EFCC Chairman: How I could have landed in Jail

Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Olanipekun Olukoyede, has narrated how he would have been jailed during an investigation by the commission.

He disclosed this on Thursday during an event in Abuja themed, ‘Ethics, Integrity, Corruption Risk Assessments, and Anti-Corruption at National and Sub-National Levels in Nigeria: Sustaining the Fight Against Corruption’.

Explaining the incident, the EFCC boss said it started after he rejected biddings by his brother-in-law and elder brother’s attempt to be part of an auctioneering process during his time as the EFCC Secretary.

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He said, “I was statutorily in charge of management of forfeited assets. With my chairman then, we agreed that we should select a committee. So, we selected assets forfeiture committee comprising about six directors, including myself as the chairman of the committee and a few other staff.

“We advertised for auctioneers. So, they applied. We were able to shortlist about 11 of them. My brother-in-law happens to be an international auctioneer and he also applied. When I saw his application, I shredded it and my PA who knew him informed him about my action. For six months he didn’t talk to me. So we did the auction.

“One of my elder brothers called me that he heard I was doing an auction and needed a draw for his business. I told him to go and read what we published on conflict of interest. No staff of EFCC or immediate members of the family is allowed. He said they will use another name. Of course, they would have helped him. I knew they could do that.”

Olukayode further explained that eight months down the line, a panel was set up to investigate activities of the EFCC.

“I and my chairman then were placed on suspension. Now they began to investigate what we did in the office. They investigated the particular auction I did in Port Harcourt. Assuming they found the name of my brother-in-law as one of the auctioneers. What could have been the result? Probably I may be in jail by now,” he added.