EFCC reveals Adeboye ordered refund of billions in illicit donations to RCCG
EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede disclosed Saturday that the commission traced billions in stolen funds to the Redeemed Christian Church of God and wrote to General Overseer Pastor Enoch Adeboye. According to Olukoyede, Adeboye immediately ordered his team to "return the money," stating the church cannot keep unclean funds. The RCCG complied and refunded the billions to the EFCC.
The EFCC boss made this revelation at a public event on corruption and the church, noting that wealthy individuals and politicians have been using religious institutions to hide illicit proceeds. Olukoyede emphasized that Adeboye did not argue or protect the donors but directed immediate restitution.
This marks a rare public account of a major religious organization voluntarily returning traced stolen funds. The exact amount and identities of the donors were not disclosed. The EFCC has not announced whether the original sources of the funds face prosecution.
With religious institutions increasingly scrutinized for financial transparency, this case sets a precedent for accountability. Should more churches proactively audit large donations, or is the EFCC's tracing capacity the real deterrent?