EFCC Fires Top Prosecutor Over Alleged Bribery
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has suspended one of its top prosecutors, Samuel Chime, after an investigative panel set up by the commission’s chairman, Ola Olukoyede, found him guilty of receiving bribes to sabotage cases. It was learnt that the EFCC had set up a panel to probe Chime following receipts of several petitions from civil society groups, non-governmental organisations, and individuals accusing the prosecutor of gross misconduct and financial inducements. Officials said Mr. Olukoyede was deeply angered by Chime’s misconduct, warning that if unchecked, it could tarnish the commission’s image. “Chime was suspended after extensive internal probe revealed that he had compromised some cases due to financial inducements,” an official of the EFCC familiar with the matter said. Another official who was privy to the investigation said that “the commission might end up dismissing him, but he has been begging the chairman, and pleading for clemency.” Chime, a prominent figure in several high-profile cases, now at the centre of a corruption scandal, has left indelible marks not only on the cases he handled but also on the integrity of the EFCC as an anti-graft agency. The development has led the EFCC to ask for adjournments on all ongoing cases he was handling, while telling the courts that Chime had “proceeded on a sick leave,” to protect the image of the commission. Chime was the lead prosecution counsel in several EFCC cases, particularly: EFCC v. Yakubu Adamu (Bauchi State Commissioner for Finance) and Others at the Federal High Court in Abuja in December, 2025; EFCC v. Yakubu Adamu, Balarabe A. Ilelah, Aminu M. Bose, and Kabiru Y. Mohammed, at the Federal High Court, Abuja also in December, 2025; EFCC v. Godwin-Isaac and Others (since 2024–ongoing at the Federal High Court, Abuja, EFCC v. Abubakar Ishaq, also known as “Mai-Rakumi” in 2018, at the Federal High Court, Kano); EFCC v. Wasiu Rasak (since 2019 at the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State; and EFCC v. Richard Uduma, alias Richard Dominic (in 2019 at the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Chime was also the lead prosecution counsel in: EFCC v. Aretuemhen Frank (in 2019, Federal High Court, Port Harcourt); EFCC v. Robert Terfa Swem, alias “Ibrahim Magu” (2019 at the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt); EFCC v. Obrien N. Odiaka, also known as Steven Mark Anthony (2019, Federal High Court, Port Harcourt); EFCC v. Ndume D. Baridol, also known as “Aubrey Writes” (2019, Federal High Court, Port Harcourt); and EFCC v. Eze O. Okwuchukwu and Eze O. Onyeka (December 24, 2020, at the Federal High Court, Abuja). These cases reflect the extensive authority Chime held over EFCC prosecutions across Nigeria. But with that authority came grave responsibility, which Chime reportedly failed to uphold. In some of the petitions sent to the EFCC against Chime, he was accused of duplicating prosecutorial cases in different courts to frustrate the defendants; contrary to best international practices and EFCC’s standard policy. Officials said that both ongoing and closed cases handled by Chime are now being reviewed by other EFCC prosecutors, following the directive of Mr Olukoyede.
