Economic and Financial Crimes Commission

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was established on December 12, 2002, by President Olusegun Obasanjo's administration to combat financial crimes and money laundering. The commission's creation was partly in response to pressure from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) on Money Laundering, which had ranked Nigeria as one of 23 non-cooperative countries. However, on April 13, 2003, the EFCC commenced operational activities under Nuhu Ribadu as the pioneer Executive Chairman. Under Nuhu Ribadu, the agency addressed financial corruption by prosecuting and convicting a number of high-profile corrupt individuals, ranging from Nigeria's former chief law enforcement officer to several bank chief executives. By 2005, the EFCC arrested government officials including Diepreye Alamieyeseigha.{{cite web|url=https://www.efcc.gov.ng/efcc/about-us-new-4/history-of-efcc |title=Economic and Financial Crimes Commission - EFCC - HISTORY OF EFCC }}{{cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/africa/4513172.stm | archive-url=https://archive.today/20071021084328/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/africa/4513172.stm | url-status=dead | archive-date=21 October 2007 | title=Nigeria arrests runaway governor | publisher=BBC |date=9 December 2005 | access-date =2007-05-17}}

In September 2006, the EFCC had 31 of Nigeria's 36 state governors under investigation for corruption.{{cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/5387814.stm | title=Nigeria governors in graft probe | publisher=BBC |date=28 September 2006 | access-date =2007-05-17}} In December 2007, the Nigerian Federal Government, after extensive investigations by EFCC and other organisations, cleared the Vaswani Brothers{{Cite web|url=https://www.vanguardngr.com/2009/11/court-declares-deportation-of-vaswani-brothers-illegal/|title=Court declares deportation of Vaswani brothers illegal|date=November 4, 2009|website=Vanguard News}} of any wrongdoing and invited them back into the country. Leading Nigerian daily This Day and other major newspapers reported the facts of their clearance quoting text from FG issued directives. In April 2008, the EFCC began an investigation of the very influential daughter of a former Nigerian President, Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello for receiving N10 million ($100,000), stolen from the Ministry of Health. The former Health Minister (Professor Adenike Grange) and her deputy were tried for stealing over N30,000,000 ($300,000) from the ministry's unspent funds from a year before.{{Cite web |title=Minister of Health, Professor Adenike Grange faces corruption probe {{!}} Sahara Reporters |url=https://saharareporters.com/2008/03/01/minister-health-professor-adenike-grange-faces-corruption-probe |access-date=2023-01-02 |website=saharareporters.com}}

On June 6, 2008, Chief (Mrs) Farida Mzamber Waziri was sworn in as the new chairperson of the EFCC. Then on the 6th of August 2008, the former chairman Nuhu Ribadu was demoted from Assistant Inspector General (AIG) to Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP).{{cite news | url=http://nigeriaworld.com/feature/publication/ubochi/080808.html | title=NUHU RIBADU: IS YARÁDUA LEADING A GOVERNMENT OR A GANG? | publisher=Nigeria World |date=8 August 2008 | access-date =2008-09-17}}

On September 14, 2010, the head of the Forensic Unit of the EFCC, Abdullahi Muazu, was assassinated in Kaduna. He had been actively involved in the trials of several heads of banks.{{cite news | url=http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/5619080-147/gunmen_kill_efccs_forensic_team_leader.csp | title=Gunmen kill EFCC's forensic team leader in Kaduna | publisher=NEXT | date=15 September 2010 | access-date=2010-10-04 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100918233212/http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/5619080-147/gunmen_kill_efccs_forensic_team_leader.csp | archive-date=18 September 2010 }}

Waziri was dismissed by President Goodluck Jonathan on 23 November 2011 and replaced by Ibrahim Lamorde as Acting Chairman, who was confirmed on the 15 February 2012 by the Nigerian Senate.{{cite web

|url=http://pmnewsnigeria.com/2011/11/28/waziri%E2%80%99s-sack-and-the-future-of-efcc/

|title=Waziri's Sack And The Future Of EFCC

|work=P.M. News

|date=November 28, 2011

|access-date=2011-12-22}}

Ibrahim Lamorde was sacked by President Muhammadu Buhari on November 9, 2015, and replaced with Ibrahim Magu. The Nigerian Senate refused to confirm Magu as chairman of the agency twice due to security reports by law enforcement agencies in the country.{{Cite web|date=2017-03-15|title=Again, Senate rejects Magu as EFCC Chairman {{!}} Premium Times Nigeria|url=https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/226181-breaking-senate-rejects-magu-efcc-chairman-2.html|access-date=2022-02-03|language=en-GB}}

On July 6, 2020, Magu was arrested by operatives of the State Security Service and the Nigeria Police Force and driven to the Aso Villa where he was made to answer questions on alleged corruption against him.{{Cite news|title=Answers to five big questions about Magu arrest and probe|work=BBC News Pidgin|url=https://www.bbc.com/pidgin/tori-53331403|access-date=2022-02-03}}{{Cite web|date=2020-07-06|title=How EFCC's Magu was arrested|url=https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/401517-how-efccs-magu-was-arrested.html|access-date=2022-02-03|language=en-GB}} He was detained overnight and on July 7 was suspended from his position as chairman of the agency pending the completion of the investigation.

