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On Wednesday, the Senate officially confirmed Ola Olukoyede as the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). currently, they also endorsed the appointment of Muhammad Hammajoda as the Secretary of the anti-graft agency.
The Senate’s confirmation of both individuals occurred after they underwent thorough screening by the upper chamber, a process that took place approximately a week after their initial appointment by President Bola Tinubu.
Additionally, the Senate conducted a screening and subsequently affirmed the appointment of Halima Shehu as the Chief Executive Officer of the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA).
President Tinubu had made these appointments on October 12, 2023, designating Olukoyede as the Chairman and Hammajoda as the Secretary of the commission.
Notably, the leadership of the nation’s primary anti-graft agency has experienced significant changes in recent months since President Tinubu’s inauguration on May 29, 2023.
On June 14, 2023, President Tinubu took the decision to indefinitely suspend Abdulrasheed Bawa, who was then the head of the anti-graft agency. Bawa’s suspension was necessitated by the need for a thorough investigation into his conduct while in office, in light of serious allegations of abuse of power leveled against him.
In response, the President instructed Abdulkarim Chukkol, the Director of Operations at the Commission, to serve as the acting EFCC chair, while the Department of State Services (DSS) detained Bawa.
With last Thursday’s appointments and the Senate’s confirmation on Wednesday, Olukoyede assumes his role as the new leader of the commission.
According to Presidential spokesman Ajuri Ngelale, Olukoyede’s appointment is initially valid for a renewable term of four years, while Hammajoda has been appointed as the Secretary of the EFCC for a renewable term of five years in the first instance.
