EFCC Donates 1,452 Recovered Hostel Items to Education Ministry
By Victor Idajili
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Tuesday handed over 1,452 recovered items to the Federal Ministry of Education to support schools nationwide.
The items — 501 double-bunk beds, 939 mattresses, and 12 wooden beds with mattresses — were presented to the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, in Abuja by EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede.
Olukoyede said the furniture and bedding were seized during "Operation Eagle Flush,” a nationwide crackdown the EFCC carried out in late 2024 against cybercrime and other financial crimes.
He described it as the largest single operation in the Commission’s history.
The operation led to the arrest of 792 suspects, including 193 foreign nationals. All were investigated, prosecuted and convicted. The foreigners were deported after serving their jail terms, he added.
According to Olukoyede, transferring the items aligns with the Federal Government’s policy of using recovered assets for projects that directly benefit citizens.
He noted this isn’t the first time the education sector has benefited:
A forfeited university was handed over to the Federal Government and converted into the Federal University of Applied Sciences, Kachia.Proceeds of crime also provided the N50 billion seed fund for the Nigerian Education Loan Fund.
Olukoyede said more than 1.4 million students have already benefited from the loan scheme. He argued that better access to education will reduce the lure of cybercrime among young people.
“We will continue to recover proceeds of crime and ensure they are deployed transparently for public good,” the EFCC chairman said.
Receiving the items, Alausa commended Olukoyede for what he called a proactive approach to fighting corruption, especially in procurement and cybercrime.
He said education remains central to President Bola Tinubu’s economic agenda, and the President has deliberately directed recovered assets to strengthen the sector.
The minister disclosed that the Federal University of Applied Sciences, Kachia, admitted about 3,000 students in its first session and plans to take in over 5,000 in its second year.
He added that channeling recovered funds into education, student loans and school infrastructure shows the government’s commitment to turning crime proceeds into opportunities for Nigerians.
