Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has formally handed over 1,452 items recovered from proceeds of crime to the Federal Ministry of Education, as part of a broader government initiative to channel assets seized from criminal activities into projects that directly benefit Nigerian children and young people. The items, comprising 501 double-step bunk beds, 939 mattresses, and 12 wooden beds with mattresses, were presented to the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, during a restitution ceremony held at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday, 7 July 2026.
Speaking at the handover, EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede disclosed that the items were recovered during "Operation Eagle Flush," a major anti-cybercrime operation conducted in late 2024, which he described as the commission's single-largest operation ever undertaken. According to Olukoyede, the operation led to the arrest of 792 suspects, including 193 foreign nationals, all of whom were investigated, prosecuted, and convicted. The foreign nationals were subsequently deported after serving their jail terms. "We are gathered here this afternoon to witness the handover to the Federal Ministry of Education of some recovered proceeds of crime duly forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria," Olukoyede stated.
The EFCC chairman emphasised that the decision to transfer the recovered items to the education ministry aligns with the Federal Government's resolve to channel recovered assets into projects that directly benefit Nigerians. He noted that President Bola Tinubu approved the initiative, recognising that children and young people are often the greatest victims of corruption and should be the primary beneficiaries of assets recovered from criminal activities. "President Bola Tinubu made this decision fully conscious of the fact that children and the youth are the greatest victims of corruption and financial crimes. So, it should naturally be the first beneficiaries of the proceeds of such crime," Olukoyede said.
Olukoyede also highlighted that this handover is not the first intervention from recovered assets directed at the education sector. He recalled that a forfeited university facility was previously transferred to the Federal Government and converted into the Federal University of Applied Sciences in Kachia, Kaduna State. "You all remember sometime last year, a whole university facility was forfeited to the Federal Government and it was handed over to the Ministry of Education. Today, we have the Federal University of Applied Sciences in Kachia, Kaduna State," he said. He further noted that recovered proceeds of crime had supported the establishment of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), with more than 1.4 million students benefiting from the initiative. He argued that improved access to education would help reduce the attraction of cybercrime among young Nigerians, adding: "Potentially, 1.4 million young people have been taken out of the dockets of those who have the potential to commit financial crimes".
The EFCC chairman reaffirmed the commission's commitment to intensifying the recovery of proceeds of crime while ensuring that recovered assets are deployed transparently and effectively for the benefit of Nigerians. "There is not a penny of forfeited or recovered proceeds of crime to be misappropriated or misused. On behalf of the management and staff of the EFCC, we promise transparency and accountability in the application of proceeds of crime," Olukoyede said.
Receiving the items, Minister of Education Dr Tunji Alausa commended the EFCC chairman for adopting a proactive approach to tackling corruption, particularly procurement-related offences and cybercrime. He described education as central to the Federal Government's economic agenda and said President Tinubu had deliberately directed recovered assets towards strengthening the sector. "Education is the bedrock of the development of this country. As the President advances his agenda to build a one-trillion-dollar economy, he believes that investing in education is key. We have a President that believes so much in education," Alausa said.
The minister also praised President Tinubu's judgment in appointing Olukoyede to lead the Commission three years ago. He said the President has long demonstrated an unmatched ability to identify the right people for the right assignments. "When he brought Mr Ola Olukoyede to the EFCC, the President knew what he was doing. Today, three years later, we have the cleanest EFCC in the history of this country," Alausa declared. He added that under Olukoyede, the Commission has never been deployed to victimise or harass innocent citizens, but has instead operated strictly within the confines of the rule of law.
Alausa noted that the recovered beds and mattresses would be distributed transparently and equitably to Federal Unity Colleges across the country to improve boarding facilities and students' welfare. He assured Nigerians that the education sector has emerged as one of the biggest beneficiaries of the Federal Government's asset recovery programme. "We in the education sector have been the greatest beneficiaries of the EFCC's actions," the minister said.
The event concluded with the signing of a Deed of Release by officials of the EFCC and the Federal Ministry of Education, formally transferring the recovered assets to the ministry. The EFCC chairman reaffirmed the commission's commitment to intensifying the recovery of proceeds of crime while ensuring that recovered assets are deployed transparently and effectively for the benefit of Nigerians. The handover represents a significant milestone in the Federal Government's ongoing efforts to transform the proceeds of crime into investments that improve student welfare, strengthen learning infrastructure, and expand access to quality education across the country.
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