Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
ADO‑EKITI, Nigeria – Vice President Kashim Shettima on Tuesday commissioned the newly constructed zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in Ado‑Ekiti, declaring that the facility will strengthen the anti‑graft agency’s operational reach across Ekiti State and the South‑West. The Vice President was in the state for a one‑day working visit, during which he also performed the groundbreaking ceremony for the Ekiti Knowledge Zone and inaugurated the 1.2‑kilometre Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu Flyover.
Shettima arrived at the Ekiti Agro‑Allied International Cargo Airport at exactly 10:24 a.m. aboard a presidential aircraft with registration number 5N‑FGW. He was received by Governor Biodun Oyebanji, Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, Ekiti Deputy Governor Monisade Afuye, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, former Governor Segun Oni, Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly Adeoye Aribasoye, and members of the State Executive Council.
From the airport, the Vice President first proceeded to the Ekiti Knowledge Zone along Ijan Road, Ado‑Ekiti, where he performed the groundbreaking ceremony for the landmark project. He later moved to the newly built zonal office of the EFCC located along Old Iyin Road, commissioning the project and declaring that the new directorate would significantly enhance the commission’s ability to fight financial crimes in the state and surrounding regions.
Speaking at the event, the EFCC Chairman, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, who was represented at the ceremony, vowed that not a single kobo of the proceeds of crime recovered by the commission would be mismanaged under his watch. He told the gathering that the new complex would serve as a major hub for the EFCC’s operations in the South‑West and that the commission remained committed to the diligent prosecution of cases, even as its investigative capacity would be expanded. Olukoyede also used the occasion to allay fears of residents who may be apprehensive about the presence of the commission in the area, assuring them that the EFCC operates strictly within the bounds of the law and respects the fundamental rights of all citizens.
Governor Oyebanji described the commissioning as a historic moment for the state, noting that the presence of the EFCC in Ekiti would deepen the anti‑corruption fight and serve as a deterrent to fraudsters. He thanked the Vice President for honouring the invitation and for the continuous support of President Bola Tinubu’s administration to the state.
Tuesday’s visit was Shettima’s second official trip to Ekiti State. He had previously paid a working visit in June 2024, during which he inaugurated the Omisanjana‑Deeper Life‑Ajebandele Road and the MSME Clinic in Ado‑Ekiti. Governor Oyebanji had announced ahead of the visit that adequate arrangements had been made to make the day memorable, noting that strategic collaboration between the state, the Federal Government, other sub‑national governments, and the private sector remains a pillar of his administration’s development agenda.
The commissioning of the EFCC zonal directorate and the groundbreaking of the Ekiti Knowledge Zone mark the latest in a series of federal‑state collaborative initiatives aimed at improving security, governance, and economic development in the state. The EFCC office is now fully operational and is expected to commence full‑scale anti‑graft investigations and prosecutions, particularly focusing on cases involving official corruption, cybercrime, and money laundering that fall within its jurisdiction.
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