Terrorism: N7bn traced to ‘religious sect not church, mosque’ – EFCC clarifies

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has clarified on a statement credited to its Chairman, Mr. Ola Olukoyede who had earlier claimed that the sum of N7 billion was traced by his anti-graft agency to ‘a religious body’ during its investigations into money laundering practices involving some religious sect leaders in the country.

According to the EFCC, in a statement, Thursday, issued by its Head, Media & Publicity, Dele Oyewale, the reference being made by Mr Olukoyede was about a religious sect and not a church or mosque.

The clarification followed controversy which has trailed the EFCC chairman’s statement which it described as ‘misleading reports, commentaries and analyses by sections of the media.’

It would be recalled that during the commission’s public engagement on Youth, Religion and the Fight Against Corruption on Wednesday, January 31, in Abuja, the Chairman had frowned at the conduct of some religious sect leaders whom he accused of being complicit in money laundering.

“As I’m standing before you, there is a matter we are handling, a pyramid scheme that involves over N30 billion fleeced from Nigerians.

“Along the line, some people died, some victims collapsed and all of that. We were able to trace over N7billion to a particular religious body and I said, write a letter to the leader of that religious sect, and we did.

“The next thing we saw was a restraining order. We got a restraining order restraining us from recovering the money.  Meanwhile, people have died along the line. Money traced directly to your body, and that is what we are battling.  Of course, we have appealed, and this is the situation that is facing us, religious leaders.

“When I was the Chief of Staff, we investigated an issue of money laundering, somewhere in this country. There is a particular religious sect that laundered money for terrorists. These are the problems we are battling with,” Olukoyede was quoted as saying.

However, according to the EFCC clarification, ‘Olukoyede neither mentioned a Church, Mosque nor any particular religious entity.  Unfortunately, his comments have been twisted with mischievous connotations.’

“The groups fingered by the EFCC chair are religious sects, not a church or a mosque.

“Those subjecting this disclosure to sinister interpretation are on to mischief and should be ignored.

“The EFCC’s boss is focused on his assignment of tackling all shades of economic and financial crimes and would not be distracted,” the anti-graft agency said.