The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has warned Nigerians against celebrating convicted corrupt individuals, saying the growing culture of honouring such persons with traditional titles weakens the country’s fight against corruption.
The warning was given by Nasir Salele, Head of the Legal Department at the EFCC Kaduna Zonal Directorate, during a one-day capacity-building workshop for media practitioners and civil society organisations held in Kaduna. Salele expressed concern that communities often glorify individuals convicted of corruption rather than rejecting their actions.
Salele said he had “seen instances where local people from their villages come to court, and instead of supporting the prosecution, they do the opposite.” He added that in some cases, supporters even protest naked in defence of individuals facing corruption charges.
Referring to a well-known case, he lamented: “There was a case in Nigeria well-known and on record where an individual was investigated, prosecuted, found guilty, convicted and sentenced to a term of imprisonment. After he completed the imprisonment, the entire community came out to celebrate and welcome him back as their son. Ideally, the community ought to have detested him.”
According to Salele, this trend reflects “the unfortunate reality in Nigeria,” where people in positions of authority “amass money without explanation, and instead of being questioned, he is given a traditional title.” He noted that such attitudes often result in prosecutors being wrongly perceived as “enemies” for carrying out their lawful duties.
Declaring the workshop open, the Acting Zonal Director of the EFCC Kaduna Directorate, ACE I Bawa Usman Kaltungo, who spoke on behalf of the Executive Chairman, commended the media and civil society organisations for being “critical drivers of change in the fight against the menace of corruption.”
Kaltungo said journalists “hold power accountable, and illuminate the dark corners where corruption often thrives.” He acknowledged that many of the Commission’s major breakthroughs were aided by information from the media and CSOs, which have helped expose “suspicious financial activities, abuse of office, and patterns of fraud.”
He reaffirmed the EFCC’s commitment to deeper collaboration with stakeholders, stressing that “our fight against corruption is not a solo mission; it is a collective national endeavour.”
Also speaking at the event, ACE I Tony Orilade, Head of Public Interface at the EFCC headquarters, criticised the culture of glorifying corrupt individuals, noting that some Nigerians “can even do asoebi in support of such individuals.” He insisted that the country must be protected from corrupt persons and fraudsters.
The Head of Public Relations of the EFCC Kaduna Zonal Directorate, Zainab Sani Ahmed, urged the media to intensify public enlightenment, emphasising the need for Nigerians to “join in the fight against corruption.”
