By Our Correspondent
A Religious Organisation in Nigeria may have been used for money laundering amounting to billions of naira over the years.
The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, made this known on Wednesday at a one – day seminar on “Youth, Religion, and the Fight against Corruption”, in Abuja.
Olukoyede revealed that
while investigating a N13bn fraud,
the anti-graft agency traced the sum of N7bn, suspected to be proceeds of money laundering, to a religious organisation while another religious group was found to be laundering money for terrorists.
“We were investigating a N13bn money laundering case when we discovered that N7bn of the N13bn was linked to a religious organisation’s bank account.
“When we approached the religious organisation about it and we were carrying out our investigation, we got a restraining order stopping us from carrying out our investigation.”
Olukoyede, however, said the EFCC would not give up on the investigation as the agency had appealed against the restraining order.
“No one will be spared. We’ll probe everyone who is suspected to be committing financial crimes, and these include members of the executive, legislative, and judiciary arms of government,” Olukoyede added.
The anti graft Agency boss further alleged that some other religious organisations and institutions, had been aiding and abetting fraudsters and terrorists.
He said since his assumption of office as the EFCC chairman about three months ago, the anti-graft agency had secured 747 convictions, mostly cybercrime.
He said the event, was aimed at addressing the challenges of youth involvement in cybercrimes and how religion could be used as a weapon for their re-orientation.
Vice President Kashim Shettima, who represented President Bola Tinubu at the event, spoke extensively about the need to curb corruption in government and among the young people.
Other dignitaries present at the dialogue were the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), a former Minister of Power, Babatunde Fashola, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar, the President, Christian Association of Nigeria, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, the Chairperson, Nigeria Committee of Vice Chancellors, Prof. Lilian Salami, and the Registrar of JAMB, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede.
