The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has hit back at The Punch Newspaper over its October 30, 2025 editorial on Nigeria’s anti-corruption fight, describing it as “biased, uninformed, and unfair.”
In a statement issued by the EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, the Commission accused the newspaper of “mocking Nigeria’s asset recovery success” and downplaying the agency’s achievements under Executive Chairman Ola Olukoyede.
Oyewale noted that the EFCC has, in the last two years, recovered ₦566 billion, $411 million, and 1,502 non-monetary assets, including luxury duplexes and vehicles, while securing 7,503 convictions across the country.
“What would Punch prefer? That the corrupt continue to enjoy their loot? The same assets are being used to fund developmental programmes like NELFUND and CREDIT CORP,” Oyewale queried.
He added that no other anti-graft agency in the world has achieved the scale of recoveries or the record 792 arrests in a single operation like the EFCC did in Nigeria.
The Commission also faulted the newspaper’s criticism of delays in corruption trials, saying court processes and presidential pardons are beyond its control.
“Blaming EFCC for delayed trials or pardons is like blaming a priest for rainfall. The Commission cannot jail suspects without judicial process,” Oyewale said, adding that Punch’s mockery of the ongoing Yahaya Bello case was “petty and mischievous.”
He reminded the public that the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) recently removed Nigeria from its grey list — a feat made possible through EFCC’s efforts to strengthen the country’s anti-corruption systems.
“If other nations are commending Nigeria’s progress, it’s strange that The Punch chooses to join cynics who see nothing good in EFCC’s work,” he said.
Oyewale further pointed out that the EFCC’s Fraud Risk Assessment and Control (FRAC) department has saved Nigeria billions through preventive anti-graft systems, adding that the agency will not be deterred by media bias.
He concluded:
“Truth, like water, will always find its level. Nigeria is better and stronger with the EFCC.”
