President Bola Tinubu has commended the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for its role in the arrest and extradition of two Nigerians to the United States over the alleged sexual exploitation and extortion of minors.
The suspects, Adebola Festus Adekunle and Mudasiru Afeez Olawale, were arrested and extradited in August 2026 under Operation Artemis, a joint investigation targeting international criminal networks behind sextortion and child sexual exploitation. Both now face federal charges in the US.
The Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Kash Patel, had written to EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede to acknowledge the commission’s role. Patel said the prosecution of the cases would not have been possible without the EFCC’s assistance and its commitment to international law enforcement cooperation.
In a statement issued on Saturday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu praised the EFCC chairman and his team.
“I commend the EFCC Chairman and his team for their professionalism and dedication,” the President said.
“Nigeria must never become a haven for criminals who exploit innocent people, whether at home or abroad. Our law enforcement and anti-corruption institutions have my full support to pursue offenders and bring them to justice in accordance with the law.”
He said international cooperation was necessary to tackle crimes that cross national borders.
“Our fight against corruption is not measured by publicity but by results. Stronger institutions, effective law enforcement and international cooperation are essential to building a Nigeria where honest enterprise can thrive, and criminals are held accountable,” he added.
Tinubu urged the EFCC and other law enforcement agencies to sustain their efforts against financial and related crimes, assuring them of continued government support.
The President also cited Nigeria’s removal from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list in October 2025, and from the European Union’s list of high-risk financial jurisdictions in January 2026, as evidence of progress in the country’s financial crime reforms.
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