Olukoyede: We once investigated Jerry Eze for ‘money laundering’ for six months

29 Apr 2026, 19:15 by Testimony Adebisi · TheCable Lifestyle

Ola Olukoyede, the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), says the agency once conducted a six-month investigation into Jerry Eze, pastor of Streams of Joy International, for alleged money laundering.

Olukoyede spoke on Wednesday during the Jerry Eze Foundation business grant award ceremony in Abuja.

In a now-viral video, the EFCC chairman explained that the probe was triggered by intelligence reports and petitions received by the commission.

“I never wanted to say it, but I just felt that’s my little way of making this contribution. I investigated this man, (Jerry Eze), for six months, yes, for money laundering,” he said.

“We work by intelligence; we work by petitions. At some point, I saw that there was an account, a domiciliary account, where dollars and pounds were dropping in like raindrops, from Colombia, from America, from Sri Lanka, even from Togo.

”I asked, ‘Who is this man?’ Yes, I had been hearing his name. I had seen his face a couple of times.”

Olukoyede said he ordered a full investigation into the source of the funds flowing into the pastor’s account.

“I mean, I was never bothered about what he was doing; I knew he was a pastor. So they said, ‘It is one, Pastor Jerry of Streams of Joy, go and investigate him,” he said.

“So we went into the investigation and combed through the books. Yes, we saw the money coming in.

“Then my Investigating Officer, IO, came to me one day and said, ‘Sir, this is the criminal report.’ I said, ‘I’d like to see this man, go and invite him.’”

The EFCC boss said he invited the pastor to sit beside him as Eze explained how the funds came in, what his ministry does, and how he has been helping people through various initiatives.

“So, he came to my office. I saw him, I had seen that face before, I knew it, but I didn’t realise it was him at first because he came in wearing baggy trousers, you know, a small T-shirt and some punk styling with patting,” he said.

“I was almost going to say, ‘Go and call your pastor, my friend. You are not the one, go and bring your bishop.’ So, I took a second look.

“I looked at his face again and said, ‘Okay, you are Pastor Jerry.’ He said, ‘Yes, sir.’ I said, ‘Go and sit beside me.’ So, he told me what happened and all of that, how the money came, what he does, how he has been helping people and so on.

“I said, ‘You know what? I didn’t call you here to explain to me. I called you to commend you.’”

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