The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has called on media organisations to maintain high ethical standards and ensure balanced reporting in coverage of anti-corruption efforts.
Olukoyede made the appeal at the “VON Forum 2025” in Abuja, themed “51 Years of Nigeria’s Role in Deepening Democratic Stability in ECOWAS,” organised by the Voice of Nigeria in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation.
He stressed the need for editorial integrity, noting that media reports should be guided by facts rather than assumptions. The EFCC chairman cited past coverage of arrests by the commission, expressing concern that some reports framed enforcement actions as politically motivated without fully reflecting underlying investigations.
He maintained that the commission’s work is non-partisan and urged journalists to support efforts to combat corruption, economic crimes, and related offences through responsible reporting. Olukoyede also highlighted regional collaboration against financial crimes, disclosing that the Network of Anti-Corruption Agencies and Institutions in West Africa (NACIWA), which he chairs, is working to strengthen intelligence sharing and joint investigations across the sub-region.
He said the initiative, endorsed by ECOWAS, is expected to enhance efforts to tackle issues such as terrorist financing. In his remarks, Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria, Jibrin Baba Ndace, emphasised Nigeria’s role in promoting regional stability through peacekeeping and diplomatic engagements.
