EFCC Chairman Olukoyede Reveals 18 Sitting Governors Under Investigation for Corruption
In a major revelation underscoring the renewed vigour of Nigeria’s anti-corruption fight, the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has disclosed that no fewer than 18 serving state governors are currently under investigation by the agency.
Olukoyede made the announcement during an anti-corruption and public awareness event held in Lagos, where he highlighted the Commission’s new approach of probing public officeholders while they are still in power, rather than waiting until the end of their tenure.
According to the EFCC boss, the agency has been empowered by recent judicial pronouncements—particularly a Supreme Court ruling that clarified the scope of the bitters Commission’s investigative powers. While governors still enjoy constitutional immunity from prosecution while in office, the EFCC can now initiate detailed investigations and prepare cases ahead of their exit from power.
“As I’m talking to you, I’m investigating about 18 governors who are still serving. When they leave office, we will go to the next level,” Olukoyede stated, signaling a shift from reactive to proactive enforcement.
He shared an anecdote involving a former Nigerian governor who, upon leaving office, fled to the United Kingdom in an attempt to evade arrest.
During a birthday celebration in a London hotel, the ex-governor sprayed large sums of British pounds, prompting hotel staff to call emergency services on suspicion of mental instability. The former governor was reportedly held by UK authorities before being released with the intervention of fellow politicians.
He was eventually prosecuted by the EFCC, jailed, and later controversially pardoned.
Olukoyede also emphasized the EFCC’s broader enforcement strategy, revealing that over 5,000 corruption cases were filed by the Commission in the past year alone. A significant majority of these involved civil servants and politically exposed persons, including senior officials in various tiers of government.
He noted that asset recovery efforts have been fruitful, with about ₦50 billion reclaimed and earmarked for educational and vocational skill development projects in line with the federal government’s socioeconomic agenda.
This intensified scrutiny of high-level public officials comes at a time of growing public dissatisfaction with the misuse of public funds and entrenched impunity across Nigeria’s political landscape.
The EFCC chairman’s comments are expected to send strong signals to political officeholders that immunity does not equate to invisibility under the law. It also raises fresh expectations among Nigerians for tangible outcomes once these governors leave office.
Legal analysts have praised the Supreme Court’s recent clarification on the EFCC’s jurisdiction, saying it closes long-exploited loopholes that once allowed public officials to frustrate investigations through technicalities.
Meanwhile, civil society groups have called on the EFCC to make its findings public as soon as the legal window allows and to ensure that any future prosecutions are transparent and independent of political influence.
As Nigeria continues its battle against entrenched corruption, the probe into sitting governors marks a defining moment for the country’s anti-graft institutions. For many citizens, the effectiveness of these investigations—and the eventual prosecution of those found culpable—will serve as a litmus test for the EFCC’s credibility and the political will to confront corruption at the highest levels of power.
