The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has disclosed that the commission is currently investigating 18 sitting governors for various alleged financial crimes.
Olukoyede said that their names would have been made public and drag them before court with the evidence before the agency but provisions of the 1999 constitution that granted the governor’s immunity has prevented EFCC from going after them.
The anti-graft agency boss disclosed this during a public engagement in Lagos on the abuse and mutilation of the naira, hosted by the commission to sensitize the public on financial discipline and anti-corruption measures.
“As I’m talking to you, I’m investigating about 18 governors who are still serving, When they leave office, we will move to the next level.”
The EFCC boss emphasized that the agency does not wait for public officials to complete their tenure before initiating investigations. Instead, he noted, the anti-graft body actively monitors and investigates cases involving public officeholders even while they remain in power.
In highlighting the commission’s reach, Olukoyede recounted an incident involving a former governor who fled Nigeria shortly after leaving office. According to him, the ex-governor was later apprehended in the United Kingdom after hotel staff alerted law enforcement when he was seen “spraying” 50 and 10-pound notes during a birthday party.
The EFCC chairman reiterated the agency’s commitment to accountability and the rule of law, stressing that no one is above scrutiny.
The disclosure comes amid renewed calls for greater transparency and integrity in the handling of public funds, particularly at the state level. While Olukoyede did not name the governors under investigation, the announcement signals the commission’s readiness to pursue high-profile cases, regardless of political status.
The EFCC’s ongoing investigations are expected to intensify once the affected governors complete their terms in office.
