Public officers stealing Nigeria’s money every minute – EFCC boss

The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, says Nigerian politicians steal public funds every minute.

He spoke in Abuja on Thursday at the 80th birthday celebration of former Attorney-General, Kanu Agabi.

Olukoyede said the anti-graft agency receives over 20,000 corruption petitions every year, adding that most of the cases are shocking.

“I receive over 20,000 petitions in a year in respect to public corruption, all terrible. What is going on? Like every minute, public officers take money, and if you go through some of our case files you will weep.

“The way people take national resources and Nigerians are victims of these fraudulent activities. And we must come together for once in our lifetime and say no to the activities of some of our leaders,”  Olukoyede said.

The EFCC boss said some public officers resume office with less than N100,000 in their account, but after three years, EFCC will trace millions of dollars to them.

He said some of them build hundreds of houses while still in office, noting that corruption is killing Nigeria.

Olukoyede said public officers must explain what they did in office, stressing that accountability and transparency must guide public service.