President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has lauded the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for its performance in the fight against corruption, revealing that the agency has secured over 7,000 convictions and recovered more than \u20a6500 billion in assets within the first two years of his administration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tinubu made the disclosure on Monday in Abuja during the opening of the 7th EFCC\u2013NJI Capacity Building Workshop for Justices and Judges, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to a statement by EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale, the President described the Commission\u2019s achievements as a clear demonstration of his administration\u2019s determination to strengthen anti-graft institutions and ensure accountability at all levels of governance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe EFCC, for example, has recorded over 7,000 convictions in the first two years of the present administration and recovered assets in excess of \u20a6500 billion,\u201d Tinubu said.
\u201cRecovered proceeds of crime have been ploughed back into the economy to fund critical social investment programmes, including the Students Loan and Consumer Credit schemes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2018Anti-Corruption Fight Must Be Collective\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Tinubu stressed that the war against corruption could only succeed through the collaboration of all arms of government. He noted that judges play a vital role in ensuring justice, fairness, and public confidence in the legal system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cA Nigeria free of corruption is possible if we all commit to doing what is right in our respective spheres of influence,\u201d he said. \u201cA robust judicial system is central to the success of anti-corruption efforts, and I count on our judges.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The President urged political leaders, lawmakers, and members of the judiciary to lead by example, warning that the anti-corruption campaign would lose credibility if public officials failed to uphold integrity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe cannot claim to have excelled in our pursuit of a transparent system if we do not live by such examples,\u201d he said. \u201cCourts and judges are strong pillars of the anti-corruption process. Your vantage position on the bench does not insulate you from the consequences of corruption.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tinubu added that corruption undermines national development and fuels insecurity, noting that every Nigerian has a stake in ending it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThere are no special roads, hospitals, or communities for judges. We all face the same risks that arise from decades of willful theft and wastage of our nation\u2019s resources,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n EFCC Boss Laments Delays in High-Profile Cases<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n In his remarks, EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede raised concern over what he described as persistent delays and procedural setbacks in corruption cases involving politically exposed persons, warning that such delays have overshadowed the Commission\u2019s successes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe milestones we have recorded in the past two years are almost overshadowed by public concern over the progress of high-profile cases in court,\u201d he said. \u201cWithout mentioning specific cases and courts, there are matters filed by the Commission 15 or 20 years ago that appear in limbo.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Olukoyede said many defendants exploit legal loopholes to stall trials, citing tactics such as sudden medical excuses and frivolous applications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhen investigations are concluded, getting politically exposed persons to appear in court is a Herculean task. When they do, new antics emerge \u2014 from claims of ill health to technical adjournments,\u201d he stated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The EFCC chairman condemned what he termed the \u201cweaponisation of legal procedure,\u201d saying it weakens public trust in the judiciary and emboldens corruption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cPrioritising procedural technicalities at the expense of justice undermines public confidence in the fight against corruption. When cases drag on, witnesses forget details or die, and corruption becomes the only victor,\u201d he warned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Some Judges Obstruct EFCC Investigations\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Olukoyede also criticised the actions of some state high court judges, accusing them of issuing orders beyond their jurisdiction to block EFCC investigations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe Commission is disturbed by the trend in which some judges issue orders to obstruct our investigations into money laundering cases, even though such matters are clearly outside their purview,\u201d he said. \u201cMost of these orders are granted ex parte, and even when we appeal, contempt rulings are issued against us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n He further expressed worry over contradictory judgments from courts of coordinate jurisdiction and the conduct of senior lawyers who file multiple applications to frustrate corruption trials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThese antics leave society with the suspicion that the courts and the prosecution are not keen about justice,\u201d Olukoyede added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The EFCC chairman called for stronger judicial collaboration, urging judges and justices to act with caution and integrity in handling corruption-related cases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe longer cases last in court, the more they slip off popular consciousness, and the image of the court as the temple of justice is eroded. We must act now to ensure that corruption does not win this war,\u201d he concluded.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has lauded the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for its performance in the fight against corruption, revealing that the agency has secured over 7,000 convictions and recovered more than \u20a6500 billion in assets within the first two years of his administration. Tinubu made the disclosure on Monday in Abuja during…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2286,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pagelayer_contact_templates":[],"_pagelayer_content":"","sfsi_plus_gutenberg_text_before_share":"","sfsi_plus_gutenberg_show_text_before_share":"","sfsi_plus_gutenberg_icon_type":"","sfsi_plus_gutenberg_icon_alignemt":"","sfsi_plus_gutenburg_max_per_row":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[528,38,2],"tags":[2176,2125,2177,2178,2175],"class_list":["post-2702","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business-economy","category-news","category-politics","tag-anti-corruption","tag-bola-tinubu","tag-efcc","tag-kashim-shettima","tag-nigeria-judiciary"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t