Nigeria’s anticorruption watchdog, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has dismissed more than 40 of its own employees for alleged corruption and financial misconduct over the past three years, according to reports from Nigerian media outlets.

Chairman Announces Dismissals at Public Event

Ola Olukoyede, the chairman of the EFCC, revealed the dismissals during an event highlighting the agency’s achievements on Monday. According to Vanguard, a local Nigerian outlet, Olukoyede told journalists in the capital, Abuja, that he had asked for the removal of over 40 staff due to corruption and financial malpractice.

“You must be sure that your hands are clean, You can’t be fighting corruption when your hands are soiled with corrupt practices,” Olukoyede said, according to the report.

Prosecution and Convictions

Nigerian media outlets reported that five of the dismissed staff are currently facing prosecution, while cases are being prepared against the others. The statement cited Mr. Olukoyede’s media briefing as the source of the information.

The EFCC, a law enforcement and anticorruption agency, is responsible for investigating financial crimes, including advance fee fraud, money laundering, and corruption — it has previously investigated politicians and officials accused of misappropriating public funds.

During the briefing, the agency head also provided statistics on the EFCC’s achievements, though the commission has recovered 1.23 trillion naira ($923 million) and secured a 75 percent conviction rate, he said.

“The commission received 49,673 petitions, investigated 39,615 cases, filed 14,476 cases in court, and secured 10,872 convictions between October 2023 and July 2026,” Olukoyede said.

Recent Conviction Trends

In the first half of 2026 alone, the EFCC recorded 1,370 convictions from 1,889 filings, though Olukoyede noted that these results reflect diligence, resilience, and a prosecutorial approach anchored on evidence and courtroom outcomes.

“These results reflect diligence, resilience, and a prosecutorial approach anchored on evidence and courtroom outcomes,” he said.