EFCC Detains Pastors And Imams Over Fraud Cases

[Mahmud]

The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has revealed that several religious leaders, including pastors and imams, are currently being held over fraud-related offences. He also stated that many others have already been convicted for similar crimes involving financial misconduct and fraudulent practices.

He made this statement during the Jerry Eze Foundation business grant award ceremony, where he explained that corruption is not limited to politics or the corporate world alone. According to him, religious institutions have also become part of anti-corruption investigations because fraud can happen anywhere people abuse trust and power.

Olukoyede said many pastors and imams are presently in EFCC custody, while some have already faced conviction in court. He stressed that wrongdoing should be seen as a personal failure and not as a reflection of Christianity or Islam. He added that both churches and mosques are vulnerable to abuse when individuals choose dishonesty over integrity.

He explained that the EFCC's experience has shown that true integrity depends on personal character, not on religious titles or positions. He noted that anti-corruption enforcement has reached both the pulpit and the mosque, proving that no institution should be above accountability when fraud or misconduct is involved.

The EFCC chairman also spoke about the powers given under the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA), which allows authorities to investigate religious organisations and associations where fraud, mismanagement, or misconduct is suspected. When the law was signed in 2020, many church leaders strongly opposed it, describing it as government interference in religious matters.

In another revelation, Olukoyede said the EFCC once investigated Pastor Jerry Eze, founder of Streams of Joy International, after intelligence reports linked his accounts to suspicious foreign transactions from countries like Colombia, the United States, Sri Lanka, and Togo. However, after six months of investigation, no evidence of money laundering or financial misconduct was found. Instead, he said the case showed the importance of transparency, honesty, and recognizing people who demonstrate integrity.

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