The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ola Olukoyede, has disclosed that more than 40 personnel of the commission have been dismissed over allegations of corruption and financial misconduct since he assumed office.
Olukoyede also revealed that more than five of the dismissed officers are currently facing prosecution, while case files are being prepared against others for possible arraignment.
The EFCC chairman made the disclosure on Monday during a briefing at the commission's headquarters in Abuja, where he reviewed the activities and reforms undertaken under his leadership.
According to him, the commission would not shield any of its personnel found to be involved in the same corrupt practices the agency was established to investigate and prosecute.
He said that in the course of his service, he had directed the dismissal of over 40 staff members over corruption and financial malpractice, stressing that some of them were already being prosecuted.
Olukoyede maintained that dismissal alone was not sufficient punishment for officers who had committed criminal offences.
He argued that if individuals in other government agencies could be arrested, investigated and prosecuted for corruption, EFCC personnel found guilty of similar offences should not be treated differently.
According to him, some of the affected officers are already standing trial, while the commission is preparing additional case files against others.
The EFCC boss noted that the cases were matters of public record and could be followed through the courts.
As part of efforts to strengthen internal accountability and discipline, Olukoyede said the commission had renamed its former Department of Internal Affairs as the Department of Ethics and Integrity.
He explained that the restructuring was aimed at reinforcing the commission's commitment to what he described as an internal cleansing process.
Olukoyede also disclosed that the EFCC had developed a gift policy for its personnel as part of measures to promote transparency and accountability within the organisation.
Under the proposed policy, personnel of the commission would be required to declare gifts and assets above a specified threshold, including certain gifts received from relatives living abroad.
He said the commission would also clearly define the categories of gifts that its personnel could accept.
According to Olukoyede, the policy is intended to ensure that officers can properly account for their sources of income, means of livelihood and standard of living.
The EFCC chairman stressed that personnel of the commission must uphold the highest standards of integrity, noting that those responsible for fighting corruption must themselves be free from corrupt practices.
He said the commission remained committed to sanitising its internal system and ensuring that no officer found to have compromised the values of the agency would be protected from appropriate disciplinary action or prosecution.
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