Oluwafunbi Bello 
EFCC Chairman, Ola Oyewale
ABUJA, Nigeria – Nigeria’s anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), warns that it will resist coordinated smear campaigns aimed at undermining its investigations as political activities gather momentum ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The commission says it has uncovered deliberate attempts by individuals linked to corruption suspects to discredit its leadership and operations through orchestrated media attacks and allegations of political bias.
In a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja, EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale reveals that vested interests have deployed paid agents to sponsor misleading narratives across selected media platforms.
“These campaigns aim to create confusion around our work and use intimidation tactics to force us into inaction,” Oyewale says.
According to the commission, the strategy is designed to discourage investigators from probing politically exposed persons, particularly opposition figures, for fear of being labelled partisan.
Oyewale cautions that such efforts are expected to intensify as electioneering activities escalate nationwide.
“We are monitoring those engaged in this dishonourable assignment,” he says. “The EFCC will not allow any distractions from its patriotic duty of strengthening public accountability across Nigeria.”
The spokesperson stresses that the commission remains strictly non-partisan, noting that suspects from both ruling and opposition parties are currently under investigation or facing prosecution. “Our operations strictly adhere to the EFCC Establishment Act,” Oyewale explains. “References to constitutional principles such as presumption of innocence are legal safeguards, not defences of any individual.”
The EFCC also rejects pressure to publicly disclose details of ongoing investigations involving politically exposed persons. “The EFCC remains committed to delivering justice impartially in the execution of its constitutional responsibilities,” Oyewale adds.
About the Author
Edino Chubiyo Cornelius 
Mirian Gom 
Hussaini Ibrahim