Okay News reports that President Bola Tinubu has commended the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for its achievements in the fight against corruption, saying the agency has recovered more than ₦500 billion and secured over 7,000 convictions within the first two years of his administration.
Speaking through Vice President Kashim Shettima on Monday during the opening ceremony of the 7th EFCC-NJI Capacity Building Workshop for Justices and Judges in Abuja, Tinubu said the results show his administration’s commitment to supporting anti-graft agencies with resources to strengthen accountability and transparency.
According to EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale, the President emphasized that the funds recovered have been reinvested into vital social programs like the Students Loan and Consumer Credit schemes.
“The EFCC, for example, has recorded over 7,000 convictions in the first two years of this administration and recovered assets worth more than ₦500 billion. The recovered proceeds of crime have been channeled back into the economy to fund key social investment programmes,” Tinubu was quoted as saying.
He stressed that the fight against corruption can only succeed when all arms of government—executive, legislature, and judiciary—work together. He called on judges to uphold integrity, fairness, and accountability in delivering justice.
“A Nigeria free of corruption is possible if we all commit to doing what is right in our respective spheres of influence,” Tinubu stated. “A robust judicial system is central to the success of anti-corruption efforts, and I count on our judges.”
The President also cautioned that public officials must lead by example, warning that the anti-graft campaign would lose credibility if leaders fail to live by the values they preach.
“We cannot claim to have excelled in building a transparent system if we do not live by such examples. Courts and judges are pillars of the anti-corruption process,” he said.
He further highlighted that corruption is one of the biggest threats to national progress and security, urging Nigerians to join hands to eliminate it. “There are no special hospitals or roads for judges or politicians. We all face the same consequences of corruption,” Tinubu added.
Meanwhile, EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, lamented the slow progress of several high-profile corruption cases, saying that procedural delays and manipulation of court processes by politically exposed persons have weakened public confidence in the justice system.
“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. “Some cases filed over 15 or 20 years ago still appear in limbo, moving in circles.”
He decried how some defendants exploit medical excuses and legal technicalities to obstruct justice, while certain state high courts issue ex parte orders beyond their jurisdiction to stop EFCC investigations.
Olukoyede also faulted senior lawyers for using frivolous applications to stall trials, saying such practices erode public faith in the judiciary.
“The longer cases last in court, the more corruption wins,” he added. “Judges and justices must show courage in making pronouncements that strengthen the anti-corruption fight.”
