The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has sent a stern warning to local government chairmen across Nigeria, making it clear that they are not above the law and will face immediate scrutiny over financial misconduct.
EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede, in a statement released on Wednesday by the Commission’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, stated unequivocally that local government leaders do not enjoy immunity from investigation and prosecution.
"Local government chairmen do not have immunity, and we are not going to wait until you finish your tenure to come after you," Olukoyede declared.
The EFCC chairman lamented the widespread mismanagement of public funds at the grassroots level, stating that local councils have become "mere caricatures" rather than engines of development. To address this, he revealed the establishment of a Fraud Risk Assessment and Control (FRAC) Department, which will dispatch officers to monitor financial activities in local government councils, starting with Gombe State.
“The EFCC will be paying you visits occasionally to check how you are using the funds,” Olukoyede warned. “We will come in the evening. Sometimes, you may even see us in your dreams.”
This latest crackdown underscores the Commission’s commitment to tackling corruption at all levels, ensuring that public resources reach the people they are meant to serve.