Abuja, NIGERIA — The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, has asserted that civil servants in the country are involved in more significant corruption than politicians. This bold assertion sheds light on the deep-rooted challenges of corruption that plague Nigeria’s public service, where the financial misappropriation appears alarmingly extensive.
Speaking in an interview recently shared on his official X handle, Olukoyede revealed that his agency’s investigations unveil a staggering disparity in the magnitude of financial crimes committed by civil servants compared to their political counterparts. He underscored the widespread corruption within the civil service, suggesting that civil servants, often perceived as non-political actors, play a crucial role in the systemic theft of public funds.
“Most of the lavish properties in prestigious areas like Asokoro and Maitama are owned by civil servants,” Olukoyede explained, hinting at a disturbing trend where those entrusted with governance and accountability are accumulating wealth through dubious means. His statements resonate with frustration against a backdrop of systemic corruption that runs longer and deeper than the political scandals frequently highlighted in the media.
In one particular case highlighted by the EFCC, an investigation into a government ministry revealed that an eye-watering sum of N33.7 billion was misappropriated from state coffers. Shockingly, while only N3 billion was traced directly to the then Minister, a staggering N30.7 billion was traced to civil servants—specifically, senior officials overseeing finance and procurement
“This disparity highlights the significant role civil servants play in corruption, often more so than politicians.
“The gamut of money stolen by establishment people far exceeds what politicians have stolen,” Olukoyede stated.
“The EFCC’s findings underscore the need for a thorough examination of corruption in Nigeria, particularly within the civil service,” he said.
Moreover, the EFCC boss did not shy away from implicating the private sector, emphasizing that the issues of corruption are pervasive across both public and private domains. He noted the findings from the Commission’s exhaustive investigations, stating.
“There is no doubt that we have corruption in the public service, but I will tell you also that the private sector is as bad as the public sector from all the investigation work we have done,” he stated.
“So, but coming to public service … we have discovered that it is extremely difficult for a political class to steal money without the connivance of – from our own point of work, we call them establishment people. They are always there; political appointees will come and go; these guys are always there, and I will give you a typical example.
“We investigated this particular ministry. The Minister then, we were prosecuting him: we discovered that about N33.7 billion was stolen only N3 billion we were able to trace to the Minister and the remaining N30.7 billion was traced to the director of finance, director of procurement, director of this and director of that, the establishment people.
“So when you look at the gamut of the money stolen by the establishment people, it is much more than what we the politicians have stolen and that’s the truth, Nigerians will realise that.”
However, when probed about the whereabouts of the looted funds or assets, Olukoyede elucidated the complexities embedded in tracing and retrieving stolen wealth in the hands of individuals evasively using fronts and proxies to conceal their ill-gotten gains. This speaks to a broader issue of enforcement and accountability within the Nigerian legal and financial frameworks that struggle to keep pace with the sophisticated schemes employed by the corrupt.
““No if you trace money to people and they use it to buy house in their name and you discover the money in the accounts of their children and then their cronies, and in the cause of making statements they didn’t deny that the money belong to them, if they had mentioned the name of the Minister in the cause of making statement, we would have said okay they were just accessories, either two or after the facts.
“But when they owned up, you know the moment you catch them and you do your diligent investigation with – documentary evidence – it would be difficult for people to deny.
“Look statistics have shown because we carry out survey in the real estate in Abuja, most houses in Asokoro and Maitama are owned by civil servants.
“Yes, statistics have shown that we have evidence to prove that. We have discovered that and it’s important for us to beam our searchlight on the establishment people, on the core civil service sector – permanent secretaries, directors, and generally the civil servants.”
The EFCC’s investigation methods involve tracing money to individuals and identifying assets, such as real estate, that have been purchased with illicit funds.
According to him, in some cases, suspects had owned up to possessing stolen funds, providing valuable evidence for the commission’s cases.
EFCC boss disclosure is indicative of a culture of complicity that appears to thrive within Nigeria’s institutions—a scenario where public trust in governance is eroded by the very individuals tasked with upholding it. Olukoyede’s frank admission suggests a paradigm shift in the dialogue around corruption—moving the focus from politicians to the civil servants who should ideally be the guardians of transparency and accountability.
In light of such alarming revelations, Olukoyede’s remarks provoke urgent questions about the future of governance in Nigeria and the trustworthiness of public servants. The pursuit of financial accountability remains a Herculean task, raising a clarion call for comprehensive reforms to tackle the plague of corruption.
As the nation grapples with the implications of Olukoyede’s admission, the need for systemic reform becomes ever more pressing. Only time will tell if the EFCC can live up to the challenge of dismantling this pervasive threat to Nigeria’s governance and societal wellbeing. The discourse may well have shifted, but the quest for justice and restoration of public trust continues.
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