LAGOS — The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has disclosed that the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, ordered the immediate refund of billions of naira donated to a church project after the funds were traced to proceeds of crime.
Olukoyede made the revelation in the early hours of Saturday, November 7, while addressing RCCG workers at a meeting organised ahead of the church’s annual Holy Ghost Congress. Pastor Adeboye had invited the EFCC boss to speak to the workers on financial propriety, accountability and the need for religious organisations to maintain transparent financial records.
According to Olukoyede, a church member donated billions of naira towards one of the RCCG’s projects. Subsequent investigations by the anti-graft agency established that the money originated from financial crime. The commission then formally notified the church of its findings.
Pastor Adeboye responded swiftly. He directed that the entire sum be returned within 24 hours, insisting that the church would not retain funds suspected to be proceeds of crime.
“Return the money,” Olukoyede quoted Adeboye as instructing his subordinates. The pastor reportedly added that if the money was not clean, the church would not keep it, and that the government should do whatever it deemed necessary with the funds.
The church complied, and the money was returned to government coffers. Olukoyede, who is himself an ordained pastor, commended Adeboye’s decisive action, describing it as a clear demonstration of integrity and responsible leadership.
The EFCC chairman did not disclose the identity of the donor, the specific RCCG project involved, or the exact amount refunded, stating only that the sum ran into billions of naira.
Olukoyede used the incident to warn church leaders and workers against accepting large donations without scrutinising their sources. He noted that the EFCC regularly receives petitions involving church leaders and contracts linked to church projects, and that some wealthy individuals and politicians have attempted to use religious institutions to conceal proceeds of corruption.
He contrasted the RCCG’s response with another case involving a different church allegedly linked to a Ponzi scheme, where the leadership initially resisted the commission’s intervention and only refunded funds after the EFCC threatened criminal proceedings.
In his remarks, Pastor Adeboye assured the EFCC chairman that the RCCG would not protect anyone found to be involved in financial misconduct and urged pastors under his leadership to maintain clean records and avoid corruption.
The disclosure has drawn widespread attention, highlighting ongoing concerns about the sources of large donations to religious organisations in Nigeria and the need for greater financial transparency in the sector.
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