…he was cleared and commended

The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ola Olukoyede, has revealed that the commission investigated the founder of Streams of Joy International, Pastor Jerry Eze, for six months over suspected money laundering before clearing him.

Olukoyede disclosed this on Wednesday while speaking at the Jerry Eze Foundation Business Grant Award Ceremony in Abuja.

According to him, the probe was triggered by intelligence reports and petitions after the commission observed large inflows of foreign currencies into the cleric’s domiciliary account.

Pastor Jerry Eze, founder NSPPD

“We work by intelligence, we work by petitions. At some point, I saw there was an account, a domiciliary account. Dollars, pounds were dropping in like raindrops, from Colombia, from America, from Sri Lanka, even from Togo.

“I said who is this man? Yes, I’ve been hearing about his name, I’ve seen his face a couple of times. I never bothered about what he was doing. I knew he was a pastor.

“So they said this one pastor of streams of joy, go and investigate him. So we went to the investigation. We combed the books,” Olukoyede stated.

The EFCC boss said he subsequently invited Eze for questioning after preliminary findings were compiled by investigators.

He added that upon meeting the cleric and reviewing the findings of the investigation, the commission found no wrongdoing.

“So he came to my office. He told me what happens and all of that, and how the money came, what he does, how he has been helping people, and all of that.

“I said, you know what, I didn’t call you here to explain to me. We have already done our work. I called you here to commend you,” he stated.

The remark drew applause from the audience, as Eze, who was present at the event, acknowledged the commendation.

He noted that the commission has a responsibility not only to investigate financial crimes but also to recognise individuals found to have acted with integrity.

The EFCC chairman, however, stated that the agency would continue to monitor financial activities where necessary, stressing that its preventive mandate remains critical in tackling corruption.

Olukoyede also lamented the involvement of some religious leaders in fraudulent practices, noting that several clerics have been investigated and convicted by the commission.

He urged religious institutions to uphold integrity, adding that places of worship should reflect righteousness rather than serve as cover for illicit activities.

Terrorists who abducted 176 women and children from the Woro community in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State have threatened to carry out a mass execution if the Nigerian government fails to meet their demands within one week.

The attackers, suspected to be members of Boko Haram, reportedly issued the ultimatum through the abducted victims after a Jumu’ah prayer session on Friday, according to community members and families who spoke to The PUNCH.

The traditional ruler of the community, Salihu Bio, whose wife is among those held captive, confirmed the threat to journalists on Monday.
He explained that one of the abductees was allowed to contact her family and relay the message from the terrorists.

“The abductees told us that after the Jumu’ah prayer on Friday, the terrorists said the government was not taking the matter seriously and that if nothing is done within one week, they will begin to take drastic actions,” he said.

Bio added that the terrorists expressed frustration over what they described as the government’s lack of commitment to negotiations, despite the resources being used to keep the victims alive.

“The terrorists allowed one of the abductees to call her family on Saturday, and she confirmed that they were all fine. She also said the captors have been teaching them Arabic and Islamic knowledge,” he stated.

A community source who did not want to be named painted a grimmer picture of the terrorists’ intentions, saying the captors had threatened to marry off some of the girls and kill those they considered liabilities if no agreement is reached within the deadline.

“The Boko Haram fighters complained that they are spending money and resources to feed the abductees and that nothing is coming out of it. They said if nothing is agreed upon within one week, they will start marrying off some of the girls and kill those they consider liabilities.

“We are helpless. These are our wives and children. Now they are threatening to kill them or force them into marriage,” the source added.

In a video released by the terrorists, an armed militant claimed responsibility for the abduction and described the victims as having been indoctrinated.

“We are the ones who kidnapped the people of Woro and Kososo. We have indoctrinated them and changed their way of life. However, the victims have been begging us, and we have given them the opportunity so that their government can hear from them. We are giving them a final opportunity to appeal to the government,” the militant said.

Efforts to obtain an official reaction from the police were unsuccessful, as calls and text messages sent to the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, had not received a response as of press time.