President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has showered encomiums on the Ola Olukoyede leadership of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC for achieving new heights in asset recovery and convictions.
He gave the commendation in his keynote address and official opening of the 7th EFCC-NJI Capacity Building Workshop for Justices and Judges, on Monday, October 20, 2025 at the National Judicial Institute, Abuja with the theme: “Enhancing Justice in the Fight against Economic and Financial Crimes.”
The President who was represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima stated that, “As an administration we have prioritized public accountability by strengthening the anti-corruption agencies and accorded them the needed independence to execute their statutory mandates. This enabling environment is evident in the impact that has been made in the last two years.
“The EFCC for example has recorded over 7,000 convictions in the first two years of the present administration and recovered assets in excess of Five Hundred Billion Naira. Recovered proceeds of crime by the agency have been ploughed back into the economy to fund critical social investment programmes, including the Students Loan and Consumer Credit schemes.”
The President called on judges and justices to give their utmost in the fight against corruption, noting that the judiciary was critical to a successful anti-crime fight. Corruption, he said, can be rooted out in the country if citizens choose to do what is right and those who deviate are punished accordingly.
“We have an opportunity to consolidate the efforts of the last two years to deliver an optimal anti-corruption framework that will support our peaceful growth and development. A Nigeria free of corruption is possible, if we all commit to doing what is right in our respective spheres of influence and ensuring that those who deviate from the norm are not allowed to go scot-free. A robust judicial system is central to the success of anti corruption efforts and I count on our judges.
“We have allowed both the judiciary and the anti-graft agencies to exercise their constitutional and statutory powers to dispense justice and restore sanity. The evidence is before your eyes. We cannot claim to have excelled in our pursuit of a transparent system if we do not live by such examples. Courts and judges are strong pillars of the anti-corruption process. Except the society has full confidence that those who pillage our resources will be subjected to the rule of law and brought to justice through a fair and transparent process of adjudication, the sneers over our collective commitment to fighting corruption will only get louder. This point should resonate with your lordships. Your vantage position on the bench does not insulate you from the consequences of corruption.
“There are no special roads, hospitals or communities for judges. We all shop in the same markets and face the same risk of insecurity which is a culmination of decades of willful theft and wastage of the nation’s resources by corrupt public officials. I believe that it is in the interest of all Nigerians, members of the executive, the legislature and the judiciary to join hands in this important task of fighting and winning the war against corruption in Nigeria,” he said.
Olukoyede in his opening remarks, noted that though he had always been conscious of the enormous role of the judiciary in enforcing the rule of law and accountability in the course of his work in fraud management and regulatory compliance, the last two years of superintending the affairs of the EFCC have further brought the importance of the judiciary as the cornerstone in the fight against corruption into sharper focus.
He regretted the long-winding courtroom procedures that encumber the Commission’s progress in high profile corruption cases.
“The milestones we have recorded in the past two years are almost overshadowed by public concern over the progress of high profile cases in court. The seeming convoluted trajectory of many cases involving politically exposed persons evoke gasps of exasperation, incredulity and sometimes disdain by the people. Without mentioning specific cases and courts, there are cases filed by the Commission 15 or 20 years ago that appear in limbo, moving in circles.
“We appeared to have grown accustomed to a predictable pattern in high profile prosecutions: When investigations are concluded, getting PEPS to appear in court to answer to charges is a herculean task itself. When that hurdle is overcome, and the charge is read, other antics unfurl. It is either the charges are not properly served, or the defendant who hitherto was fit as fiddle suddenly comes down with some of the most chronic ailments under the sun. A medical report is brandished and technical adjournment procured.
“At other times, defendants recant on the statements they voluntarily made. A trial-within-trial is ordered. If that fails, a no case submission is the ultimate card of rigmarole, and the trial is on a roller coaster, that may stretch until God knows when! The power of the Commission to file a charge is challenged or the neutrality of the trial judge queried.
All of these amount to weaponization of procedures. Prioritization of procedural technicalities at the expense of justice undermines public confidence in the fight against corruption and financial crimes.
