Lere Olayinka Says EFCC Urgently Needs Reform, Calls for Chairman’s Dismissal
Lere Olayinka, a prominent member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State, has issued a strong call for a comprehensive overhaul of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Olayinka contends that the agency’s current practices fall far short of global best practices in the fight against corruption, likening its behaviour to that of unruly motor park touts.
Reacting to the recent incident at a Lagos State hotel, where armed EFCC operatives assaulted female staff and guests during a pre-dawn raid, Olayinka demanded the immediate removal of the commission’s Chairman, Ola Olukoyede. The invasion, which occurred around 4 am, has drawn widespread condemnation.
Olayinka expressed deep concern about the trajectory of the EFCC. He warned that if left unchecked, the agency’s operatives might soon resort to setting up roadblocks to halt commercial vehicles and arbitrarily arrest passengers. The timing of the hotel invasion—4 am—raises questions about the agency’s adherence to its own ban on night sting operations, announced by Olukoyede on November 1, 2023.
Olayinka did not mince words, suggesting that either Chairman Olukoyede is incompetent or complicit in the agency’s actions. He urged decisive action to prevent further incidents reminiscent of the #EndSARS protests.
Regarding the arrest of the two operatives caught on CCTV assaulting people at the Lagos hotel, Olayinka criticized the agency’s afterthought response. He highlighted the need for transparency and accountability, emphasizing that destroying CCTV cameras undermines public trust.
Lere Olayinka questioned the wisdom of prosecuting cases for a decade, only to see them dismissed. He challenged the EFCC’s practice of charging everyone to court, even when the charges lack merit. The financial burden on defendants and the agency’s reliance on legal battles came under scrutiny.
In closing, Olayinka emphasized that anti-corruption agencies should operate discreetly, insisting that random arrests, late-night raids, and emotional actions are counterproductive. The EFCC must focus on substantive investigations rather than theatrics.
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