Joseph Bakare
The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, reiterated the commitment of the Commission to ensuring that recovered assets are used for the good of every Nigerian.
He stated this in Kachia, Southern Kaduna, Kaduna State while on an Inspection Visit to the Federal University of Applied Sciences.
The University, taken over from a former private Nok University following a court order for its forfeiture, due to illicit funding, is yielded to the government through the efforts of the EFCC and approved for educational use by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Addressing dignitaries, community leaders, and stakeholders at the University’s premises, Olukoyede stated that the Commission’s Inspection visit to the University’s site was a demonstration of transparency and accountability of the administration of President Tinubu, stressing that the EFCC will continue to ensure that recovered assets are not only protected but also utilized for the benefit of the masses.
” Good governance is a possibility in Nigeria. The President has provided the leadership. He has given the marching order. Recovered assets will not be allowed to be relooted because Nigerians deserve to enjoy the benefits of recovered proceeds of crime”
“It is no longer business as usual. The essence of government and the essence of the fight against corruption is not for us to recover and some people go back and reloot. No! This property has been delivered and given back to the people and we will always ensure that recovered assets are deployed for public good”, he said.
He expressed gratitude to the President for his foresight and political will in approving the use of the recovered assets for education and development, rather than allowing it to be auctioned or misappropriated.
“I want to thank Mr. President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for graciously approving that this property be used for the benefit of the people. I also thank Vice President Kashim Shettima and the Governor of Kaduna State, Uba Sani, for their commitment in making this dream a reality,” he said.
Describing the infrastructures availabe at the University as impressive, the EFCC boss urged residents and authorities in Southern Kaduna to take ownership and preserve the facility for future generations.
“What we are seeing here is an edifice. Most universities in Nigeria don’t have these kinds of facilities. So, my advice is that we need to take this as our own, protect it, preserve it, so that generations after us will benefit from it,” he said.
Applauding the focus of the government, he pointed out that, “under this regime, good governance is a reality. This is part of the result of good governance. We are not just mouthing it; we are showing Nigerians real proofs. This is to confirm that the property has been deployed for the exact purpose the President approved”.
He further announced that, according to the Vice Chancellor, academic activities will commence in the institution by September 2025 and pledged to return to the University for the formal presentation of the pioneer students.
“When they start, I will still come and present to Nigerians the pioneer students. This is the essence of fighting corruption, for the people to take back what has been taken from them,” he said.
In a similar vein, Olukoyede pointed to the recent commissioning of projects in Bayelsa State, projects funded from funds recovered by the EFCC for the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, as another testament to how anti-corruption outcomes can be positively channeled.
“Just yesterday, we went to commission projects in Bayelsa. It’s not in our mandate to commission projects but because the project was built from the proceeds of crime recovered for the NDDC, we went there to demonstrate that anti-corruption can work. That’s the benefit of democracy, the people taking back what’s rightfully theirs,” he said.
Vice Chancellor of the new University, Professor Barnabas Williams Qurix, praised President Tinubu and the EFCC Chairman for what he termed their historic roles in shaping the institution’s foundation.
“The people of Southern Kaduna are grateful. This institution is not just a school, it is a legacy”, he said.
In his remarks, Senator Sunday Marshall Katung, the Senetor representing Kaduna South Senatorial District, lauded the Tinubu administration and the EFCC for what he described as a golden opportunity for the people of Southern Kaduna.
“We sincerely appreciate your presence and efforts in making this happened. Your visit today has added reality to what we have been telling our constituents, that this government is ours, and it has finally wiped away the tears of our people,” he said.