Senate gives green light to Olukoyede, Hammajoda as EFCC leader, secretary

The Senate has confirmed the nominations of Ola Olukoyede and Mohammed Hamajoda as the new chairman and secretary of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), respectively. The confirmations followed the screening of the duo by the Senate in the Committee of the Whole on Wednesday, October 18, 2023.

President Bola Tinubu had last week approved the appointment of Olukoyede as the Executive Chairman of the EFCC for a renewable term of four years in the first instance, pending Senate confirmation. He said the appointments were made in accordance with the Senate Standing Rules and the principle of federal character.

Olukoyede is a lawyer with over 22 years of experience as a regulatory compliance consultant and specialist in fraud management and corporate intelligence. He has extensive experience in the operations of the EFCC, having previously served as Chief of Staff to the Executive Chairman (2016–2018) and Secretary to the Commission (2018–2023). As such, he fulfils the statutory requirement for appointment as Chairman of the EFCC.

Olukoyede’s appointment follows the resignation of the suspended Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Abdulrasheed Bawa.

Hamajoda is a public administrator with extensive experience in public finance management who holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from the University of Maiduguri and a Masters in Business Administration from the same university.

He began his career as a lecturer at the Federal Polytechnic, Mubi. From there, he went into banking, including successful stints at the defunct Allied Bank and Standard Trust Bank.

President Tinubu tasked the new leadership of the EFCC to justify the confidence given to them in this important national assignment as a newly invigorated war on corruption undertaken through a reformed institutional architecture in the anti-corruption sector remains a central pillar of his Renewed Hope agenda.

The Senate also confirmed Halima Shehu as the chief executive officer (CEO) of the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA).

The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, congratulated the new appointees and urged them to perform their duties diligently and faithfully. He also appreciated the outgoing Deputy Leader, Senator Umahi, for his service and contributions to the Senate and wished him success in his new role.