Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa, has commended the Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ola Olukoyede, for raising the Commission’s standards to their highest level.

Alausa spoke on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja, where a delegation from the ministry received beds and mattresses recovered during a cybercrime operation and forfeited to the Federal Government.

“Chairman, I commend you for bringing the highest standards to the EFCC,” Alausa said.

The items, comprising 501 double-step bunk beds, 939 mattresses, and 12 wooden beds with mattresses, were recovered during a special operation code-named Operation Eagle Flush.

Olukoyede said the handover reflected the Commission’s commitment to ensuring that proceeds of crime are used to benefit Nigerian children and youths. He disclosed that 792 suspects, including 193 foreign nationals, were arrested and investigated in connection with the operation. According to him, the suspects were subsequently convicted and, in the case of the foreign nationals, deported to their respective countries.

The minister praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s judgment in appointing Olukoyede to lead the Commission three years ago. He said the President has consistently demonstrated an unmatched ability to identify the right people for critical national assignments.

“President Bola Tinubu once said he would never assign someone to a responsibility he did not believe they could handle. Today, Mr. President is the best talent hunter in this country, and perhaps even in the world.

“When he appointed Mr. Ola Olukoyede to lead the EFCC, the President knew exactly what he was doing,” Alausa said. “Today, three years later, we have the cleanest EFCC in the history of this country.”

Alausa said the Commission under Olukoyede has not been used to victimise or harass innocent citizens but has instead operated strictly within the confines of the rule of law.

“And it is not an EFCC that the President will use to victimise and harass innocent citizens,” Alausa said. “We have never seen that in the last three years. We have an EFCC that operates within the confines of the rule of law.”

Commenting further on Olukoyede’s performance, the minister noted that he has transformed the Commission from a largely reactive anti-corruption agency into one that proactively identifies and addresses the country’s major corruption risks. He observed that procurement remains the largest source of corruption within government.

“Beyond trying to be proactive in fighting corruption and identifying where the greatest burden of corruption lies, the biggest area of corruption in government has to do with procurement. He has worked assiduously to help reduce that in a proactive rather than a reactive manner. That is what leadership is all about,” the minister said.

Alausa further explained that the beds and mattresses would be distributed to unity colleges across the country. He added that the education sector has been one of the biggest beneficiaries of the Commission’s asset recovery efforts under Olukoyede’s leadership.

Speaking on the rationale behind the handover, the EFCC Chairman stated that the decision to transfer the items to the Federal Ministry of Education aligns with the Federal Government’s commitment to improving the quality of education in Nigeria.

“The decision to hand over these facilities to the Federal Ministry of Education is in line with the Federal Government’s determination to improve the quality of education in Nigeria,” he said.

According to him, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved the gesture with the understanding that children and young people are the greatest victims of corruption and should therefore be the primary beneficiaries of recovered assets.

“Children and youths are the greatest victims of corruption and should naturally be the first beneficiaries of the proceeds of crime,” Olukoyede said.

The EFCC Chairman explained that the handover, carried out in accordance with the provisions of the Proceeds of Crime Act and with the approval of the Federal Government, is part of the Commission’s continued support for the education sector. He cited the transfer of ₦50 billion in recovered funds to the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) and the conversion of Nok University into the Federal University of Applied Sciences, Kachia, Kaduna State.

He said such initiatives expand educational opportunities and promote social advancement for Nigerian youths. Olukoyede added that the Commission would continue to recover proceeds of crime and ensure that recovered assets are deployed judiciously, transparently, and effectively for the benefit of all Nigerians.

“In line with the provisions of the Proceeds of Crime Act and with the approval of the Federal Government, this gesture is a continuation of our support for the education sector, including the transfer of ₦50 billion in recovered funds to the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) and the conversion of Nok University into the Federal University of Applied Sciences, Kachia, Kaduna State,” he said.