The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ola Olukoyede, has urged Compliance Officers of Banks nationwide to refrain from unauthorised disclosure of EFCC’s investigative activities and requests made to banks’ customers.

Speaking through the Acting Zonal Director of the Ibadan Zonal Command of the EFCC, ACE I Hauwa Garba Ringim, during a stakeholders’ meeting with Compliance Officers of Banks in Oyo State on Tuesday, Olukoyede emphasised the detrimental impact such disclosures have on the investigation of financial crimes and the timely filing of corruption cases in court.

Olukoyede expressed concern over the tacit support fraudsters receive from the Nigerian banking sector, highlighting the challenges it poses to the Commission.

He urged Compliance Officers to promptly respond to EFCC’s correspondence with certified true copies of relevant documents, as this facilitates swift investigation processes.

Also, Olukoyede addressed the illegal trading of naira with Point-of-sale (POS) operators, stressing the need to curtail such practices for the benefit of Nigerians.

In response to the chairman’s directives, Compliance Officers assured the EFCC of their unwavering support and commitment to enhancing collaboration between the Commission and banks for more effective anti-corruption efforts.

Nigerian Police authorities have released Daniel Ojukwu, the detained journalist with the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ).

Ojukwu, who went missing with his phone numbers switched off and whereabouts unknown to colleagues until it was found out he was detained by the police, regained his freedom on Friday.

“Daniel Ojukwu, the FIJ reporter who was abducted by men of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) of the Inspector-General of Police, has regained freedom after 10 days in police captivity,” the FIJ wrote on its website about Ojukwu’s release.

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“Ojukwu went missing on Wednesday, May 1, his numbers switched off and his whereabouts unknown to colleagues, family and friends.”

He was detained for purportedly infringing upon the country’s Cybercrime Act, widely condemned as a means of censorship.

The journalist’s apprehension and subsequent relocation to Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, came after his coverage of suspected financial mismanagement totaling over N147 million ($104,600) implicating a senior government official, as reported by his employer.

A banner is displayed during a protest at the Force Headquarters in Abuja demanding the release of Daniel Ojukwu on May 9, 2024, Thursday. Credit: @BukkyShonibare

Following his arrest, friends, colleagues, and supporters rallied behind Ojukwu, demanding his release.

I On Thursday, a coalition of media and civil society groups staged a protest at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, condemning his prolonged detention.

Addressing journalists, spokesperson Bukky Shonibare expressed concern over the escalating attacks on press freedom and the stifling of dissenting voices.

She emphasised that after nine days in detention, during which Ojukwu was allegedly arrested on the orders of the inspector general of police, the authorities were obligated to either press charges or release him unconditionally.

Upon Ojokwu’s release, an elated Bukky expressed gratitude on her social media handle, thanking Nigerians for their unwavering support.

“Daniel Ojukwu is free. Thank you, Nigerians,” she shared. “Thank you, everyone.”

The House of Representatives has passed a resolution to delve into the intricacies of the procurement process surrounding the award of the ₦15 trillion Lagos-Calabar coastal road contract.

The motion, spearheaded by Honourable Austin Achado on Thursday, was underscored as a matter of urgent national importance.

Citing breaches of the 2007 Procurement Act and the absence of requisite approvals from the National Assembly, the House highlighted glaring irregularities in the contract award process.

Consequently, the House has demanded that the Minister of Works, the Minister of Finance, the Attorney General, and the Minister of Justice furnish the National Assembly with copies of pertinent documents related to the contract.

This development unfolds against the backdrop of recent demolitions of buildings and structures along the designated route of the project.

Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, shed light on the financial scope of the undertaking, revealing that the construction of the Lagos-Calabar coastal road would amount to approximately ₦4 billion per kilometer.

Spanning a distance of 700 kilometers, the Lagos-Calabar coastal road is poised to establish a crucial link between Lagos and Cross River, traversing through Ogun, Ondo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, and Akwa Ibom states before reaching its terminus in Cross River.

Despite its ambitious scope, the project has not escaped scrutiny. Notable figures including Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, have criticised the endeavour, branding it a misallocation of resources by the Federal Government.

Similarly, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar labeled the project as fraudulent, although his assertions were promptly rebuffed by the Presidency.