Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) chair, Ola Olukoyede, has confirmed that the agency is currently investigating 18 sitting state governors for alleged economic and financial crimes. Olukoyede announced this during a sensitization programme in Lagos, stating that active investigations are underway even while the governors remain in office, and that enforcement action will intensify once they leave their terms of office.
He recounted a previous case where a former governor, under investigation while in office, fled to the United Kingdom the day after handing over power. According to Olukoyede, the governor made a spectacle in a UK hotel by spraying pounds, prompting the hotel manager to notify authorities. The EFCC had initiated its probe before the governor’s departure, illustrating the agency’s willingness to act without waiting until incumbency ends.
Olukoyede also referenced an earlier ruling by the Supreme Court, which affirmed the EFCC’s authority to investigate serving governors but clarified that prosecution can only occur after immunity lapses. He said the landmark judgment now provides solid legal backing for ongoing efforts to enforce accountability among politically exposed individuals.
