The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ola Olukoyede, has revealed that the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, ordered the refund of billions of naira donated to a church project after the funds were traced to proceeds of crime.
Olukoyede said Adeboye directed the immediate return of the money within 24 hours after the church was alerted to its alleged illicit source.
The EFCC chairman disclosed this while addressing RCCG workers in the early hours of Saturday, 7 November, during a meeting organised ahead of the church’s annual Holy Ghost Congress.
According to Church Times Nigeria, which reported the development, Adeboye had invited Olukoyede to speak to the workers about financial propriety and the importance of maintaining transparent financial records.
Recounting the incident, Olukoyede said a church member had donated billions of naira towards an RCCG project, but investigations later revealed that the money was proceeds of financial crime.
He commended Adeboye for ordering the refund shortly after the church was alerted.
The EFCC chairman did not disclose the identity of the donor, the specific project or the exact amount involved.
Olukoyede, who is also an ordained pastor, expressed concern over cases involving church leaders implicated in financial crimes and allegations relating to contracts for church projects.
He warned church workers against accepting suspicious donations or pursuing money through questionable means.
The EFCC chairman also recalled a separate case involving a church allegedly linked to a Ponzi scheme. He said its leader initially resisted the commission’s intervention but later refunded a substantial amount after the EFCC threatened legal action.
The identity of the church and details of the alleged scheme were not disclosed. Olukoyede warned that the commission would not spare anyone involved in financial crimes, regardless of their religious position or affiliation.
He also cautioned church members against materialism, unhealthy competition and leadership struggles, saying such tendencies could expose religious institutions to financial misconduct.
The EFCC chairman further raised concerns over reports that some individuals allegedly bribed their way into leadership positions within the RCCG.
He urged pastors to investigate the sources of donations before accepting them, stressing that contributions to church projects must not be proceeds of criminal activities.
Responding, Adeboye said the RCCG would not protect anyone found to be involved in financial wrongdoing.
He urged pastors in the church to maintain accurate financial records and ensure that their activities remained free from corruption.
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