The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has disclosed that 18 sitting governors are currently under investigation for corruption-related offences.
Speaking on Friday during a sensitisation programme in Lagos, Olukoyede emphasized that although the governors are still in office, the EFCC is actively gathering evidence and will intensify actions once their tenures end.
The event was designed to educate key stakeholders, including filmmakers and bureau de change operators, on the importance of safeguarding the naira and avoiding its abuse.
During a Q&A session, Olukoyede recounted a startling incident involving a former governor who, immediately after leaving office, fled to the United Kingdom to avoid EFCC arrest.
According to the EFCC boss, the ex-governor threw a lavish birthday party at a London hotel, during which he began spraying £50 and £10 notes. The hotel manager, alarmed by the display and suspecting a mental breakdown, called emergency services.
“The Metropolitan Police came, and the hotel manager asked them to arrest the former governor. They even considered putting him in an ambulance,” Olukoyede said.
He added that friends and two other Nigerian governors who were at the party had to intervene to explain that the man was not mentally unstable.
Olukoyede stressed that contrary to public perception, the EFCC does not wait until political officeholders leave office before launching investigations.
“As I’m talking to you, I’m investigating about 18 governors who are still serving. When they leave, we’ll go to the next level,” he stated.
