The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has publicly commended the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, for his role in facilitating the recovery of billions of naira linked to illicit financial activities.
Mr. Olukoyede disclosed this development during a recent public engagement focused on the intersection of corruption and religious institutions. According to the EFCC boss, the commission had uncovered evidence that certain high-net-worth individuals and political figures were utilizing religious organizations as conduits to launder proceeds derived from corrupt practices. During their investigation, detectives successfully traced significant sums of suspicious funds to the accounts of the RCCG.
Upon discovering these illicit transactions, the anti-graft agency reached out to the church leadership to present their findings. Rather than attempting to obstruct the investigation or shield the donors, Pastor Adeboye reportedly took immediate action to ensure the integrity of the church’s financial records. Mr. Olukoyede noted that the cleric did not contest the commission’s evidence and instead issued a firm directive to his subordinates to return the money.
Recounting the interaction, the EFCC chairman quoted the General Overseer as stating that the church would not retain funds deemed to be proceeds of crime. According to Mr. Olukoyede, Pastor Adeboye insisted that the money be returned to the state, remarking that if the funds were not clean, the church had no business holding onto them and would allow the government to handle the recovery process according to the law.
The EFCC confirmed that the church acted on these instructions promptly, resulting in the successful recovery of billions of naira. This incident serves as a notable example of the commission’s ongoing efforts to track laundered money within the religious sector and underscores the significance of cooperation from institutional heads in curbing financial malfeasance.