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 illicit source.

The EFCC chairman disclosed this while addressing workers of the RCCG in the early hours of Saturday, November 7, during a meeting organised by the church ahead of its annual Holy Ghost Congress.

According to Church Times Nigeria, which reported the development on Saturday, Adeboye had “invited Olukoyede to address the workers on financial propriety and the need for churches to maintain 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.”

According to the report, Olukoyede did not disclose the identity of the donor, the specific RCCG project or the exact amount involved, but said the billions of naira donated were later discovered to be proceeds of crime.

The EFCC boss, who is also an ordained pastor, expressed concern over the increasing number of cases involving church leaders implicated in financial crimes, as well as allegations relating to contracts for church projects.

He warned “church workers against accepting suspicious donations and pursuing money through questionable means.”

Olukoyede also recalled a separate case involving “another church allegedly implicated in a Ponzi scheme, saying its leader initially resisted the commission’s intervention but eventually refunded a substantial amount after the EFCC threatened legal action.”

Names and details about the church and said ponzi scheme were also withheld.

He warned that the “commission would not spare anyone involved in financial crimes, regardless of their religious position or affiliation.”

The EFCC chairman further “cautioned church members against materialism, unhealthy competition and leadership struggles, saying such tendencies could expose religious institutions to financial misconduct.”

He also raised concerns about reports of individuals allegedly bribing their way into leadership positions within the RCCG.

Olukoyede urged pastors to investigate the sources of donations before accepting them, stressing the need to ensure that contributions to church projects were not proceeds of criminal activities.

Responding, Adeboye said the “RCCG would not protect anyone found to be involved in financial wrongdoing.

He also urged “pastors in the church to maintain clean financial records” and ensure that their activities were free from corruption. (Saturday PUNCH)