On July 10, 2020, President Muhammadu Buhari approved the immediate suspension of Ibrahim Magu as acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC){{Cite web|title=Buhari Affirms Magu's Suspension, Directs Mohammed Umar To Take Charge|url=https://www.channelstv.com/2020/07/10/breaking-buhari-approves-suspension-of-ibrahim-magu-as-efcc-boss/|access-date=2022-02-03|website=Channels Television}} in a statement issued by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami. President Muhammadu Buhari also approved that the EFCC Director of Operations, Mohammed Umar Abba, should take charge and oversee the activities of the Commission{{Cite web|date=2020-07-08|title=EFCC picks Director of Operations, Umar to oversee commission|url=https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/07/efcc-picks-director-of-operations-umar-to-oversee-commission/|access-date=2022-02-03|website=Vanguard News|language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2020-07-09 |title=Umar replaces Magu as EFCC chairman |url=https://guardian.ng/news/nigeria/national/umar-replaces-magu-as-efcc-chairman/ |access-date=2022-05-25 |website=The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News |language=en-US}} pending the conclusion of the ongoing investigation and further directives. On 16 February 2021 Abdulrasheed Bawa was nominated as substantive chairman of EFCC by President Muhammad Buhari.{{cite news|url=https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/443187-profile-abdulrasheed-bawa-to-make-history-as-efcc-chairman.html|date= 16 February 2021 |accessdate= 29 November 2021 |publisher= premiumtimesng.cm|title= Abdulrasheed Bawa to make history as EFCC chairman |last= Adesomoju |first= Ade }}{{Cite web |date=2021-11-01 |title=Cross-examination of EFCC chairman stalled in alleged N761m subsidy fraud |url=https://editor.guardian.ng/news/cross-examination-of-efcc-chairman-stalled-in-alleged-n761m-subsidy-fraud/ |access-date=2022-05-25 |website=The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News |language=en-US |archive-date=2022-05-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220525193309/https://editor.guardian.ng/news/cross-examination-of-efcc-chairman-stalled-in-alleged-n761m-subsidy-fraud/ |url-status=dead }}

The current chairman of EFCC is Ola Olukoyede, appointed by President Bola Tinubu on 12 October 2023.{{Cite web |last=Olayiwola |first=Ajisafe |date=2023-10-12 |title=Meet new EFCC chairman, Ola Olukoyede |url=https://punchng.com/meet-new-efcc-chairman-ola-olukoyede/ |access-date=2023-11-07 |website=Punch Newspapers |language=en-US}}

In October 2024, the chairman of the EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, has challenged religious leaders in Nigeria to be more committed to the fight against corruption by preaching the right messages.{{Cite web |date=2024-10-05 |title=EFCC Solicits Religious Leaders' Help In Fight Against Corruption - NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA |url=https://nannews.ng/2024/10/05/efcc-solicits-religious-leaders-help-in-fight-against-corruption/ |access-date=2024-10-06 |language=en-US}}

The EFCC is structured into 15 zonal commands.

• Corporate Headquarters
• Abuja Zonal Command
• Benin Zonal Command
• Enugu Zonal Command
• Gombe Zonal Command
• Ibadan Zonal Command
• Ilorin Zonal Command
• Kaduna Zonal Command
• Kano Zonal Command
• Lagos Zonal Command
• Maiduguri Zonal Command
• Makurdi Zonal Command
• Port Harcourt Zonal Command
• Sokoto Zonal Command
• Uyo Zonal Command

{{cite web|url=https://www.efcc.gov.ng/efcc/efcc-academy |title=Economic and Financial Crimes Commission - EFCC - EFCC ACADEMY }}

The Economic as Financial Crimes Commission launched an application on the 14th of July, 2021 called the "Eagle Eye App". The app was specifically crafted to simplify the process of reporting financial and economic crimes in Nigeria. The application is a clear demonstration of the EFCC's technology-driven efforts to facilitate public interaction.{{cite web|url=https://www.efcc.gov.ng/efcc/records-3/eagle-eye-app |title=Economic and Financial Crimes Commission - EFCC - EAGLE EYE APP }}

Formerly known as the Training and Research Institute, the EFCC Academy was established in 2005 with the initial mandate of training and capacity development of the EFCC staff until 2012 when it role was expanded to other law enforcement agencies, security agencies and anti-corrupion bodies within and outside Nigeria. The EFCC Academy is located in Karu, Abuja.{{cite web|url=https://www.efcc.gov.ng/efcc/efcc-academy |title=Economic and Financial Crimes Commission - EFCC - EFCC ACADEMY }}

{{Reflist|3}}

• [https://www.hrw.org/report/2011/08/25/corruption-trial/record-nigerias-economic-and-financial-crimes-commission Corruption on Trial?]
• [https://www.efcc.gov.ng/efcc/news-and-information/news-release/9530-ola-olukoyede-is-new-efcc-chairman-2#:~:text=12%20October%202023%20Views%3A%201189,and%20Financial%20Crimes%20Commission%2C%20EFCC]

{{Portal|Nigeria|Law|Economics}}

• [https://www.efccnigeria.org EFCC official website]

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20061227220325/http://www.internationalrelations.house.gov/archives/109/rib051806.pdf Nigeria’s struggle with corruption], presented by the chairman of the EFCC to the US Congressional House Committee on International Development
• [https://ejesgist.ng/tinubu-appoints-hakeem-odumosu-as-new-efcc-chairman-photo/ Breaking: Tinubu Appoints Hakeem Odumosu As the Substantive EFCC Chairman]
• [http://www.businessdayonline.com/?c=54&a=7389 Banks take a breath of fresh air as FATF gives clean bill of health]
• [http://allafrica.com/stories/200803040638.html Nigeria: EFCC intensifies probe of health ministry, ThisDay newspaper, March 2008]

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Category:Law enforcement in Nigeria

Category:Government agencies established in 2003

Category:2003 establishments in Nigeria