The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has explained why the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, ordered the immediate return of billions of naira traced to church projects during an investigation into alleged financial crimes.
Olukoyede said Adeboye gave the directive within 24 hours after he personally briefed the cleric on the commission’s findings that proceeds of alleged fraudulent transactions involving an individual under investigation had been traced to some RCCG projects.
The EFCC chairman disclosed this while addressing church workers and ministers at the Redemption City of God, Simawa, Ogun State, following the church’s monthly Holy Ghost Service.
The programme, held at the invitation of Adeboye, had the theme, “Ethical Standard and Corruption in Christian Community.”
Recounting the incident, Olukoyede said the individual under investigation was involved in financial transactions worth tens of billions of naira, some of which the commission traced to the church.
He said Adeboye became visibly angry after hearing the details of the investigation and immediately instructed some pastors to ensure that all funds traced to the church were returned.
“The reaction on the face of Daddy was like I was almost blaming myself for taking the matter to him. Daddy was visibly angry. He called one or two pastors and said, ‘I give you 24 hours. Everything you have traced to RCCG from this particular person who has been indicted, return it within the next 24 hours’.
“That money was returned to the coffers of government. That is what RCCG is known for. That is who we are. We are not the custodian of proceeds of crime,” he said.
Olukoyede praised Adeboye for what he described as his integrity and zero tolerance for corruption, contrasting the cleric’s response with the alleged handling of a similar situation by another unnamed mega church.
He claimed that some individuals accused of financial fraud had operated an investment scheme through the other church, resulting in billions of naira in losses for investors.
“That is the difference between us and the others. Daddy Adeboye took action immediately he heard about the financial issue when the others are trying to defend it, justify it. Don’t justify processes of crime; it’s a crime to do that,” he said.
The EFCC chairman, who is also a senior pastor in RCCG, further recounted what he described as one of the most difficult moments of his career, involving the detention of a senior pastor of the church over alleged financial misconduct at his secular workplace.
He explained that the cleric was not arrested over activities within the church but over alleged wrongdoing in his place of employment.
“I say this with every sense of humility. It was a day that I had calls to detain a very senior pastor in this mission. I had no choice. I needed to do it because of what we have seen.
“Not because of his activities, what he perpetrated within the church, no. But because of what happened in his place of work, where he works in his secular activities. I feel things like this should not be happening within the Christian community,” Olukoyede said.
He warned religious leaders against turning their pulpits into platforms for promoting materialism and questionable sources of wealth, urging churches to stop giving prominent recognition to individuals suspected of involvement in financial crimes.
According to him, churches should remain open to everyone but must not celebrate or elevate individuals whose wealth is linked to criminal activities.
“Some of us pervert holiness on our altars. We don’t preach as much holiness as we do of materialism. It must not be seen in our parishes giving front row to criminals.
“We are not saying we should send them away, but we must not use the altar to promote financial fraudulent activities. Invariably, when you give undue recognition to known 419, people that have committed financial crimes in our churches, then we are encouraging them. When we begin to idolise those who are money bags in the church, there is a problem,” he said.
Olukoyede identified materialism, covetousness and the love of money as major factors encouraging corruption within the Christian community, citing 1 Timothy 6:9-10.
He also cautioned against unhealthy competition among churches to build mega congregations, as well as leadership struggles that encourage financial inducements for ordination and promotion.
The anti-graft agency boss described the exchange of money for church positions as bribery and criminal abuse of office, warning that both those offering and receiving such payments were liable.
“Anyone who offers money for ordination and for promotion does not deserve it. He does not deserve it. And we must kick against this in RCCG. Not only those who receive, those who also offer are also criminally liable. What you are doing is bribery. You want to bribe your way to the top. And most people do that. They crash at the end of the day,” he said.
The EFCC chairman also challenged anyone who had offered him a bribe that he accepted in the course of his official duties to come forward.
He said he had spent 10 years working with the commission, serving as Chief of Staff, Secretary to the Commission and eventually its chairman.
“I challenge anyone who has ever offered me a bribe and I took it in the course of my work to come out. By the grace of God, this is my 10th year in this work. I was Chief of Staff, later Secretary to the Commission and by divine providence, the Commission’s chairman,” he said.
Olukoyede urged Christians to maintain the same ethical standards they demand from public officials, warning that corruption within religious institutions undermines the credibility of the church.
“We don’t have the right to accuse people in government of stealing money when some of us are doing worse things in the church. This must stop. That evil must stop,” he said.
He called on RCCG members to protect the reputation of the church and the Christian faith through integrity, accountability and ethical conduct, noting that misconduct among believers could discourage others from embracing Christianity.
Expressing confidence in the church’s capacity to become a model of accountability, Olukoyede said righteousness and holiness should remain the foundation of its activities.
“By righteousness, you can win. By holiness, you can win. And in the mighty name of Jesus, that wind has begun to blow in the Redeemed Christian Church of God. This church will be a model to the entire world. They will come and copy our processes and our systems with respect to the sanctity of our processes,” he said.
The event was attended by thousands of RCCG workers and ministers.
