The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ola Olukoyede, has disclosed that several religious leaders, including pastors and imams, are currently in detention or have been convicted for fraudulent practices.
Olukoyede made the revelation on Wednesday while speaking at a business grant award ceremony organised by the Jerry Eze Foundation, where he stressed that corruption cuts across religious institutions.
According to him, both Christian and Islamic organisations are not immune to financial crimes, noting that misconduct is a reflection of individual character rather than religious affiliation.
“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,” he said.
The EFCC boss also revealed that the commission previously investigated Jerry Eze, founder of Streams of Joy International, over suspected money laundering.
He said the probe, which lasted six months, followed intelligence reports indicating significant foreign inflows into the cleric’s accounts from countries including Colombia, the United States, Sri Lanka and Togo.
“We saw dollars and pounds dropping in like raindrops,” Olukoyede said.
However, he noted that the investigation did not establish any wrongdoing against the cleric.
Olukoyede described Eze as a man of integrity, adding that although the anti-graft agency would not issue him a formal “letter of validation”, it would continue to monitor financial activities in line with its statutory mandate.
He further emphasised that beyond enforcement, the EFCC also has a preventive role, which includes recognising individuals and organisations that uphold transparency and accountability.
The development comes against the backdrop of regulatory provisions in the Companies and Allied Matters Act, which empowers authorities to oversee the operations of religious and charitable organisations.
The law allows the Corporate Affairs Commission to suspend trustees and appoint interim managers where there is evidence of mismanagement, fraud or actions deemed contrary to public interest.
The legislation had, however, faced stiff opposition from some religious leaders, particularly within the Christian community, who described it as an attempt to interfere in church administration.
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