This calls for greater circumspection by Your Lordships in making pronouncements and decisions with dramatic implication for the fight against corruption. When cases drag in court, many things happen. Witness fatigue sets in, memories fade and those who had testified may struggle to recall their earlier testimonies. In extreme circumstances, the witness or the prosecutor may have died, or moved on and no longer available to testify. The defendants too grow old and frail, eliciting compassion that was not there in the beginning. The longer cases last in court, the more the chance that they slip off popular consciousness, and the image of the court as the temple of justice is eroded. The only victor in the circumstance is corruption.
“My lords, while the Nigerian Judiciary is blessed with competent and courageous judges and justices, the actions and decisions by a few are sources of worry to agencies such as the EFCC,” he said.
Speaking further, the EFCC boss stated that . “For instance, the Commission is disturbed by the trend in which some judges of state high courts issue orders to apprehend the powers of the Commission to investigate money laundering cases, even though it is clearly established that those matters are outside their purview. More worrisome is the fact that most of those decisions are made ex-parte. Even where the Commission appeals, there are no restraints in making contempt decisions against it.
“In addition, contradictory decisions by courts of coordinate jurisdiction in high profile corruption cases encumbers the work of the Commission. There is also the case when senior lawyers are allowed to stall the arraignment of corruption suspects through frivolous applications. These antics leave the society with suspicion that the courts and the prosecution are not keen about justice. This feeds into the theme of the workshop: Enhancing Justice in the Fight Against Economic and Financial Crimes. It is a clarion call to interrogate the absurdities obstructing the flow of the wheel of justice, especially in cases of corruption and other forms of economic crime.”
The Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairman, Board of Governors, NJI, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun in her address, observed the the annual EFCC-NJI Workshop “is in pursuit of a higher calling: to renew our collective commitment to the cause of justice, strengthen institutional capacity, and deepen public confidence in the judiciary as the bastion of accountability and the rule of law,” adding that economic and financial crimes “have grown in scale, sophistication, and audacity.”
Continuing, she stated that, “In addition to weakening institutions, these crimes erode the moral fabric of our society, undermine public trust, discourage investment, and widen the chasm of inequality and poverty. They rob our citizens of schools, hospitals, roads, and other essential services. Simply put, they strike at the very root of good governance, social equity, and sustainable national development. Against this backdrop, the judiciary’s role is both delicate and decisive.
“Our duty is not only to punish wrongdoing but also to ensure that justice is delivered through processes that are fair, transparent, and consistent with constitutional safeguards. Decisions of judicial officers have a profound impact on the growth and stability of our nation. It therefore behoves us to ensure that those decisions reflect an appreciation of the evolving dynamics of financial systems, the complexities of the global economy, and the rapid technological innovations that enable both legitimate commerce and criminal enterprise. We must remain proactive and adaptive, ensuring that the law continues to keep pace with the innovations that criminals exploit.
The fight against economic and financial crimes cannot succeed if the judiciary falters. Each ruling, each judgment, carries implications that extend far beyond the courtroom; they either strengthen or weaken the people’s faith in the capacity of the law to hold all persons accountable, regardless of status, power, or privilege. This is why we must be deliberate and disciplined in applying the tools already at our disposal.”
The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi charged that for the anti-corruption to be won, justice must be swift and certain, adding that the annual workshop represents a collective resolve to build a justice system that does not merely punish corruption, but prevents it.
“This gathering represents not just an institutional collaboration, but a reaffirmation of our collective resolve to build a justice system that does not merely punish corruption, but prevents it, and eradicates its rule. The fight against economic and financial crimes is not just a legal battle. It is a moral duty, a civic responsibility and an act of national preservation. When corruption thrives, justice withers. When justice sleeps, corruption leads.”
He emphasized the need for collaboration and synergy in ensuring that justice is served. “Our institutions must therefore work not in isolation, but in synergy. The investigator, the prosecutor and the judge should form a single chain of accountability. The Federal Ministry of Justice, under my leadership, remains committed to deepening reforms that strengthen interagency collaboration, promote evidence driven prosecution and align our anti corruption framework with global best practices.”
The theme of the workshop was delivered by former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice. Kanu Agabi, SAN/
Goodwill messages were delivered by the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, represented by Senator Munguno, Senate Committee Chair on Judiciary. Others are Senator Udende Emmanuel, Senate Committee Chair on Financial Crimes, Hon Ginger Onwusibe, House of Representative Chair on Financial Crimes.
The workshop runs till Wednesday, October 22, 2025
