EFCC Uncovers New Corruption Tactic: ‘Anticipatory Asset Declaration’ by Public Officials
…Olukoyede warns CCB to watch for properties declared before they even exist
The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has raised the alarm over a growing trend among public officials the anticipatory declaration of assets a tactic used to legitimize future looting of public funds.
Speaking in Abuja on Tuesday, August 12, 2025, at the launch of the Virtual Tool on the Code of Conduct for Public Officers organized by the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) in collaboration with the Technical Unit on Good Governance and Anti-Corruption Reforms (TUGAR), Olukoyede revealed that some politically exposed persons have perfected the art of declaring non-existent properties in their asset forms.
“We investigated one case and found a property worth over ₦3 billion that had been declared in the CCB form but with a fake address. Upon digging deeper, we discovered the property didn’t even exist at the time of declaration,” Olukoyede disclosed.
The EFCC boss urged the CCB to take note of such sophisticated schemes and adopt innovative methods to unmask them.
Justice Ministry, Head of Service, CCB Back Tech-Driven Anti-Corruption Tool
Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, described the new CCB virtual tool as “a milestone in digitizing public conduct monitoring”, adding that it will boost compliance and promote ethics in governance.
Head of Service of the Federation, Didi Esther Walson-Jack, also emphasized the importance of technology in fighting corruption, stating:
“Without conduct and ethics, no reform will last. This tool is fast, transparent, cost-effective, and ensures accountability.”
CCB Chairman Abdullahi Usman Bello explained that the virtual platform will guide public servants step-by-step on rules and regulations while making accountability easier to track.
The new anti-corruption tool, now live, is expected to revolutionize how asset declarations are monitored — potentially exposing more cases where public officers declare assets that don’t yet exist.
