The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has cautioned Nigerians against glorifying individuals convicted of corruption, warning that the practice—especially the conferment of traditional titles on such persons—undermines the nation’s anti-corruption efforts.
The warning was issued by Nasir Salele, Head of the Legal Department at the EFCC Kaduna Zonal Directorate, during a one-day capacity-building workshop for media practitioners and civil society organisations in Kaduna. Salele expressed deep concern that many communities choose to honour convicted persons instead of condemning their actions.
He noted that there have been instances where community members troop to courts not to support prosecution but to openly defend those facing corruption charges. In some cases, he said, supporters have even staged naked protests in solidarity with accused persons.
Citing a notable case, Salele recalled an individual who was investigated, prosecuted, convicted, and imprisoned for corruption, only to be celebrated by his entire community upon completing his sentence. “Ideally, the community should have rejected him,” he said, describing the incident as a reflection of “the unfortunate reality in Nigeria.”
According to Salele, individuals in positions of authority often amass unexplained wealth and, instead of being questioned, are rewarded with traditional titles. He added that this mindset frequently leads to prosecutors being wrongly labelled as “enemies” for simply performing their lawful duties.
Declaring the workshop open, the Acting Zonal Director of the EFCC Kaduna Directorate, ACE I Bawa Usman Kaltungo, speaking on behalf of the Executive Chairman, praised the media and civil society organisations as “critical drivers of change” in the fight against corruption.
Kaltungo said journalists play a vital role in holding power to account and exposing areas where corruption thrives. He acknowledged that many of the EFCC’s successes were made possible through information provided by the media and CSOs, which helped uncover suspicious financial dealings, abuse of office, and fraudulent practices. He reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to stronger collaboration, stressing that the anti-corruption fight “is a collective national endeavour.”
Also speaking, the Head of Public Interface at the EFCC headquarters, ACE I Tony Orilade, condemned the culture of celebrating corrupt individuals, noting that some Nigerians even wear aso ebi in their support. He insisted that the country must be safeguarded from corrupt actors and fraudsters.
In her remarks, the Head of Public Relations of the EFCC Kaduna Zonal Directorate, Zainab Sani Ahmed, called on the media to step up public enlightenment efforts and urged Nigerians to actively join the fight against corruption.
