The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has raised the alarm over what it described as planned campaigns of calumny aimed at discrediting the Commission and its leadership.
In a statement, the anti-graft agency said politicians and groups with vested interests in suspects under investigation or facing prosecution have allegedly recruited a network of individuals to orchestrate coordinated media attacks against the EFCC.
According to the Commission, the group comprises politicians, academics, self-styled civil society activists and some Nigerian fugitives in the diaspora, who are sponsoring allegations of political bias against the EFCC Chairman, Mr Ola Olukoyede, and the institution as a whole.
The EFCC said the objective of the campaign is to undermine its operations, create fear, and intimidate the Commission into avoiding investigations of opposition politicians under the guise of being labelled partisan.
The Commission warned that the smear campaign is expected to intensify as the political atmosphere becomes more charged in the build-up to the 2027 general election.
It stated that those involved in the alleged campaign are under close watch, stressing that the EFCC would not tolerate any attempt to distract it from its mandate of promoting public accountability and combating corruption in Nigeria.
Reaffirming its non-political stance, the EFCC said its records show that individuals across both the ruling and opposition parties have been investigated or prosecuted, adding that no political actor with corruption-related issues is beyond its operational reach.
The Commission also emphasised that its actions are guided strictly by its Establishment Act and the Constitution, noting that references to the presumption of innocence of defendants are in line with constitutional provisions and not a defence of any individual or group.
The EFCC further clarified that it has no alliance or working relationship with any political party and would not succumb to pressure or blackmail to disclose the names of politically exposed persons under investigation.
The Commission reiterated its commitment to carrying out its duties without fear or favour in the pursuit of justice and accountability.
