Growing Distrust: Nigerians Lose Faith in EFCC Amid Corruption Allegations

 

In what many Nigerians now describe as a betrayal of trust, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is under growing public scrutiny over alleged internal corruption, selective justice, and the perceived use of power for political targeting.

The anti-graft agency, once celebrated as a watchdog of financial integrity, now finds itself in the eye of a credibility storm. Citizens across social media platforms and civil rights groups have expressed frustration, accusing the EFCC of turning a blind eye to the elite while harassing ordinary people and youth.

“EFCC was created to fight corruption, not to become part of it,” said Chika Eze, a rights activist in Abuja. “But what we see now is an agency that goes after internet fraudsters while ignoring billions stolen by politicians walking free.”

The criticism reached new heights following the controversial arrest of several entrepreneurs and small-scale business owners accused of financial crimes many of whom later claimed they were innocent or were extorted.

In contrast, numerous high-profile politicians facing multi-billion naira corruption charges have yet to face trial, with cases dragging for years or quietly disappearing from public attention.

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“Where is the justice when a youth can be locked up for N200,000, but governors who looted state funds live like kings?” questioned a viral tweet that sparked fresh outrage this week.

Transparency advocates argue that the EFCC has lost its bite, becoming a tool in the hands of powerful interests instead of an independent institution upholding the law.

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Despite mounting criticism, EFCC leadership insists it is committed to reform and insists the agency remains impartial. But with growing public dissatisfaction, the pressure is building for Nigeria’s anti-corruption war to be redefined and for the EFCC to either clean house or risk becoming a symbol of the very problem it was meant to solve.