The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has disclosed that 18 current state governors are under investigation for corruption-related offenses.
Speaking on Friday in Lagos during a public awareness campaign on naira abuse and currency mutilation, Olukoyede emphasized the agency’s commitment to tackling corruption regardless of political office.
“We do not wait until the end of a governor’s tenure to begin investigations. As I speak, 18 serving governors are under probe. Once they leave office, we will proceed with further action,” he said.
The EFCC chairman also recounted a case involving a former governor who fled to the United Kingdom immediately after leaving office. According to Olukoyede, the ex-governor was arrested at a hotel in London where he was throwing a birthday party.
“He began spraying £50 and £10 notes at the party. The hotel manager, shocked by the display, contacted emergency services thinking the man was mentally unstable. When police arrived, they attempted to detain him, mistaking the behavior for a psychiatric episode,” Olukoyede said.
He added that it took the intervention of two serving governors and other associates present at the event to clarify the situation and prevent further escalation.
Olukoyede used the anecdote to highlight the extravagance and impunity with which some former officials handle public funds, stressing the EFCC’s ongoing efforts to curb financial misconduct across all levels of government.
