A coalition of civil society groups under the banner of the National Interest Coalition staged a large protest in Abuja on Monday against what they described as a “grand plot” by senior public officials to derail President Bola Tinubu’s anti-corruption agenda and weaken the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The demonstration began after a press conference convened by the group in the Central Area and proceeded through the Three Arms Zone home to the Presidential Villa, National Assembly, and Supreme Court before ending at the EFCC headquarters in Jabi.
Led by Comrade Bashir Abdu, the protesters carried placards, chanted solidarity songs, and later submitted a petition at the EFCC office. The petition expressed support for EFCC Chairman, Olanipekun Olukoyede, and pledged to resist what the group called attempts to “blackmail and smear” the Commission’s leadership.
“We have uncovered the evil plot by some current occupiers of top government positions to attack the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Olanipekun Olukoyede, and President Bola Tinubu’s anti-corruption war. This protest is to show the whole world that we will resist their attempts and support Mr. President and Mr. Chairman of EFCC to succeed,” Abdu said.
The group accused unnamed officials of trying to frustrate reforms within the Commission, citing fears over ongoing prosecutions and convictions.
“Those behind this grand plot have the sole intention of derailing President Tinubu and the EFCC chairman’s resolve to fight corruption to its barest minimum so that development, equity, and transparency can thrive in the country which has been held back by this cankerworm,” the statement read.
The protesters referenced recent EFCC statistics, highlighting 4,111 convictions in 2024—an operational record since the agency’s establishment in 2003—alongside ongoing prosecutions of politically exposed persons. They also noted asset recoveries, international collaborations, and preventive measures such as Integrity Clubs in schools and fraud risk assessments in public institutions.
The coalition’s petition included examples of EFCC’s actions under Olukoyede, including the recovery of properties for the Enugu State government, prosecution of four former governors, and recognition from international partners such as the Canadian High Commission.
The demonstrators also passed a vote of confidence in Tinubu for giving the EFCC “a free hand to operate,” urging Olukoyede to continue his initiatives.
“It is therefore on this note that the General Assembly of the Nigeria Interest Coalition pass a vote of confidence on the EFCC Chairman and urges him to continue the good work and not rest on his oars. In fact, as we say in local parlance, ‘Continue dey press their neck! Press am well well! No gree for any looter,” the group declared.
The march ended peacefully at the EFCC headquarters, where security operatives monitored the movement without incident.
