The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, has disclosed that 18 sitting governors are currently under investigation by the agency for various alleged financial infractions.
Olukoyede made this revelation on Friday during a public awareness programme in Lagos, aimed at addressing the misuse and abuse of the naira.
According to the EFCC chief, while the agency initiates investigations even while public officials are in office, certain actions are only taken once they vacate their positions due to constitutional limitations.
“We don’t wait until governors complete their tenure before we begin our work. Right now, the EFCC is actively investigating 18 sitting governors. Once their tenures are over, we will proceed accordingly,” he stated.
Sharing a related anecdote, Olukoyede recounted a case involving a former Nigerian governor who fled the country immediately after handing over power to evade EFCC arrest. The ex-governor, he said, traveled to the United Kingdom, where he hosted a lavish birthday party in a hotel.
During the celebration, the former governor allegedly began spraying British pounds in denominations of £10 and £50, which startled the hotel staff. Concerned by the unusual behavior, the hotel manager contacted emergency services, fearing the guest might be mentally unstable.
“When the Metropolitan Police arrived, they prepared to detain him, even calling an ambulance, believing they were dealing with a psychiatric episode,” Olukoyede said.
He added that two other Nigerian governors and close associates of the former governor, who had travelled to the UK for the event, intervened and clarified the situation to the authorities.
“The hotel manager had never seen such conduct before and mistook it for a sign of mental distress. It was only after his friends explained that the situation was defused,” Olukoyede noted.
