President Bola Ahmed Tinubu commended the leadership of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for setting new records in asset recovery and convictions.
The President delivered the commendation in his keynote address at the 7th EFCC-NJI Capacity Building Workshop for Justices and Judges on Monday, October 20, 2025, in Abuja.
Represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, President Tinubu highlighted the substantial impact of the anti-graft agency under Ola Olukoyede’s leadership.
“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,” the president stated.
He noted that these recovered proceeds are being ploughed back into the economy to fund critical social programmes, including the Student Loan and Consumer Credit schemes.
While acknowledging the judiciary’s critical role, EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede voiced his frustration with the slow pace of 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,” Olukoyede said in his opening remarks.
He detailed various delay tactics, including frivolous applications, technical adjournments due to sudden ailments, and challenges to the commission’s authority.
“The longer cases last in court, the more 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,” he asserted.
He called on judges to exercise greater circumspection, particularly regarding contradictory decisions and the issuance of orders that interfere with EFCC investigations.
Chief Justice of Nigeria Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun emphasised the importance of the judiciary’s role in the fight against financial crimes, stating that the annual workshop aims to “deepen public confidence in the judiciary as the bastion of accountability.”
Attorney General and Minister of Justice Lateef Fagbemi stressed the need for synergy, stating that for the anti-corruption war to be won, “justice must be swift and certain.”
The workshop, themed “Enhancing Justice in the Fight against Economic and Financial Crimes”, runs until Wednesday, October 22, 2025.
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