The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has defended the agency’s authority to effect arrests without court warrants when legally justified, saying the badge he carries serves as the commission’s enforceable warrant.
Olukoyede made the remarks on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics programme on Sunday, amid heightened enforcement activity against internet fraudsters and other financial crimes suspects.
Olukoyede said that in the past two months, the EFCC carried out hundreds of sting operation arrests targeting suspected “Yahoo boys” — internet fraudsters operating covertly in hotels and apartments — as part of professionalised reforms to tackle cybercrime.
“We have the power to effect arrest without a warrant. The badge I carry is my warrant to effect an arrest anytime, any day,” he stated, stressing that planned and intelligence-driven operations were necessary because many suspects avoid public view.
The EFCC chairman said that when suspects cannot be located in their residences, operatives may pursue them in other locations, including hotels, and that the commission’s legal mandate empowers it to carry out such actions.
“If I had to break down a door to effect an arrest, I would do that. You see the FBI do that, you see [Britain’s] National Crime Agency do that, so why is ours different?” Olukoyede asked, citing comparable practices by foreign enforcement agencies.
Olukoyede also highlighted cooperation with international partners, noting that the EFCC has conducted joint operations with counterparts such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency (NCA), and that he had hosted the FBI Director in Abuja in acknowledgement of the agency’s work.
“We have had cause to carry out joint operations with our counterparts abroad … and professionally we have been given laurels,” he said, urging Nigerians to support the commission’s efforts.
The EFCC’s operational stance comes amid ongoing debate about enforcement tactics in Nigeria’s anti-graft fight. Legal experts note that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act and related laws grant the EFCC powers akin to those of the Nigeria Police Force.
Including authority to arrest suspects reasonably believed to have committed offences under applicable statutes, though some commentators argue for strict adherence to due process in all operations.
Public reactions to the EFCC’s approach have been mixed, with some civil society groups and rights advocates urging the agency to balance assertive enforcement with respect for due process and human rights.
Others argue that strong action is necessary to curb pervasive financial crimes, particularly those involving advanced fee fraud and cybercrime.
Olukoyede reiterated that the anti-graft campaign is aimed at curbing corruption and transforming Nigeria’s economic environment and called for public cooperation to bolster intelligence sharing and enhance operational effectiveness.
As the EFCC continues its enforcement operations, further clarifications from the agency on operational protocols and legal safeguards are expected to shape public understanding of its evolving role in Nigeria’s fight against financial crime.
