The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has moved to clarify statements made by its Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, regarding religious sects implicated in money laundering activities, stressing that neither a church nor a mosque was directly involved.
Olukoyede had unveiled during a one-day dialogue on “Youth, Religion, and the Fight against Corruption” at the Musa Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja, that the anti-graft agency uncovered links between a religious organization and money laundering, along with another religious group allegedly aiding terrorists.
However, in a statement released by the EFCC’s spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, on Thursday, the commission expressed concern over misinterpretations of Olukoyede’s remarks by some media platforms and analysts.
According to Oyewale, Olukoyede’s comments were taken out of context, with some sources erroneously attributing the involvement to churches or mosques.
“The attention of the EFCC has been drawn to some misleading reports, commentaries and analyses by sections of the media, particularly Arise News, regarding the disclosure by the Executive Chairman, Mr. Ola Olukoyede about money laundering practices involving some religious sect leaders in Nigeria,” the statement read.
Quoting Olukoyede’s statement, Oyewale reiterated the Chairman’s words, emphasizing that the individuals implicated were religious sects, not explicitly defined as churches or mosques.
“Olukoyede neither mentioned a church, mosque nor any particular religious entity. Unfortunately, his comments have been twisted with mischievous connotations. The groups fingered by the EFCC chair are religious sects, not a church or a mosque,” Oyewale clarified.
The EFCC underscored its commitment to combating economic and financial crimes without bias, emphasizing that Olukoyede’s focus remains on fulfilling the agency’s mandate without distractions.
The statement concluded by urging the public to disregard any misrepresentation of the EFCC Chairman’s remarks, attributing them to mischief and misinformation.
