The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has alleged that nearly 75 per cent of funds released by the Federal Government for Christian and Muslim pilgrimages were stolen by leaders of the agencies responsible for the programmes.
Olukoyede made the disclosure on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, in Abuja while addressing the second 2026 Council Meeting of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) and the public presentation of the EFCC’s Anti-Corruption Interfaith Manual for religious bodies.
He said the alleged diversion was uncovered during previous investigations by the commission into the Christian Pilgrims Board and the Muslim Pilgrims Board. Describing the findings as “mind-boggling,” the EFCC chairman stated that officials entrusted with managing public funds for the pilgrimage programmes diverted a substantial portion of the money.
According to him, some of the officials went further by registering private companies in the foreign countries where Nigerian pilgrims travelled, creating serious conflicts of interest.
“Some of them would register companies of their own in those countries we are travelling to by themselves. All kinds of criminal conflict of interest. The message should begin with us as leaders before we even go down to our followers. If as leaders we do the right thing, the followers will emulate us,” Olukoyede said.
He used the revelations to urge religious leaders and institutions to prioritise integrity, warning against mixing funds belonging to churches, mosques and other faith-based organisations with the personal resources or businesses of their leaders. Offerings, zakat and other institutional funds, he stressed, must remain in the organisations’ accounts and not be diverted.
Olukoyede also revealed that the EFCC’s case files are filled with suspects identified by religious titles such as pastor, imam, bishop and others, with some already convicted and serving prison terms. He questioned the continued use of such titles for individuals facing or convicted of financial crimes and warned that religious status would offer no protection.
“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.
The remarks came as the anti-graft agency launched its interfaith anti-corruption manual, designed to help Christian and Muslim leaders address issues of corruption, fraud, integrity and responsible citizenship in their teachings. Olukoyede emphasised that financial crime has no religion or tribe, and that the consequences of stolen public funds — poorly equipped hospitals, bad roads and unemployment — affect all Nigerians regardless of faith.
Other speakers at the NIREC meeting, including the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, and the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Rev. Daniel Okoh, also called for stronger religious leadership in the fight against corruption. The Sultan specifically cautioned against using stolen money to sponsor pilgrimages to Mecca or Jerusalem, stating that such deeds are unacceptable to God.
The allegation refers to earlier EFCC investigations rather than a newly announced probe. No specific monetary figures, years or individual names were provided in the reported remarks.
Shola Akinyele
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