Malami, Bello, Bauchi et al: The EFCC and public trust

By OZEGBE SYLVESTER OGOKUNI

Public trust is the lifewire of governance. It does not come by fiat, nor is it sustained by mere slogans. It is gradually earned, regularly tested, and easily lost. In Nigeria’s democratic journey, few institutions are as closely linked to this lifewire as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The EFCC does not merely investigate economic and financial crimes; it operates in a sensitive space where the enforcement of law is constantly weighed against public expectation. How it navigates this space determines not only its operational success, but also the confidence the public places in the broader system of accountability.

A recent development illustrates this dynamic. Mr Ukwu Ernest Ikechukwu, one of the victims of the Enugu Ponzi scheme who recovered his investment through EFCC intervention, remarked: “This is the first time I am aware that a government agency can actually work, and if every other agency can emulate the EFCC, I don’t think we will have problems in this country.” Such testimony reflects confidence in the institutional capacity of the EFCC.

Trust in enforcement agencies is never automatic, particularly in societies with a history of institutional weakness. In Nigeria, public distrust did not arise in a vacuum. It was orchestrated by years of unpunished corruption, selective justice, and the perception that power insulated itself from consequence.

This perception was reinforced by cases such as that of the once all-powerful former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, who allegedly remained beyond the reach of accountability under the Buhari administration. His eventual arrest and arraignment by the Ola Olukoyede-led EFCC on alleged money-laundering charges involving over ₦8.7 billion marked a symbolic rupture with that era.

Against this backdrop, the EFCC’s influence has been both a promise and a provocation: a promise that accountability can be institutionalised as currently happening, and a provocation to entrenched interests that once thrived by capturing and subjugating the agency.

From its inception, the EFCC was destined to be controversial. An agency mandated to investigate economic crimes within a political economy deeply intertwined with money and power cannot expect universal approval. Every arrest or prosecution of a prominent figure inevitably triggers suspicion of motive.

This reality played out recently in the diatribe by opposition politicians who accused the Tinubu administration of weaponising the EFCC against opposition politicians. The Commission dismissed the allegation, stating that “what threatens democracy is not the EFCC doing its job, but attempts to intimidate or blackmail it into abandoning investigations against corrupt opposition figures.” Whether exaggerated or sincere, such accusation reflects a deeper anxiety about impartial justice in Nigeria.

Accordingly, public trust in the EFCC rests on a delicate balance. The Commission must be assertive enough to fulfil its mandate, yet restrained enough to avoid perceptions of arbitrariness. Too little enforcement breeds cynicism; excessive theatrical enforcement erodes confidence. This challenge, while universal, is suggestive of Nigeria’s political history and social divisions.

One persistent criticism is the allegation of selectivity. Critics argue that some individuals are pursued aggressively while others appear untouched. Whether or not these perceptions are always grounded in fact, their impact on trust is undeniable. Perception shapes legitimacy. An agency may act lawfully and still lose public confidence if its actions are not clearly explained or consistently applied.

However, an uncomfortable truth must also be acknowledged. In societies accustomed to impunity, any attempt at enforcement is often misconstrued as selective. This was evident in the EFCC’s opposition to bail for Yakubu Adamu, Commissioner of Finance of PDP-led Bauchi State, charged with alleged terrorism financing involving over $6.9 million.

In refusing bail, Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja, noted that terrorism-related offences threaten social order and that pre-trial release could endanger the public. Yet, when the baseline expectation is that no one is held accountable, holding some persons accountable is often misread as persecution rather than correction. This paradox fuels resistance to anti-corruption efforts.

In confronting this paradox, the EFCC must communicate better—not retreat or surrender.

Transparency remains central to public trust. Investigations need not be sensationalised to be credible. Excessive publicity can undermine due process and reinforce perceptions of media trials. The EFCC’s strongest cases are those that speak through evidence and positive judicial outcomes, not press conferences.

Institutional independence is another pillar of trust. While no agency operates in a political vacuum, the EFCC must be seen to act according to law rather than instruction. Oversight—legislative, judicial, and internal—is not a threat to the Commission; it is a safeguard of its legitimacy.

The judiciary also shapes public perception. Prolonged trials, conflicting rulings, and technical dismissals frustrate citizens who expect swift justice. These delays are often blamed solely on the EFCC, thereby distorting public understanding of the justice chain. This explains the Commission’s consistent investment in capacity-building workshops for judges and justices across federal and state courts.

Media coverage equally influences trust. Investigative journalism has exposed corruption and supported accountability, but sensationalism has also reduced complex legal processes to political drama, as seen in the case of former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Adoza Bello. The EFCC must therefore engage the media responsibly while finding ways to mitigate irresponsible reportage.

At the heart of the trust debate lies a deeper question: do Nigerians trust institutions or individuals? Public confidence in the EFCC has often risen or fallen with the personality of its leadership—a dangerous dynamic I must say. Institutions must outlive individuals if trust is to endure.

This marks a clear departure between the present EFCC and its past leaderships. The current Commission operates as a cohesive system, from investigation to prosecution, relying on intelligence-driven operations and forensic capacity. This approach has produced measurable outcomes: 7,503 convictions from 10,525 prosecutions, recoveries exceeding ₦566.3 billion and $411.5 million, and the forfeiture of 1,502 real-estate assets, including the 753 Abuja duplexes and the former NOK University, now converted to a federal university.

These achievements earned the EFCC Chairman the Public Servant of the Year award from The Nation newspaper, which noted that the Commission now exhibits “a renewed sense of responsibility that is self-reforming, even self-reinventing.” Such outcomes signal institutional strength and reinforce public confidence.

Accountability, after all, must apply inwardly as well as outwardly.

The EFCC’s relationship with the public is therefore reciprocal, not adversarial. Nigerians expect fairness, professionalism, and respect for rights; the EFCC, in return, requires public cooperation, patience with due process, and discernment beyond political noise.

Ultimately, the EFCC and public trust are bound by shared destiny. A society that loses faith in accountability institutions risks sliding into cynicism and chaos; an agency that loses public trust becomes vulnerable to manipulation and decay. Neither outcome serves Nigeria’s long-term interest.

Public trust cannot be commanded—it must be cultivated. For the EFCC, this means professionalism over performance, consistency over convenience, and law over loyalty. For the public, it means resisting the urge to judge enforcement through partisan lenses.

In the end, the EFCC is more than an agency; it is a symbol of Nigeria’s commitment to accountability as a core national value.

*Ogokuni, a Lawyer, Legislative Consultant, and Public Affairs Commentator, writes from Abbi, Delta State, via ogokuni2@gmail.com

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