The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, disclosed on Wednesday that the anti-corruption agency has uncovered instances where a religious group in Nigeria is involved in money laundering for terrorist activities. He also revealed that another religious organization was discovered to be shielding a money launderer after tracing suspicious funds to the organization’s bank account.

Addressing an audience during a public forum on youth, religion, and the anti-corruption campaign, as well as the inauguration of the fraud risk assessment project for government ministries, departments, and agencies, Olukoyede disclosed that the EFCC stumbled upon a N13 billion fraud case, with N7 billion of the total amount linked to a religious group’s account.

He highlighted that various religious bodies and institutions have been implicated in money laundering schemes. Olukoyede mentioned that one religious organization swiftly obtained a court order to halt the EFCC’s investigation into its leaders.

Despite facing legal challenges, the EFCC Chairman affirmed the agency’s commitment to pursuing the investigation and recovering the embezzled funds by appealing the restraining order.

The event, which focused on discussing the issues of youth involvement in cybercrimes and utilizing religion for their moral reorientation, featured the launch of the Interfaith Preaching and Teaching Manual. Developed by the Interfaith Anti-Corruption Advisory Committee of the Commission, the manual serves as a resource to foster intolerance for corruption among adherents of Islam and Christianity.

Furthermore, the EFCC’s Fraud Risk Assessment Prevention and Control Project for Ministries, Departments, and Agencies was inaugurated during the event.