Ola Olukoyede, chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has disclosed that pastors, imams, bishops, sheikhs and other religious figures feature prominently among individuals investigated, prosecuted and convicted for financial crimes in Nigeria.
Olukoyede made the disclosure on Wednesday at the 2026 Second Council Meeting of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council in Abuja, where he urged religious leaders to take a more active role in the fight against corruption and called for greater scrutiny of religious titles.
The EFCC chairman said the commission’s case files contained numerous suspects identified by religious titles, noting that some had been convicted and were serving prison sentences for financial crimes.
He said religious titles should not be allowed to influence how individuals accused of financial crimes are perceived or treated, including when such persons are facing prosecution or serving prison terms.
‘So many case files, pastor, imam indicted for financial crimes. And some of them are even badly convicted, and they are in jail,’ Olukoyede said.
He expressed concern that some convicted persons continued to be addressed by their religious titles even while serving jail terms.
‘And while in jail, they still refer to them as pastor and imam,’ he said.
Olukoyede therefore called for a review of the practice of conferring or using religious titles, arguing that titles such as pastor, imam, bishop and sheikh should not confer any special status on individuals who engage in financial crimes.
‘I advocated for a review of the titles we give to men of God. Maybe, if it is possible for us to remove those titles, pastor and imam.
‘If it is possible for us to remove that title: pastor, Imam, bishop, sheik. And you know what? I have my case files full of these titles,’ he said.
According to him, religious identity should be assessed through the conduct and actions of individuals rather than their titles, appearance or public perception.
He said religious status could not shield anyone from investigation or prosecution when there were allegations of financial crimes.
‘Because the spirit of God is by their fruits, not their appearance. Not what we call ourselves. It is by the fruits,’ Olukoyede said.
The EFCC chairman recounted an encounter with a suspect who, upon being brought to the commission for investigation, introduced himself using several religious titles.
‘Somebody was brought in for investigation. And he demanded to see me… As he entered, he said, I am reverend, doctor, bishop,’ he said.
Olukoyede said he remained focused on the allegations against the individual rather than the titles he claimed, stressing that religious affiliation would not determine the commission’s approach to financial crime.
‘So, if you think you’re a Christian or you’re a pastor here, and you commit financial crime, I will be your enemy. I won’t be your friend,’ he declared.
He also challenged religious leaders and their followers to examine whether Nigeria’s strong religious identity was adequately reflected in the country’s public and economic life.
According to him, the large number of Nigerians who identify strongly with Christianity and Islam should translate into higher standards of integrity and accountability in society.
‘We are a deeply religious people. Our churches and mosques are full. Yet, we must have the courage to ask ourselves, has the depth of our religious profession been sufficiently reflected in the integrity of our public and economic life?’ he said.
Olukoyede said the role of religious institutions in the fight against corruption should go beyond reacting to financial crimes after they had been committed.
He urged churches, mosques and other faith institutions to play a preventive role by shaping the conduct of their members and promoting values of honesty, accountability and integrity.
The EFCC chairman also criticised the practice of celebrating unexplained wealth within religious institutions, warning that religious leaders should question the sources of unusually large donations and wealth displayed by their members.
He cited the example of public officials who build expensive religious structures or make substantial donations that appear disproportionate to their known earnings.
‘A public servant says he has built a mosque that is worth more than his earnings in the next 500 years. And you go there to dedicate it. You are dedicating the process of crime,’ he said.
Olukoyede stressed that financial crime was not limited to any particular religion or ethnic group, urging faith communities to use their influence to discourage the celebration of wealth whose sources could not be explained.
He said religious leaders had a responsibility to ensure that their institutions did not become platforms for legitimising proceeds of crime or conferring social respectability on individuals whose wealth was derived from illicit activities.
The EFCC chairman urged members of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council to use their platforms to strengthen the moral fight against corruption and encourage their followers to uphold integrity in their personal, public and economic dealings.