President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has urged Nigeria’s judiciary to speed up corruption trials and close procedural loopholes that allow politically exposed persons and organised criminal groups to delay court proceedings.
The President made the call on Tuesday in Abuja during the eighth annual capacity-building workshop for judges and justices, organised by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the National Judicial Institute (NJI).
Tinubu was represented at the event by Vice President Kashim Shettima.
The workshop focused on the investigation and prosecution of economic and financial crimes in the digital age.
The President called on judicial officers to review existing legal frameworks, strengthen case management and address weaknesses in prosecution strategies that could frustrate the timely determination of corruption cases.
He warned that corruption remained a major threat to Nigeria’s development and stressed that the fight against financial crimes should not be treated as the responsibility of the executive arm of government alone.
According to him, the judiciary must remain independent, progressive and capable of responding to increasingly complex forms of financial crime.
Tinubu also highlighted the growing use of artificial intelligence, blockchain technology and other digital tools in financial crimes. He said investigators, prosecutors and judges needed continuous training to keep pace with these developments.
The President commended the EFCC for its work in securing convictions and recovering proceeds of crime. He also pledged continued government support for strengthening judicial capacity.
Meanwhile, Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, emphasised the importance of proper handling of digital evidence and effective case management.
She stressed that judicial officers must maintain professional standards while ensuring that criminal proceedings comply with the law.
The EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, also identified prolonged trials, unnecessary adjournments and weaknesses in investigations as obstacles to effective prosecution.
He called for stronger cooperation between investigators, prosecutors and the judiciary to improve the handling of complex financial crime cases.
However, efforts to speed up trials must preserve the constitutional rights of defendants, including the right to a fair hearing and an impartial court.
Monafrika’s Take
Faster corruption trials could help strengthen public confidence in Nigeria’s justice system. Cases should not remain unresolved for years because of avoidable delays. However, speed must not replace fairness. Every accused person deserves a fair hearing, and every conviction must be supported by credible evidence. Nigeria needs a justice system that is both efficient and independent, where nobody is above the law and nobody is denied their legal rights.
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