N7bn stolen public funds hidden in church’s bank account – Report
A report has revealed the alleged involvement of an unnamed church in the theft and laundering of N7 billion of public funds.
The revelation followed the statement by chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, on Wednesday. He had said at a public event, in Abuja, that some religious bodies were complicit in laundering stolen funds.
He revealed that the anti-graft commission was investigating a stolen N13 billion, apparently from a public official, when it discovered that N7billion out of the lump sum was hidden in a bank account belonging to a religious organisation.
Olukoyede said that the unnamed religious body obtained a court restraining order to block the EFCC from probing into the source of the fund.
He said the EFCC had appealed the order and would get it lifted, in order to continue its investigation. He added that some religious bodies were being used as conduits for terrorism financing.
Although Olukoyede did not mention the religious organisation, the Punch claimed an official squealed to it that it was a church.
