EFCC Boss Reveals Pastors, Imams in Custody Over Fraud Cases
Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has disclosed that several religious leaders, including pastors and imams, are currently in the custody of the commission over alleged fraud-related offences.
Olukoyede also revealed that some clerics have already been prosecuted and convicted, stressing that corruption is not limited to political circles or corporate organisations.
The EFCC chairman made the remarks on Wednesday during the Jerry Eze Foundation business grant award ceremony, where he spoke on integrity, accountability, and the agency’s anti-corruption mandate.
According to him, fraudulent practices can occur in any sector, including religious institutions, noting that both Christian and Islamic organisations have come under scrutiny in recent investigations.
“I have a lot of them in my holding facility as I’m talking to you. I have a lot of them that are convicted for fraudulent practices,” Olukoyede said.
He maintained that wrongdoing should be viewed as an individual moral failure rather than a reflection of any religion or faith community.
The anti-graft chief added that the commission’s experience has shown that honesty and corruption are matters of personal character, not titles, clerical status, or religious identity.
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His comments also renewed discussions around provisions of the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA), which grants authorities powers to intervene in the management of associations and religious bodies where fraud, misconduct, or financial mismanagement is suspected.
The law, enacted in 2020, generated strong reactions at the time, especially from some church leaders who described it as undue state interference in religious affairs.
In a related revelation, Olukoyede said the EFCC once investigated the founder of Streams of Joy International, Pastor Jerry Eze, after intelligence reports linked his accounts to suspicious foreign transactions.
He said the probe lasted six months and tracked inflows from countries such as Colombia, the United States, Sri Lanka, and Togo.
“We saw dollars and pounds dropping in like raindrops,” he stated.
However, the EFCC chairman clarified that the investigation found no evidence of money laundering or financial misconduct against the cleric.
Rather than prosecution, he said the case reinforced the need for the agency to also recognise individuals and institutions that demonstrate transparency and ethical conduct.
“People identify us with criminals, with suspects, and all of that. I also have a preventive mandate,” Olukoyede said.
“EFCC should also be identified with people who have integrity. We must celebrate them.”
He described Jerry Eze as someone deserving commendation for his transparency, while joking that no official clearance letter would be issued, adding that the commission would continue to monitor financial activities within the scope of the law.
