The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has disclosed that politically exposed persons in the country were back to making anticipatory assets declaration on their forms with the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) as part of fraudulent ways of ripping off the nation.
Chairman of the EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, who revealed this in Abuja, explained that public servants did this with the hope of illegally acquiring such properties while in office and covering up such illegitimate sources of wealth.
He spoke at the launch of the Virtual Tool on the Code of Conduct for Public Officers organised by the Technical Unit on Governance and Anticorruption Reforms (TUGAR) and the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB).
Olukoyede, therefore, urged the CCB to incorporate new ways into its 14 codes for public servants to end this fraudulent scheme being deployed by unscrupulous politically exposed individuals in the country.
Although Nigeria recorded modest progress in its anti-corruption drive last year, moving from a global ranking from 145th to 140th out of 180 countries in 2024, the global anti-corruption perception index still shows that the country remains among the 40 most corrupt countries in the world despite recent gains.
Beyond prosecutions, the government has rolled out digital governance tools in taxation and procurement, aimed at improving transparency and reducing opportunities for bribery as well as strengthening the legal framework for fighting corruption.
Still, Nigeria’s anti-corruption landscape has faced persistent obstacles as some individuals and corporate organisations devise new means of outsmarting the existing laws and Nigeria’s many anti-corruption bodies.
But, in his remarks at the event, Olukoyede noted that the phenomenon had become disturbing, mentioning a case where a politician claimed to have acquired a N3 billion property before winning an election, only to discover that the house never existed before his election and that the asset declaration was anticipatory.
Olukoyede said: “Having recognised the importance of CCB, there is something that I feel, if it has not been put in the (CCB) code, I think it should be there by virtue of the work we do. And I will give you an example.
“There was an investigation we carried out, and we discovered something not too strange, but proves the ingenuity and the criminally smart way that some of our politically exposed persons carried out some of the nefarious activities we investigated them for. There was a matter we carried out and we investigated.
“I told my guys, just get the CCB form and look at it. There’s something I’m not comfortable with in this report. So they got the CCB form. We looked at it.
“We discovered that one of the very big properties, valued well over N3 billion that the person declared in the CCB form, we saw that the address that was in the CCB form was different from the one that the person put down, from the particular address where that particular property was located. So I felt something was amiss.
“So we decided to dig further, carried out more interrogation, and we discovered that actually the person declared the property when the property was not in existence. After the person won an election, I won’t mention name, but you should be able to decipher.
“Before he was sworn in, he got the asset declaration form and put a particular number, number 39, so so Street, a big mansion owned by him, bequeathed to him by whatever, whatsoever that we couldn’t mention.
“And by the time we investigated and discovered where the asset was, we discovered the asset on number 44. He declared number 39, but the asset is actually the building on number 44.
“So, while we were asking questions, eventually we discovered what we call anticipatory declaration of assets. And that is the smart way that some of these leaders have resorted to now.
“Now, they declare what they intend to acquire by the time they are in the office before they are sworn into the office. It is terrible. We saw that and we felt, no, this is pretty bad.”
Besides, Olukoyede maintained that the said politician was already anticipating the funds he was going to steal even before getting into government, urging the CCB to build capacity and up its investigations in that respect.
“And unfortunately for him, he was so devilishly smart that he had already registered the property that he did own at the time. He declared it in the land registry. He designed the mansion that he wanted to build there. So in other words, before he was sworn in, he had started thinking about the money to steal and what to do with the money.
“So he designed the mansion that he actually wants to acquire by the time he gets to the office. So we felt this was a bit odd and we should begin to look into this. So, I would like to draw your attention to that.
“You will be seeing more of that. So your investigating capacity by the time you examine some of these forms, it will help us to ensure that we drive home our mandate,” he advised the CCB.
Congratulating the Chairman of the CCB, Dr. Abdullahi Bello, TUGAR and other development partners, Olukoyede described the organisation as one of the most effective, potent, effective organisations that can support the fight against corruption in Nigeria.
In his remarks, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, noted that the event was a statement and a bold reaffirmation that Nigeria was dedicated to instilling integrity, transparency and the highest form of accountability in the public service in the country.
“The Code of Conduct for Public Officers are not just rules but the moral and ethical bedrock of the public service that sets standards by which we are to conduct ourselves. We must adhere to them not only as public officers but as guardians of public trust and public integrity. It emphasises service over self and commitment to duty over privilege.
“For decades, these codes have served as the backbone of good governance, however, its expected far-reaching impacts have been hindered by lack of awareness and inaccessibility for all. Today marks a significant milestone in our collective efforts to enthrone accountability in public service,” he stated.
The digitisation and virtual accessibility of the Code of Conduct, he said, represented not just a technological advancement, but a bold reiteration of national commitment to good governance and ethical leadership.
