The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr Ola Olukoyede, has called for stronger ties with the media and civil society organisations, CSOs, in the Southeast in tackling economic and financial crimes and other acts of corruption.
He made this call on Thursday, November 6, 2025 at a one-day capacity building workshop organized by the Commission for the media and CSos in the Southeast.
According to the EFCC boss, who was represented by the Zonal Director, Enugu Zonal Directorate of the Commission, Commander of the EFCC, CE Daniel Isei, corruption is surmountable, though new technologies, global financial systems and cross-border crimes are posing challenges, it can be frontally tackled through concerted efforts of stakeholders in the fight. He said that the EFCC cannot combat these challenges in isolation, tasking the media and the CSOs to remain vigilant and continue to provide credible intelligence that will help the anti-graft agency act swiftly and effectively.
“Intelligence sharing remains one of the most critical areas of our partnership. Information is power and in the fight against corruption, timely and accurate information can make the difference between success and failure. We encourage the media and CSOs to continue to share actionable intelligence with the Commission”, he said.
While assuring them of protecting the identity and safety of those who provide credible information, Olukoyede said that the Commission has strengthened its mechanism for handling whistleblower reports and for ensuring that sources are treated with confidentiality and respect.
Describing the media and CSOs as “indispensable pillars”, the EFCC’s boss called for “a coalition of conscience, an alliance of all stakeholders committed to good governance and national development”
“The media is a veritable watchdog of our democracy. Through investigative reporting, you expose corruption, demand transparency and inform citizens about the progress or setback in our collective effort to build a more accountable nation. Your work has often provided the spark that ignites public action and policy reform. CSOs, on the other hand, amplify the voice of the people. You mobilize communities, shape public opinion and hold institutions accountable. Your advocacy has helped to strengthen anti-corruption laws, promote civic participation and protect whistleblowers”. He enjoined them to engage more freely, share insights and explore new ways to make collaborations with them more effective.
The workshop provided a unique opportunity for interactions and knowledge sharing and strategies were explored to enhance collective capacity to detect, prevent and respond to evolving forms of financial crimes in the country through lectures delivered to the participants.
Deputy Commander of the EFCC, DCE Dele Oyewale, Commission’s Spokesperson spoke on “The Role of CSOs and Media in Driving A Preventive Framework”; the Head of Legal and Prosecution Department of the Directorate, Assistant Commander of the EFCC, ACE I Farouk Abdullah discussed “Prosecuting Financial Crimes: Issues, Challenges and the Way Forward”; while the Head of Bank Fraud Section of the Directorate, Chief Superintendent of the EFCC, CSE Stephen Idoko discussed “Understanding Crypto-currency Fraud and Other Emerging Financial Crimes”.
All the lectures provide opportunities for sharing perspectives, review existing frameworks and building new strengths in tackling corrupt practices. Oyewale talked extensively on the need to break wrong perceptions, stereotypes and false narratives against the EFCC, urging the media to be more forth-coming in offering right information to the public.
Abdullah called for broader understanding of the working of the judicial processes and procedures in appreciating all the challenges peculiar to the prosecuting of corruption cases in court while Idoko explained the intricacies involved in crypto currency transactions and the need for clarity by members of the public in engaging in such transactions. Aisha Mohammed, Head, Enlightenment and Reorientation Unit of the Commission, took the participants through the modalities involved in enlightening the public, stressing that newer grounds should be explored by every stakeholder in achieving it.
