The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas; Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo; Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma; and the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Olanipekun Olukoyede, were among dignitaries who attended the opening of the EFCC’s office in Awka, the Anambra State capital, on Friday.
President Bola Tinubu was represented at the event by Abbas, which was attended by prominent members of the National Assembly, traditional rulers from Anambra and Imo states, as well as captains of industry.
Speaking in his opening address, Olukoyede said the commission had begun the digitisation of its processes, adding that more than 60 per cent of its activities were currently digitised.
He said the EFCC’s zonal facility, strategically located in Awka, was aimed at significantly expanding the commission’s operational footprint and strengthening its capacity to deliver accountability oversight across Anambra and Imo states.
He said the establishment of the office was more than geographical expansion, adding that it would bring the agency closer to the people and the economic activities it was mandated to protect.
He said, “This facility significantly expands our operational footprint and reinforces our capacity to deliver comprehensive accountability oversight across both Anambra and Imo states.
“So, it is one office that covers two states – Anambra and Imo. The dedication of this building today represents an expansion of access to justice, an expansion of our operational capacity, and, importantly, an expansion of the collaboration between the EFCC and the Nigerian public in the fight against economic and financial crimes.
The newly commissioned EFCC’s office in Awka…Photo Credit: Ikenna Obianeri
He said, “This facility significantly expands our operational footprint and reinforces our capacity to deliver comprehensive accountability oversight across both Anambra and Imo states.
“So, it is one office that covers two states – Anambra and Imo. The dedication of this building today represents an expansion of access to justice, an expansion of our operational capacity, and, importantly, an expansion of the collaboration between the EFCC and the Nigerian public in the fight against economic and financial crimes.
“The establishment of this zonal directorate is integral to the commission’s expansion made possible by the generous appropriation of the National Assembly and the strategic interventions of President Bola Tinubu, for which we express our profound gratitude.
“Under the current reform agenda, we are establishing directorates in Ekiti State, which we commissioned a couple of months ago; Anambra State, which we are commissioning today; and Katsina State, which we will be commissioning next week.”
Olukoyede said the strategic expansion was designed to strengthen the fight against economic and financial crimes across the affected states, which he described as centres of enterprise, innovation and commerce.
He said the commission received 49,615 petitions between October 2023 and July 2024, out of which 39,632 cases were investigated.
He said, “Across both states, we see Nigerians creating businesses, building industry, trading, investing, and also generating employment.
“These legitimate economic activities must be protected from fraud, from cybercrime and money laundering, advance fee fraud, diversion of public resources, and other forms of economic and financial crime.
“Therefore, our coming to Awka is beyond geographical expansion. It’s about bringing the agency a bit closer to the people, and closer to the economic activities we are meant to protect.