The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ola Olukoyede, has defended the agency’s authority to arrest suspects without a warrant when necessary, describing the badge he carries as his “warrant” under the law. Olukoyede made the comments during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics on Sunday, January 11, 2026.
Olukoyede said the commission has conducted hundreds of arrests of suspected internet fraudsters, also known as “Yahoo boys,” over the past two months through carefully planned sting operations designed to catch offenders who avoid detection in broad daylight.
“We have, as I just told you now, in the last two months, carried out hundreds of arrests of Yahoo boys on sting operations,” he said.
The EFCC chairman explained that many suspects are apprehended in hotels, apartments and other locations where they hide, rather than at their homes, necessitating discreet and intelligence‑driven operations to effect arrests.
“There are some of these guys you can’t see in broad daylight… so you have to plan your operations very professionally,” he said.
Addressing concerns over operational tactics, Olukoyede emphasised that the EFCC Act empowers the commission to arrest without a warrant when investigating economic and financial crimes, and that such powers are comparable to those exercised by international law enforcement agencies.
“We have the power to effect arrest without warrant. Our law enables us and empowers us to do that,” he said. “The badge I carry is my warrant to effect an arrest anytime, any day.”
Olukoyede noted that if circumstances require, EFCC operatives may forcefully enter premises to effect arrests, drawing parallels with practices by agencies such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency (NCA).
“If I had to break down a door for me to effect an arrest, I would do that… So why is our own different?” he asked.
The EFCC chairman said the agency has also carried out joint operations with foreign counterparts, and received recognition from international law enforcement officials for its professional conduct in anti‑fraud operations.
“We have had cause to carry out joint operations with our counterparts abroad… and the records are there,” he said.
Olukoyede urged Nigerians to support the EFCC’s efforts in combating corruption and economic crimes, emphasising that institutional backing is essential for national progress.
“So, if foreigners acknowledge what we do, what about Nigerians? Why can’t we allow these institutions to survive?” he said, noting that while no institution is perfect, progress requires collective support.
The remarks come amid heightened public scrutiny of the EFCC’s methods in addressing cybercrime and other financial offences, with some critics questioning the scope of warrantless arrests and enforcement tactics. As the anti‑graft agency continues its operations, legal and civil society stakeholders are likely to follow the evolving debate on enforcement powers and procedural safeguards.
