The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has explained why Pastor Jerry Eze of Streams of Joy International came under investigation by the agency.
Speaking at an event in Abuja, in a video shared by Channels TV, Olukoyede disclosed that the probe lasted six months and was initiated after intelligence reports flagged significant inflows of foreign currency into a domiciliary account associated with the cleric.
He noted that large sums in dollars and pounds were being received from multiple countries, including Colombia, the United States, Sri Lanka, and Togo, prompting concerns and a full-scale investigation.
According to Olukoyede, a detailed review of the financial records was conducted, and Pastor Eze was invited for questioning. However, no evidence of wrongdoing was found.
“I didn’t initially want to make this public, but I felt it was important to say,” he stated. “We investigated him for six months based on intelligence and petitions. At some point, we observed consistent inflows of foreign currencies into a domiciliary account from different parts of the world.”
He explained that after receiving a preliminary report from investigators, he requested to meet the pastor personally. Upon meeting him, Olukoyede said Pastor Eze provided explanations about the sources and use of the funds, including his charitable activities.
“I had already seen the report before inviting him. When he came, he explained how the funds were received and how they were being used to support people. At that point, I told him I didn’t call him to defend himself because our investigation was already complete. I invited him to commend him,” he said.
Olukoyede added that while Pastor Eze was cleared of any wrongdoing, the EFCC will continue to monitor financial transactions in line with its mandate. He also advised the cleric to maintain transparency and integrity, emphasizing that the agency remains vigilant in tracking financial activities.
