The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has disclosed that many religious leaders, including pastors, imams, bishops and sheikhs, feature prominently among persons investigated or prosecuted for financial crimes.
Olukoyede made the disclosure while speaking at the 2026 Second Council Meeting of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) in Abuja.
According to the EFCC chairman, the commission’s case files contain several religious figures accused of financial crimes, with some cases resulting in convictions and imprisonment.
He said the involvement of people who occupy prominent religious positions in financial crimes should prompt Nigerians to look beyond religious titles when dealing with allegations of corruption and fraud.
Olukoyede also called for a change in the perception that religious titles should place individuals beyond scrutiny or accountability.
He stressed that pastors, imams, bishops, sheikhs and other religious leaders should be held accountable when they become involved in financial crimes.
The EFCC chairman’s remarks come amid the commission’s continuing efforts to investigate and prosecute financial crimes across different sectors of Nigerian society.
