Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Chairman Ola Olukoyede has expressed deep concern over the rising involvement of religious figures in financial crimes, revealing that the commission’s case files contain numerous pastors, imams, bishops, and sheikhs facing investigation and prosecution.

Speaking in Abuja at the 2026 Second Council Meeting of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC), Olukoyede stated that several individuals holding religious titles have already been convicted and are serving prison sentences, yet continue to be addressed by their clerical titles.

The EFCC boss called for a critical review of how religious titles are conferred, arguing that such titles should never serve as a shield against accountability or a tool to evade justice.

“So many case files, pastor, imam indicted for financial crimes. And some of them are even badly convicted, and they are in jail… while in jail, they still refer to them as pastor and imam,” Olukoyede said.

Recounting an encounter with a suspect who attempted to use multiple religious titles to demand special treatment, Olukoyede emphasized that religious identity does not override the law. He warned that anyone who commits financial fraud will face full prosecution, regardless of their religious status.

The EFCC chairman also challenged religious institutions to exercise greater scrutiny regarding the sources of donations and wealth brought to places of worship. He cautioned that accepting suspicious funds or celebrating unexplained wealth effectively provides moral cover for criminality.

“A public servant says he has built a mosque that is worth more than his earnings in the next 500 years. And you go there to dedicate it. You are dedicating the process of crime,” he noted.

While noting that financial crimes and corruption transcend ethnic and religious boundaries, Olukoyede urged faith communities to use their influence to shape character, cultivate honesty, and help prevent corruption at the grassroots level.