Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria — President Bola Tinubu has commissioned a new regional headquarters for Nigeria’s anti-corruption agency, declaring it a strategic investment to dismantle financial crime networks nationwide.
The new zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Ado-Ekiti, south-western Nigeria, was officially opened on Tuesday. The complex will oversee anti-graft operations across both Ekiti and Ondo states.
In a speech delivered on his behalf by Vice President Kashim Shettima, President Tinubu said providing modern infrastructure for law enforcement remains a national priority, noting that the EFCC occupies a central position in Nigeria’s ongoing economic reforms and national security architecture.
“My administration will continue to invest in strengthening the anti-corruption agencies through incentives, such as good and conducive working environments, competitive welfare packages, and unfettered freedom to operate,” the president said.
The president highlighted the agency’s recent international successes, including the dismantling of a foreign-controlled cryptocurrency fraud syndicate in Lagos, which led to the conviction of nearly 200 foreign nationals, as well as efforts that helped secure Nigeria’s exit from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) money-laundering grey list.
He added that billions of naira in recovered stolen assets are now being used to fund critical social intervention programmes, including national student loan and consumer credit schemes.
Addressing the gathering, EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede stated that the new office effectively closes historical operational gaps in the region. He sought to reassure law-abiding citizens that the agency’s expanding footprint should not cause panic.
“If you have nothing to hide, you can rest assured that if the EFCC knocks on your door, it is to ask for your support—you have nothing to fear,” Mr. Olukoyede said, while warning that financial criminals would find no refuge in the zone.
The anti-graft boss cited recent high-profile convictions as evidence of the agency’s long-term determination, including the recent 75-year jail term handed down to a former power minister for a multi-billion naira fraud, and a 490-year sentence given to the former head of a state-owned investment bank after a decade-long trial.
“The EFCC is a marathoner, and when it comes to the fight against corruption, we never give up,” Mr. Olukoyede declared, urging local communities and civil society groups to actively support the agency’s work.
The commissioning ceremony was attended by regional political leaders, including the governors of Ekiti and Ondo states, alongside senior lawmakers and traditional rulers.
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