EFCC Chair tasks media professionals on improved corruption reporting
The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has called on media practitioners across Nigeria to deploy their platforms in exposing fraudulent and corrupt practices across all sectors of society.
Olukoyede made the call in Warri, Delta State, while addressing participants at the 12th Annual Conference of the Association of Communication Scholars and Professionals of Nigeria (ACSPN).
Represented by Assistant Commander of the EFCC and Head of Public Affairs, Benin Zonal Directorate, ACE I Williams Oseghale, the EFCC boss spoke on the theme, “Corruption, Governance and Media in Nigeria.” He commended the Association for placing the issues of corruption, governance and media engagement at the centre of national discourse, stressing that the press remained indispensable in the fight against corruption and financial crimes.
“The Nigerian media in the days of some of the nation’s founding fathers, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chief Anthony Enahoro and others, remains a reference point in patriotism and nationalism, as they used their platforms to fight colonialism, social injustice and the pursuit of independence. Again, during the military era, the media played a critical role in the fight against misrule which eventually led to the return of democracy in our country,” he stated.
He called on today’s media professionals to uphold that legacy. “Media practitioners should use their various platforms to fight against corruption and the twin evils of economic and financial crimes. They should emulate their predecessors and engage in investigative journalism that uncovers the atrocities of fraudsters who defraud innocent people of their hard-earned money, as well as public officials who siphon public funds,” Olukoyede said.
According to him, the media can only be said to have fulfilled its constitutional role as the Fourth Estate of the Realm when it actively holds government accountable to the people.
He further argued that corruption can be defeated and good governance established if citizens, individually and collectively, embrace accountability, transparency and due process in their conduct.
Olukoyede also encouraged media practitioners to support the EFCC by disseminating accurate information, sensitising the public, and raising awareness of the damaging consequences of corruption on national development.
President of ACSPN, Professor Rotimi Williams Olatunji, in his remarks, described the conference theme as highly relevant, noting that corruption erodes good governance, weakens economic progress, undermines social justice and diminishes public trust in institutions.
He acknowledged that while the media is central to building a stable society, it continues to face challenges that hinder its effectiveness. He added that the 2025 conference provided a vital platform for exchanging ideas, engaging in critical discussions, reviewing pressing national issues, and advancing communication scholarship and practice both in Nigeria and globally.