Esther Salifu
In a startling revelation, EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede disclosed that many opulent properties in Abuja’s elite districts, such as Asokoro and Maitama, are owned by civil servants rather than politicians, highlighting deep-rooted corruption within the civil service.
During a recent interview, Olukoyede emphasized that corruption among civil servants often surpasses that of politicians. “Political appointees come and go, but the establishment people are always there. They often play a bigger role in looting than the politicians themselves,” he stated.
He cited an EFCC investigation where N33.7 billion was misappropriated in a federal ministry. “Only N3 billion was linked to the Minister, while the remaining N30.7 billion was traced to senior civil servants, including directors of finance and procurement,” Olukoyede revealed.
Further investigations have uncovered that over 400 public servants are under scrutiny for owning suspicious properties in Abuja. Notably, a director in the Federal Ministry of Power was found with 86 luxury vehicles, including 23 armored ones, despite earning less than N30 million over a decade.
