At a leadership conference hosted by the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) in Lagos on Friday, the head of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Olukoyede, made startling allegations about corruption within religious organizations. He revealed that the EFCC had recently recovered “many millions” from one such organization.
Olukoyede emphasized the need for religious leaders to utilize their platforms not only to preach but also to exhibit exemplary behavior to their congregations. He criticized these leaders for focusing on the faults of others while neglecting their own significant shortcomings.
“I had to recover millions from a religious organization just last week,” Olukoyede stated. “When someone is appointed as a pastor, they often become prominent figures without clear, legitimate means of livelihood. They depend on ministry funds, which raises questions about the source of their wealth. In some cases, religious organizations are more corrupt than public offices, and I have evidence to support this claim. They criticize others for minor faults while ignoring major issues within their own ranks.”
Olukoyede also highlighted a previous incident in January when the EFCC discovered a religious sect involved in laundering money for terrorists in Nigeria.