Diverting tithes, offerings, others to private businesses criminal offence – EFCC warns

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has warned religious leaders against diverting tithes, offerings, zakat and other religious funds into private businesses.

The EFCC Chairman, Mr Ola Olukoyede, gave the warning on Wednesday in Abuja at the 2026 Second Council Meeting of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council, NIREC.

Olukoyede said such diversion was criminal and advised churches and mosques to create regulatory compliance mechanisms to protect funds entrusted to them.

He emphasised that religious leaders must lead by example in the fight against corruption because their followers emulated their conduct.

“When the followers know that there is no difference between the money that is meant to propagate the faith that you stand for and your own personal resources, you miss everything together.

“You are not supposed to mingle in. That’s nothing that says you can’t do any other vocation. You sell cars, you are a farmer and all of that.

“Don’t mix the money from the purse of your organisation with that of your own personal money. Don’t do that. When money is paid to your organisation, don’t divert it to your business.

“That’s criminal and some of our adherents and followers see some of these things we do.”

The EFCC chairman noted that religious institutions had an extraordinary responsibility because while the EFCC could investigate, conduct and prosecute fraud, faith communities could influence character and cultivate honesty to prevent crime.

He also criticised worship centres that celebrated unexplained wealth.

“A public servant says he has built a mosque that is worth more than his earnings in the next 500 years. And you go there to dedicate it. You are dedicating the proceeds of crime,” he said.