President Bola Tinubu has called for urgent reforms in Nigeria’s judicial process, arguing that frivolous appeals, lawyer-led intimidation of judges, and verdicts based on technicalities are undermining the country’s fight against corruption. Speaking at a high-profile judicial workshop in Abuja on Monday, Tinubu, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, said these factors were delaying justice and impeding efforts to root out corruption.
Addressing judges and justices at the 6th Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and National Judicial Institute (NJI) Capacity Building Workshop, Tinubu acknowledged that reforms have improved the prosecution of corruption cases in recent years. However, he emphasized that significant challenges remain, particularly in speeding up the adjudication of high-profile cases.
“There is no gainsaying the fact that the judiciary is central to the success of anti-corruption efforts,” said Shettima, reading from the President’s prepared remarks. “But frivolous applications, appeals, and the intimidation of judges by legal counsel continue to delay trials and undermine justice.”
Tinubu further warned that corruption, which he described as a “cancer,” will continue to deny Nigeria the full benefit of its resources unless tackled aggressively by all sectors, including the judiciary.
The President also pointed to the complexity of modern financial crimes, fueled by advances in technology and the rise of virtual assets like cryptocurrency. He urged the judiciary to update its knowledge base to handle the growing prevalence of cybercrime and crypto fraud.
“We remain committed to creating the right environment for judicial officers to discharge their responsibilities,” Tinubu added, noting that his administration had recently improved the remuneration of judges and provided housing for judicial officers in the Federal Capital Territory.
In a broader context, the President outlined his administration’s use of recovered proceeds from corruption to fund social programmes aimed at reducing economic pressures on Nigerians. These measures include the Students Loan Fund and the Consumer Credit Scheme, which Tinubu hopes will help reduce the incentive for cybercrime among vulnerable populations.
The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, echoed Tinubu’s sentiments, praising the current leadership of anti-corruption agencies and affirming the judiciary’s role in fighting economic crimes. She stressed that collaboration between law enforcement and the judiciary is essential for tackling the complex challenges posed by financial crimes.
Other speakers at the event included Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who advocated a periodic review of economic crime laws, and EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede, who highlighted the challenges faced by investigators in high-profile corruption cases.
