The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, reportedly directed the church to refund billions of naira traced to it by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over concerns that the funds were proceeds of illicit activities.
The EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, disclosed this on Saturday while speaking at an event on corruption and the church, where he warned against the use of religious institutions as channels for concealing proceeds of crime.
Olukoyede said investigations by the anti-graft agency revealed that some wealthy individuals and politicians had allegedly used churches to move or conceal money suspected to have been illegally acquired.
He explained that the commission traced some of the questionable funds to the RCCG and subsequently contacted Adeboye to inform him of its findings.
According to the EFCC chairman, the cleric did not challenge the commission's findings or attempt to shield those who made the donations but immediately instructed church officials to return the money.
Olukoyede quoted Adeboye as directing those concerned to refund the funds, insisting that the church should not retain money whose source could not be established as legitimate.
The EFCC boss said the cleric also made it clear that the church would rather surrender the money to the government than benefit from proceeds of suspected wrongdoing.
He disclosed that the RCCG complied with the directive and returned the funds, which he said amounted to billions of naira, describing the development as an example of how religious institutions should respond to concerns about financial impropriety.
