The Senior Pastor of Streams of Joy International, Jerry Eze, has reacted to comments made by the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, over an investigation into alleged money laundering linked to him.
PrimeTimes Nigeria reports that Eze spoke on Wednesday in Abuja during a business grant event organized by his foundation, where he opened up about the period he was under investigation.
He described the experience as difficult and emotional, saying he struggled to understand why he was being investigated despite believing he had done nothing wrong.
He explained that the situation affected him deeply, especially during his daily activities.
According to him, there were moments he became overwhelmed while heading out for early morning programmes, as he tried to process what was happening and sought divine help.
The pastor also recalled speaking with close associates during that period, as he tried to make sense of the development and find reassurance.
Despite the emotional toll, Eze said the outcome of the investigation brought him relief. He stated that after a detailed review of his records, the anti-graft agency found no evidence of wrongdoing, a result he said left him thankful.
“I remember that the EFCC chairman was talking about the investigation. He’s saying it, and he’s happy. But he didn’t know the kind of… I remember talking to Pastor Poju at the time. I remember talking to Pastor Sarah. I’m like, what did I do? I’ve not done anything. I don’t know why these people are after me,” Eze said.
He continued, “I wake up, I’m driving to NSPPD in the morning… You did me wrong. I must say it. I’m driving in the morning, and I’m crying, and I’m saying, ‘Jesus, Lord, you know.’ I prayed for you. I put your name on the altar because it looked like… I didn’t know what it was.”
“But then again, the interesting thing is that when he came, he said, ‘We looked through your books, and we didn’t find anything wrong you did,’ and I am beyond grateful to God,” he added.
His reaction came after Olukoyede revealed that he had ordered a six-month probe into the cleric following intelligence reports about large inflows of foreign currencies into an account connected to him.
The EFCC boss explained that the commission acted based on information it received, which pointed to funds coming from different countries into the account. He said investigators carried out a thorough review of the transactions and traced the sources of the money.
After the process, Eze was invited for questioning, where he gave explanations about the funds and linked them to his ministry work and charity activities.
Olukoyede said that after the investigation, no offence was established against the pastor. Instead of taking further action, he noted that the commission acknowledged the findings and advised the cleric to continue operating with openness, while maintaining its duty to monitor financial activities as part of its work.