EFCC: Adeboye ordered return of billions traced to RCCG projects within 24 hours

The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, ordered the return of billions of naira traced to church projects from an individual under investigation for alleged financial crimes within 24 hours, the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has disclosed.

Olukoyede said Adeboye gave the directive immediately after he personally briefed the cleric on the commission’s investigation and the discovery that proceeds of the alleged financial crimes had been channelled into some RCCG projects.

The EFCC chairman disclosed this while addressing church workers and ministers at the monthly Holy Ghost Service held at the Redemption City of God, Simawa, Ogun State.

The programme, held at the invitation of Adeboye, had the theme, “Ethical Standard and Corruption in Christian Community”.

Recounting the incident, Olukoyede said the individual under investigation had been involved in financial transactions worth tens of billions of naira, some of which the commission traced to the church.

He said he approached Adeboye to explain the findings, adding that the cleric became visibly angry and immediately directed some pastors to ensure that the money was returned.

“The reaction on the face of Daddy was like I was almost blaming myself for taking the matter to him. Daddy was visibly angry. He called one or two pastors and said, ‘I give you 24 hours. Everything you have traced to RCCG from this particular person who has been indicted, return it within the next 24 hours.’

“That money was returned to the coffers of government. That is what RCCG is known for. That is who we are. We are not the custodian of proceeds of crime,” he said.

Olukoyede commended Adeboye for what he described as his integrity, holiness and zero tolerance for corruption, contrasting his response with the alleged handling of a similar situation by another unnamed mega church.

He claimed that individuals accused of fraud had operated an investment scheme through the other church, resulting in billions of naira in losses for members.

According to him, while Adeboye acted immediately upon being informed of the financial impropriety, the other church allegedly attempted to defend and justify the transactions.

“That is the difference between us and the others. Daddy Adeboye took action immediately he heard about the financial issue when the others are trying to defend it, justify it. Don’t justify processes of crime; it’s a crime to do that,” he said.

The EFCC chairman also recounted what he described as one of the saddest moments of his life, when he authorised the detention of a senior RCCG pastor over alleged financial crimes connected to the cleric’s secular employment.

Olukoyede, who is also a senior pastor in the church, said the decision was necessary because the allegations concerned activities outside the church.

He said the incident reinforced the need for Christians to uphold integrity in both their religious and professional engagements.

The EFCC boss consequently warned church leaders against using their pulpits to promote materialism or give undue recognition to individuals whose wealth was suspected to have been acquired through criminal activities.

He said churches should welcome everyone but must not celebrate or elevate people involved in financial crimes.

“Some of us pervert holiness on our altars. We don’t preach as much holiness as we do of materialism. It must not be seen in our parishes giving front row to criminals.

“We are not saying we should send them away, but we must not use the altar to promote financial fraudulent activities. Invariably, when you give undue recognition to known 419, people that have committed financial crimes in our churches, then we are encouraging them. When we begin to idolise those who are money bags in the church, there is a problem,” he said.

Olukoyede identified materialism, covetousness and the love of money as major drivers of corruption within the Christian community, citing 1 Timothy 6:9-10.

He also cautioned against unhealthy competition among churches to build mega congregations and leadership struggles that encourage financial inducements for ordination and promotion.

Describing the exchange of money for church positions as bribery and criminal abuse of office, he warned that both those who offer and those who receive such inducements were culpable.

“Anyone who offers money for ordination and for promotion does not deserve it. He does not deserve it. And we must kick against this in RCCG. Not only those who receive, those who also offer are also criminally liable. What you are doing is bribery. You want to bribe your way to the top. And most people do that. They crash at the end of the day,” he said.

The EFCC chairman also challenged anyone who had offered him a bribe that he accepted in the course of his official duties to come forward.

He said he had spent 10 years working with the anti-graft agency, serving successively as Chief of Staff, Secretary to the Commission and Chairman.

“I challenge anyone who has ever offered me a bribe and I took it in the course of my work to come out. By the grace of God, this is my 10th year in this work. I was Chief of Staff, later Secretary to the Commission and by divine providence, the Commission’s chairman,” he said.

Olukoyede further urged Christians to hold themselves to the same ethical standards they demand of public office holders, warning that corruption within religious institutions undermines the credibility of the church.

“We don’t have the right to accuse people in government of stealing money when some of us are doing worse things in the church. This must stop. That evil must stop,” he said.

He urged RCCG members to protect the reputation of the church and the Christian faith through ethical conduct, noting that misconduct among believers could discourage others from embracing Christianity.

The EFCC chairman expressed confidence that the church could become a model of integrity and accountability if its members embraced righteousness and holiness.

“By righteousness, you can win. By holiness, you can win. And in the mighty name of Jesus, that wind has begun to blow in the Redeemed Christian Church of God. This church will be a model to the entire world. They will come and copy our processes and our systems with respect to the sanctity of our processes,” he said.
Thousands of church workers and ministers attended the event.
Source: Vanguard