.

“Let me state in unequivocal terms that the EFCC is pivotal in the Tinubu administration’s plan to remove impediments to accountability in governance institutions and strengthen mechanisms and platforms by which Nigerians can hold public officers to account. To this end, the government is prepared to support the Commission in whatever way possible to deliver on its mandate. The recovery and repatriation of Nigeria’s stolen wealth is an issue of great concern to the administration and the EFCC is expected to continue to lead the charge to trace, recover and facilitate the return of our stolen wealth,” he said.