Shettima Commissions EFCC Ekiti-Ondo Office, Says ‘No Nation Rises Above Its Public Systems’  

By Joseph Sunday

Vice President Kashim Shettima on Tuesday said Nigeria’s development hinges on the integrity of its public institutions, as he commissioned the new Ekiti-Ondo Zonal Directorate Office Complex of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in Ado-Ekiti.

Representing President Bola Tinubu at the event, Shettima reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to equipping anti-graft agencies with the tools, independence, and environment needed to tackle economic crimes.

“No nation can rise above the integrity of its public systems,” Shettima said. “Development will be reversed when corruption is allowed to stand between citizens and the promises of the state. The EFCC was created to defend that promise, to protect our economy from criminal enterprise, and to remind every citizen that public trust is sacred.”

Commissioning the facility, he described it as “a new chapter for the agency” and commended EFCC Chairman, Mr Ola Olukoyede for leading an “organized, sustained” anti-corruption efforts. 

“This administration considers it critical that law enforcement agencies have the necessary facilities to enhance their efficiency,” he added. “We will continue to invest in strengthening anti-corruption agencies through conducive working environments, competitive welfare packages, operational independence, and adequate training.”

Shettima highlighted the EFCC’s recent wins to include the dismantling of a foreign-controlled cryptocurrency syndicate in Lagos that led to the conviction of 192 foreigners, and the prosecution of high-profile cases — including a former minister and a former managing director of a national investment bank.

He noted that recovered assets have been used to fund social programs like the Students’ Loan Scheme, the Consumer Credit Scheme, and the Federal University of Applied Sciences, Kachia. The Commission’s work, he said, also contributed to Nigeria’s removal from the FATF Grey List, boosting investor confidence.

“The security of our nation is inseparable from the security of its financial system,” Shettima stated, praising the EFCC’s role in investigating terrorism financing. He urged security agencies in the zone to “work in synergy” with the Commission.

Addressing EFCC staff, he charged: “Every plan you execute, every investigation you pursue, and every conviction you secure strengthens the foundation of our Republic.”

‘This Office Closes Enforcement Gaps’ — Olukoyede:

EFCC Executive Chairman, Mr Ola Olukoyede said the new office complex ends years of limited coverage for Ekiti and Ondo States, previously overseen by distant zones. 

“Our presence here should not scare anybody. If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear,” Olukoyede said. “If EFCC knocks, it’s to ask for your support.” He warned that fraudsters would find “no hiding place,” citing recent Southwest operations against cybercrime and illegal mining.

He referenced key convictions, including a former NEXIM Bank MD sentenced to 490 years and ex-Power Minister Saleh Mamman jailed 75 years for N22 billion fraud — both without option of fine. 

Stakeholders Back EFCC Presence: 

Governor Biodun Oyebanji thanked President Tinubu for siting the office in Ekiti, saying both States will now be better served and economic saboteurs checked.

The Ekiti State Traditional Council of Obas, His Royal Majesty, the Ogoga of Ikere Ekiti Kingdom, Oba Samuel Adu Adejimi, Alagbado Agirilala II,

urged residents to “see something, say something,” stressing that corruption affects everyone.

Senator Emmanuel Memga Udende, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes, reaffirmed the National Assembly’s support for the EFCC’s mission.