The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede has decried the high level of corruption among religious leaders and called for a rethink of the use of religious titles such as “Pastor,” “Imam,” “Reverend” and “Bishop” for people facing allegations of financial crimes.

Olukoyede who made the call while speaking at the meeting of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) and the launch of an EFCC interfaith anti-corruption manual in Abuja, revealed that the EFCC’s case files contain numerous suspects identified by religious titles, including some who have been convicted and imprisoned for financial crimes.

He said, “I have advocated for review of the title we give to men of God, “Maybe if it is possible for us to remove that title, pastor and imam.”

Olukayode who insisted that religious leaders and institutions have extraordinary responsibility in Nigeria’s anti-corruption struggle , emphasized that that one of the most consequential contributions religious leaders can make is to restore the moral dignity of honest living.

The EFCC chairman said religious titles should not influence how suspects are treated or obscure the alleged offences for which they are being investigated.

Olukayode also challenged churches and mosques to scrutinise the sources of donations and wealth brought before them, warning that accepting unexplained wealth in the name of religious expansion could amount to providing moral cover for corruption.

He cited the example of a public servant who allegedly builds a multimillion-naira religious facility far beyond what could reasonably be supported by his known earnings.

“If a public servant says he has built a mosque that is worth more than his earnings in the next 500 years, and you go there to dedicate it, you are dedicating the proceeds of crime,” Olukoyede said.

The EFCC chairman also warned religious leaders against accepting huge donations without questioning their sources.

“If he says he is giving you N550 million and you don’t ask questions, and you say, ‘God bless you,’ you are blessing the proceeds of crime,” he said.

He recounted an encounter with a suspect who introduced himself by several religious titles when he appeared in his office.

“I said, wait there. Don’t bring that one here. Did you misappropriate money or not?” That suspect was subsequently faced with five charges”.

Olukoyede stressed that the EFCC would prosecute financial crimes regardless of the religious identity of the suspect.

“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.

Olukayode stated that when he was chief of staff and also secretary at the EFCC, the agency carried out an investigation on both the Christian Pilgrims and the Muslim Pilgrims Boards adding that some of the discoveries were mind-boggling as almost 75 per cent of the money that government released to sponsor pilgrims was stolen by the leaders of those organisations.

“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 urged religious organisations to maintain proper financial separation between institutional funds and the personal businesses or finances of their leaders.

He said offerings, zakat and other funds belonging to religious organisations should remain in the organisations’ accounts and should not be diverted to private businesses.

The EFCC chairman said religious leaders have a critical role to play in preventing corruption before it occurs, arguing that the fight against corruption cannot be won through arrests and prosecutions alone.

“The EFCC can investigate a person’s conduct. Faith communities can influence that person’s character,” he said.

He called for a new social attitude in which unexplained wealth loses its prestige in places of worship and honest living is accorded greater respect.

“Integrity is not foolishness. Honest labour is not failure,” Olukoyede said.

The EFCC chairman also disclosed that the commission had dismissed more than 40 staff members following findings of corrupt practices and other gross misconduct, saying an institution fighting corruption must demonstrate integrity within its own ranks.

He further highlighted the commission’s fraud-risk assessment and control initiative, saying the EFCC was increasingly focused on preventing public funds from being stolen rather than waiting until the money had disappeared before acting.

Olukoyede said the commission monitors the release and application of government funds as well as the execution of projects, describing prevention as central to the future of Nigeria’s anti-corruption efforts.

He maintained that corruption should not be viewed through religious, ethnic or political lenses, stressing that financial crimes have no religion and that the consequences of corruption affect Nigerians across faiths and communities.

The EFCC chairman urged pastors, imams and other religious leaders to use the commission’s new interfaith manual to educate their followers on the moral and legal consequences of corruption.

Olukayode stated that Nigeria’s religious diversity should be used to strengthen, rather than undermine, the country’s commitment to justice, ethical conduct and good governance.

He said, “We believe that no religion condones corruption and no faith entertains fraudulent engagement. The EFCC believes that financial crimes have no religion. Corruption has no tribe. Fraud does not become Christian or Muslim because of the identity of the person accused of committing it”.

There are certain things we discover our religious leaders do that is heartbreakin

The EFCC boss urged churches and mosques to challenge the values that make society worship wealth without questioning its source.

He said, “We must ask difficult questions. What message do we send when unexplained wealth commands more respect than integrity? What do young Nigerians learn when society celebrates the wealthy person but rarely asks how the wealth was acquired? What happens when religious communities condemn corruption from the pupils but confer honour and recognition without sufficient concern for the integrity behind the wealth being celebrated? “.

Also speaking, the Sultan of Sokoto and Co-Chairman of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) , His Eminence Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III called for a united religious response to corruption, declaring that no cleric, religious leader or influential Nigerian should be shielded from the law when found culpable.

He stated that religious leaders had a responsibility to support efforts to tackle corruption because, according to him, corruption was condemned by God.

Abubakar warned against using proceeds of corruption for religious activities, including sponsoring pilgrims to Jerusalem or Saudi Arabia for Hajj.

“You cannot steal money and then send people to Jerusalem and Mecca with corrupt money, and then you think God will accept your deeds. No.”

The Sultan urged the authorities responsible for fighting corruption to pursue anyone suspected of wrongdoing, irrespective of their religious status or connections.

He said: “Whoever is involved, even our brothers, our sisters, our fathers, our friends, those involved, should face the law.”

The Sultan also cautioned religious leaders against intervening when their members or colleagues were facing legitimate legal proceedings.

“If he is facing the law, don’t tell me he is the pastor of so-and-so church, he is the chief monk of so-and-so national mosque. We don’t want to hear that,” he said.

Abubakar stressed that the application of the law should not be determined by political considerations, saying those found to have committed offences should be dealt with according to the law.

He also used the occasion to call for greater understanding between Christians and Muslims, describing NIREC as an important platform for religious dialogue and national cohesion.

According to him, Nigerians should move beyond merely “tolerating” one another to genuinely understanding each other’s faiths and perspectives.

“Understanding is more important than toleration,” he said, urging Muslims and Christians to continue meeting, talking openly and addressing the country’s problems together.

The Sultan also appealed to religious leaders and their followers to pray for Nigeria’s political leaders, including the President, governors and members of the National Assembly, regardless of their political differences.

He warned religious leaders against using their pulpits to promote or denigrate political candidates, saying the country’s religious communities should instead encourage peaceful participation and pray for leaders to govern well.

The Sultan said Nigeria’s ability to bring Christians and Muslims together for dialogue was something the country should value, describing such engagement as essential to the stability and development of the nation.