The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has alleged that public officers steal government funds on a frequent basis, saying corruption has reached alarming levels in Nigeria.
Olukoyede made the remarks in Abuja on Thursday during the 80th birthday celebration of former Attorney-General of the Federation, Kanu Agabi.
The EFCC chairman said the commission receives more than 20,000 petitions relating to public-sector corruption every year, describing the scale of financial misconduct uncovered in some cases as disturbing.
“I receive over 20,000 petitions in a year in respect to public corruption, all terrible. What is going on? Like every minute, public officers take money, and if you go through some of our case files, you will weep,” Olukoyede said.
He said Nigerians were often the victims of fraudulent activities involving the misuse of public resources, urging citizens and institutions to collectively reject corrupt practices.
“The way people take national resources and Nigerians are victims of these fraudulent activities. And we must come together for once in our lifetime and say no to the activities of some of our leaders,” he said.
Olukoyede also said the EFCC had encountered cases involving public officials who assumed office with less than N100,000 in their bank accounts but were later linked to millions of dollars within three years.
According to him, some officials have also accumulated hundreds of properties while in public office, warning that such practices were undermining the country’s development.
The EFCC chairman stressed the need for public officials to be held accountable for their conduct while in office.
He said transparency and accountability must remain fundamental principles of public service if the country is to effectively tackle corruption.
