The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ola Olukoyede, has stressed that the Commission plans to investigate and prosecute local government chairmen across Nigeria who are indicted for fraud.
Olukoyede urged local government chairmen nationwide to take accountability seriously, emphasizing that they do not have immunity while in office.
He issued this warning in Gombe, Gombe State, on Wednesday, February 19, 2025, at the Gombe State Local Government Summit.
“Local government chairmen do not have immunity, and we are not going to wait until you finish your tenure to come after you,” he stated.
Need for Prudent Management of Local Government Funds
According to the EFCC Chairman, local council chairmen must be prudent in managing the substantial resources at their disposal.
He decried the stagnation, poverty, and deprivation prevalent in rural areas across Nigeria, despite the significant funds allocated to them from the Federation Account and other international interventions over the years.
“The impact of these resources is not felt by the people living in these areas. Councils, instead of becoming catalysts for growth, have become caricatures existing only in name,” he added.
Recommendations on Accountability Monitoring
To ensure prudent resource management and accountability, the EFCC boss recommended that local government chairmen establish a compliance unit to assist in monitoring the use of resources and the execution of projects.
- On its part, he revealed the EFCC has set up a Fraud Risk Assessment and Control (FRAC) Department, which will deploy officers to local government councils in Gombe State to oversee the use of expected enhanced allocations from the Federation Account.
“EFCC will be paying you visits occasionally to monitor how you are using the funds. We will come in the evening. Sometimes, you may even see us in your dreams,” Olukoyede warned.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Musa Adamu Aliyu, urged local government councils to develop functional websites and regularly update them with progress on developmental projects.
- Aliyu expressed dismay that only seven out of Nigeria’s 774 local government councils have websites, making it difficult to track their expenditures.
Gombe Governor’s Acknowledgment
Gombe State Governor, Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya, appreciated the anti-graft agencies for their efforts in enhancing the capacity and knowledge of local government administrations in light of the autonomy granted to councils.
More Insights
The EFCC chairman’s remarks reinforce the stance of the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), who, in July 2024, vowed to prosecute local government chairmen and councillors who tamper with FAAC allocations meant for their jurisdictions.
- Fagbemi had emphasized the Supreme Court’s 2024 verdict on local government autonomy, which was aimed at ensuring that funds allocated to local governments are directly received and utilized by them, rather than by state governments.
- He highlighted the absence of immunity for local government officials and warned of jail terms for those found guilty of misappropriating funds.
He urged them to prioritize local development and governance.
