A civil society organisation, the National Coalition for Protection of Nigeria’s Integrity (NCPNI) has lauded Olanipekun Olukoyede, chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for dismissing one of its top prosecutors Samuel Chime and others who were found guilty of corrupt practices.

The group’s national coordinator, barrister Shehu Dauda made the commendation during a press confrence in Abuja on Friday.

“I, on behalf of the group and Nigerians immensely thank Mr Ola Olukoyede for being on the path of righteousness by penalising those that have tarnished the image of EFCC. We commend the EFCC chairman for dismissing corrupt officials like Mr Samuel Chime from the commission.

“Chime is so corrupt that he did not only embark on selective arrests and prosecutions but compromised some cases due to financial inducements,” Mr Dauda said.

While describing Mr Olukoyede as a true anti-corruption crusader, he further urged the EFCC chairman to ensure that Mr Chime and other corrupt officers who were sacked are brought to book to face the full wrath of the law.

He also commended the EFCC chairman for his courage in dismissing the former officials, after an investigative panel found them guilty of receiving bribes to sabotage cases.

He charged the EFCC not to relent in the exercise of flushing out all corrupt officers in the commission, to serve as deterrent to others.

Mr Dauda, who condemned in strong terms the alleged intimidation and harassment of some businessmen and women, including Rebecca Godwin Omokomo-Isaac by Mr Chime, said such gross misconducts undermine the integrity of EFCC.

He emphasised the imperatives of replicating Mr Olukoyede’s disciplinary reforms in other sister agencies, adding that uncompromising stance against corrupt officers is key to eliminating corruption in Nigeria.

Mr Dauda also lauded CSOs and NGOs who wrote several petitions to the EFCC, exposing Mr Chime’s misconducts.