EFCC Takes Fight Against Graft to Anambra, Imo, Assures Business Protection

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has expanded its operational reach to Anambra and Imo states with the inauguration of a new zonal office in Awka, the Anambra State capital, as the commission moves to strengthen the fight against economic and financial crimes and bring its operations closer to businesses, government institutions and residents in the two states.

The EFCC Chairman, Olanipekun Olukoyede, who spoke at the inauguration on Friday, said the new facility would significantly enhance the commission’s capacity to investigate and prosecute financial crimes while expanding access to justice, accountability and public engagement across Anambra and Imo.

Olukoyede said the Awka office was not merely an expansion of the commission’s geographical presence, but a deliberate effort to protect legitimate economic activities and foster closer collaboration with governments, businesses and citizens in the two states.

The ceremony was attended by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, who represented President Bola Tinubu; Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo; Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma; prominent members of the National Assembly; traditional rulers from Anambra and Imo; captains of industry; and other stakeholders.

Speaking at the inauguration, Olukoyede disclosed that the commission had commenced the digitisation of its processes, with more than 60 per cent of its activities currently digitised.

According to him, the strategic location of the facility in Awka was intended to bring the EFCC closer to the people and the economic activities it is mandated to protect.
Olukoyede said the new office would serve as a regional operational base covering both Anambra and Imo states.

“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. 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.” he added.

He explained that the expansion was part of the commission’s broader strategy to strengthen its fight against economic and financial crimes across the country.

Olukoyede noted that Anambra and Imo were renowned for enterprise, innovation, commerce and strong economic activity, stressing that legitimate businesses, investments and economic activities in the two states needed to be protected from fraud and other forms of financial crime.

“Across both states, we see Nigerians creating businesses, building industries, trading, investing and generating employment.
“These legitimate economic activities must be protected from fraud, cybercrime, 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.
“I need to emphasise this because I don’t want anybody to go and be fighting with our coming. Part of our mandate is also to help you safeguard your economy. And that’s one of the things EFCC is known for.
“And so, I charge Mr Governor and the head of the office here to develop a cordial working relationship. We look at vulnerable areas in the system, vulnerabilities in particular areas, and areas that are vulnerable to fraud, and we work with you to draw what we call risk assessment and control.
“That will be part of the mission. So, we are not just here to hunt you; we are here to work with you to make sure that you succeed in your economic activities,” he said.

The EFCC chairman also said the commission had recorded significant progress in the prosecution of economic and financial crimes.

According to him, between October 2023 and July 2024, the commission received 49,615 petitions, investigated 39,632 cases, filed 14,436 cases in court and secured 10,872 convictions.

“Within this period, we have secured 10,872 convictions. This gives a conviction that the commission is taking the fight against financial crimes seriously,” Olukoyede added.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, who represented President Tinubu at the event, urged the governments of Anambra and Imo states to protect the critical infrastructure housing the EFCC zonal office.

Abbas said Nigeria’s economic resurgence and improved investment outlook owed much to the commission’s enforcement activities, which, according to him, contributed to the country’s removal from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list in October 2025.

He said the EFCC’s enforcement operations had demonstrated Nigeria’s commitment to combating money laundering and terrorism financing.

According to Abbas, the development had strengthened the country’s financial security and helped restore international confidence in Nigeria’s economic potential.

He called on Nigerians to take ownership of the fight against corruption and financial crimes, stressing that transparency, accountability and due process required the active cooperation of citizens.

“Specifically, the people of Anambra and Imo States must embrace this new zonal office as their own asset for it to deliver meaningful impact in their communities.
“To the personnel anchoring this office, I charge you to preserve this infrastructure and optimise the resources dedicated to its establishment. Furthermore, you must execute your duties with utmost professionalism, ensuring every action strictly adheres to the rule of law,” Abbas added.

In his address, the Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, welcomed the EFCC to the state and said the presence of the commission would strengthen efforts to combat economic and financial crimes.

Soludo said the EFCC should ideally have a presence in all 774 local government areas of the country to enhance its effectiveness in combating financial crimes.

He assured the commission of his administration’s cooperation and partnership in tackling economic and financial crimes in the state.

“We are enthusiastic and excited to ensure that there is EFCC in Anambra here, not because our people are into crime, but because fighting crime is everybody’s responsibility. It needs to be heavy. Ideally, EFCC should be in the 774 LGAs of the country.
“And so, this regional office covering Anambra and Imo states is a welcome development, and we say thank you very much. Welcome to Anambra.
“We will cooperate with you in every way possible to make sure that your work goes well. In a society where you have pervasive economic and financial crimes, that society will not move forward economically or in development,” Soludo said.

In his remarks, the Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, commended Olukoyede for expanding the operational capacity of the anti-graft agency.

Uzodimma also pledged the state’s cooperation with the commission in its efforts to combat economic and financial crimes and strengthen accountability across the two states.

The inauguration of the Awka zonal office brings the EFCC’s operations closer to businesses, government institutions and residents in Anambra and Imo, while providing the commission with an expanded operational base for investigations, enforcement activities and public engagement across the two states.