The Senate has officially approved the nominations of three key individuals: Mr. Ola Olukoyede, Halima Shehu, and Muhammd Hammajoda.
President Bola Tinubu put forth these nominations, designating Olukoyede as the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Shehu as the national coordinator of the National Social Investment Programme Agency, and Muhammd Hammajoda as the new secretary of the nation’s anti-corruption agency.
This confirmation took place within the upper chamber on Wednesday, October 18, following President Tinubu’s formal request, which was conveyed to the Senate during Tuesday’s plenary session by the Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau.
On October 12, President Tinubu had given his approval for the appointment of Olukoyede as the Executive Chairman of the commission and Hammajoda as Secretary, both for an initial renewable term of four years, pending the Senate’s confirmation.
Notably, this appointment of Olukoyede came nearly four months after the suspension of the former chairman of the anti-corruption agency, Mr. Abdulrasheed Bawa, by President Tinubu.
Olukoyede, the new EFCC boss, boasts over 22 years of experience as a lawyer specializing in regulatory compliance, fraud management, and corporate intelligence.
He previously held roles as the Chief of Staff to former EFCC chairman, Ibrahim Magu, and later as the commission’s Secretary from 2018 to 2023.
Additionally, he served as a member of the Fraud Advisory Panel in the United Kingdom.
Halima Shehu, a graduate of English Language from Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria, Kaduna State, previously served as the National Coordinator of the Conditional Cash Transfer Programme.
During her tenure in the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development from 2017 to 2022, she leveraged her banking and career expertise to successfully digitalize the program, a feat she regards as her most significant achievement.