“Public office, as we know, is a public trust. The responsibilities placed upon those who serve in public institutions demand the highest standards of ethical conduct. This innovation will not only enhance awareness but will also promote preventive compliance, facilitate training, and serve as a resource for citizens, civil society, and oversight institutions,” he added.
According to him, laws and tools were only as effective as our willingness to uphold them, explaining that the responsibility to adhere to the principles of transparency, integrity, and accountability lies with everyone.
Head of Service of the Federation (HoSF), Didi Walson-Jack, said the event and the innovation it represented were proof that Nigeria was not merely speaking about reforms, but actively building systems that could make them a reality.
She noted that the virtual tool highlighted the global importance of codes of conduct in resolving ethical dilemmas, sanctioning professional misconduct, preventing corruption, and ensuring accountability.
According to her, ethical governance was not optional because the world was moving fast, technology was changing the way people worked, while citizens were more informed, more connected, and more vocal.
“And let us be honest, it is hard to be incorruptible if we do not have a clear understanding of what the rules are and how to apply them in our daily work.
“This is why only a few weeks ago, my office issued a circular on strict adherence to public service rules and due process in establishment matters. The circular was not written for the fun of it.
“It was a response to real problems. Improper handling of discipline, promotions, secondments, leave and retirement notices, amongst others.
“These lapses, whether caused by ignorance, indifference, bias, or inducement, have not only embarrassed the federal government, but in some cases, cost the nation dearly financially and in court judgments,” she said.
Walson-Jack emphasised that an incorruptible service could not exist where due process was treated as optional, noting that the virtual tool, together with the public service rules, guidelines on appointments and discipline, the civil service handbook, and other guiding documents would empower every officer to do the right thing and to know exactly what the right thing to do is.
In his intervention, the Chairman of CCB, Bello, stressed that the virtual tool was mainly a learning tool and helped public officers to understand the codes of conduct enshrined in the Fifth Schedule of the 1999 Constitution.
“It is easy to use, with clear examples and explanations for each code. For example, it shows how to avoid combining personal interests with official duties. It explains why declaring assets keeps things open and honest. This tool helps officers learn and follow these codes in their daily work, building trust in our public service,” he added.
The CCB, he added, was an organisation established to ensure that public servants adhered to the highest standards of ethics by making sure they adhere to the code of conduct.
Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), Dr Ogbonnaya Orji, stated that the portal would strengthen the foundation on which transparency in extractive industries rested.
“It complements the reforms we’re pursuing under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), contract transparency, beneficial ownership disclosures, and efforts to combat illicit financial products,” he added.
He aligned with the EFCC position, noting that in the oil sector, there have been mind-boggling revelations which have been shared with the anti-corruption agencies.
“The story told by the EFCC Chairman is everywhere. And they are caught in different dimensions. We don’t speculate, but in our oil and gas industry, what we have seen is mind-boggling.
“We expose this data, share it with agencies like this, and a lot of recoveries have been made. Our heart bleeds when we all complain, and we also complicate all efforts to solve the problem. This digital tool is a wake-up call,” he noted.
The Chief Executive of the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), Hafsat Bakari, called for collective work towards a culture of excellence across all agencies and seek out new ways of working and new partnerships with civil society and with the private sector.
Head of TUGAR, Jane Onwumere, noted that the innovative interactive virtual learning tool represented a key milestone in the collective efforts to promote ethics, accountability, and exemplary governance in Nigeria’s public service.
“This innovation will not only enhance awareness but will also promote preventive compliance, and serve as a resource for oversight institutions, citizens and the civil society. The tool aligns with recommendations of the 2019 UNCAC Review of Nigeria and broader government reforms such as the National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS).
“It also underscores TUGAR’s pivotal role as a central hub for anti-corruption data, diagnostics and policy coordination. We therefore encourage its institutionalization across all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), “ she said.
National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, who was represented by Asishana Okauru, in his speech, argued that national security was directly linked to good governance, noting that corruption and unethical conduct undermine public institutions, erode public trust and create insecurity.
According to him, strengthening the anti-corruption framework through the CCB initiative aligned with the national security agenda, explaining that this involved harnessing technology and improving service delivery and providing public officials with ready ethical standards and a practical guide to daily decision making.
While maintaining that modern challenges require modern solutions, Ribadu noted that success would be measured by practical impact, pledging his support for the anti-corruption agencies to ensure a more accountable Nigeria.
Senate Committee Chairman on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petition, Neda Imasuen, in his remarks, pledged the senate’s readiness to partner the anti-corruption agencies to ensure a more transparent public service.
Chuks Okocha, Emmanuel Addeh, Alex Enumah and Wale Igbintade
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