94 New CCB Officers Graduate from EFCC Academy After Training

Ninety-four new officers of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) have graduated from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Academy. They completed training in basic investigation and enforcement.

The training lasted four weeks and wrapped up with a ceremony at the EFCC Academy in Karu, Abuja, on Monday.

During the event, CCB Chairman Abdullahi Bello shared the results of an assessment done during training. He said 94 officers passed the assessment. Out of them, 32 scored 80 percent and above, while 50 scored 70 percent and above. “Three officers scored 90 percent and above,” Mr Bello explained. He did not mention the scores of the remaining nine officers who also completed the assessments.

Mr Bello noted that a total of 102 new CCB recruits took part in the training. He did not address what happened to the eight candidates who did not finish the assessments.

He called the four-week ‘Basic Investigation and Enforcement Training’ historic. This was the first time the CCB sent a full set of newly recruited officers for such training.

He emphasized that the training was essential because the bureau needs officers who can investigate, examine, and enforce the Code of Conduct for Public Officers. They must also maintain personal integrity.

He reminded the graduates that finishing the course was just the start of their “responsibilities rather than the end of their training.” He added that Nigeria needs officers who will do their jobs without fear or favor.

He warned the officers that some people involved in investigations might try to compromise them with intimidation, gifts, or promises. He advised them to keep declarations and files confidential, refuse gifts or favors that could affect their duties, and conduct thorough investigations.

“Unauthorised disclosure is not carelessness; it is an offence,” he stated. He encouraged the new officers to go serve “with integrity. Serve with courage. Serve Nigeria.”

At the ceremony, EFCC chairperson Ola Olukoyede also spoke. He listed important principles for the officers to follow, including professionalism. “You don’t give what you don’t have,” he said. He urged them to aim for excellence and discipline in their work.

He said they would need courage to make tough decisions during their work. Some choices might put them under pressure, so they should be ready to “stand by difficult decisions when necessary.”

He also told them that without integrity, they had nothing. “You must learn to say no to corrupt practices,” he warned, adding that officers who compromised would eventually be found out. “And so be careful. Do your job diligently,” the EFCC chairman said.

Mr Olukoyede congratulated the officers and welcomed them to “the world of challenges” and “the world of battle.”

Similarly, Rotimi Oyedepo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and Director of Public Prosecutions, represented the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi. He urged the new officers not to compromise their integrity. He mentioned the rising concerns about moral standards among public servants.

He pointed out a situation “where a public servant of Grade Level 8 can no longer explain the source of his income.” He asked them, “Will you compromise? Will you betray Nigeria? Nigeria is in need of you.”

He expressed hope that the lessons learned during training would stay with the officers as they begin their work.

The EFCC Academy explained that the four-week Basic Investigation and Enforcement Training aimed to boost the professional knowledge, investigative skills, discipline, and ethical standards of the CCB officers.

It said that corruption is complex and always changing. This makes it important for institutions to share knowledge, build professional capacity, and work together.

On behalf of Joseph Ogwiji, the Acting Commandant of the EFCC Academy, Stephanie Philip presented the 2026 CCB Cadet Class to the CCB at the event. She said the officers were ready to serve in the Code of Conduct Bureau.

She noted that the 2026 CCB Cadet Class officers came to the academy with limited knowledge but were now leaving as disciplined, informed, and transformed officers.

The four-week program covered four areas: legal framework, investigations, field studies, and general studies. The officers were trained on the Code of Conduct Act, the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, the Money Laundering Act, the Proceeds of Crime Act, Public Service Rules, and asset declaration procedures.

Mrs Philip added that the training included ethics and the core values of integrity, accountability, and patriotism.

Ahmad Adam received the Best in Command and Leadership award and spoke on behalf of the graduating officers. “This basic investigation and enforcement training at the EFCC Academy has equipped us with the knowledge, discipline, and skills needed to serve our nation better,” she said. She added that the instructors challenged and shaped the officers throughout the training.

Other award winners included Asuku Maryam Ahuoiza as Overall Best Trainee, Dokubo Onengiye William as First Runner-Up, and Ikpor Elvis Chiemerie as Second Runner-Up. Adanegbe Odosa was named the Most Transformed Trainee.

The CCB and EFCC began the four-week Basic Investigation and Enforcement Training for 102 new CCB officers on 10 August. At the program’s opening, Mr Olukoyede said this initiative was a significant step in the relationship between the two institutions.

Established in 1979, the CCB is one of Nigeria’s oldest anti-corruption agencies. Its legal mandate began in 1989. It is the only core anti-corruption agency set up by the constitution.

The bureau receives and examines asset declarations, investigates complaints about breaches of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers, and refers cases to the Code of Conduct Tribunal.