President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has said that his administration’s anti-corruption efforts have achieved significant results in the last two years.
According to him, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) secured more than 7,000 convictions and recovered assets valued at over N500 billion during the period.
The President noted that the recovered funds were being channelled into social investment initiatives such as the Students Loan Scheme and the Consumer Credit Scheme.
He urged the Judiciary to maintain the highest standards of integrity and impartiality in the ongoing fight against corruption, warning that the collapse of justice institutions signals a nation’s moral decay.
Tinubu spoke on Monday in Abuja at the opening of a joint workshop of the EFCC and the National Judicial Institute (NJI). Represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, the President reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to strengthening judicial independence and improving the welfare of judicial officers.
“The moral foundation of the Nigerian nation rests squarely on the integrity of its judicial system. We draw our moral distinction as a people from the judiciary, and we owe it the reverence and autonomy to remain the last sanctuary of our collective conscience,” he said.
In a statement by Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications in the Office of the Vice President, Tinubu described the recent review of judicial remuneration as part of a broader reform to enhance judicial independence and efficiency.
He stated that while Nigerians often express frustration over the slow pace of high-profile corruption cases, his administration has refrained from interfering in the judicial process.
“There is no person or group who can accuse this administration of shielding political actors on account of their affiliation to this government or the political party. We have allowed both the judiciary and the anti-graft agencies to exercise their constitutional and statutory powers,” Tinubu said.
The President also stressed the importance of continuous judicial training to keep pace with emerging technologies, especially in handling cybercrime and cryptocurrency-related cases.
“Learning and relearning is no longer a buzz phrase but an essential undertaking for continued relevance in this digital age. How does one do justice in a cryptocurrency fraud case except one is grounded in such matters?” he added.
He reminded judicial officers that corruption affects everyone, regardless of their social status. “Your vantage position on the Bench does not insulate you from the consequences of corruption. There are no special roads, hospitals, or communities for judges,” he said.
Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) and Chairperson of the NJI Board of Governors, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, said the decisions of judicial officers have far-reaching effects on Nigeria’s growth and stability.
She urged judges to remain firm, fair, and deliberate in their adjudications to ensure that justice is never delayed or denied.
“The strength of the judiciary lies in the trust reposed in judges by the Nigerian people. We must preserve that trust by ensuring justice is neither partial nor delayed,” Justice Kekere-Ekun said.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio, represented by Senate Chief Whip Mohammed Monguno, reaffirmed the legislature’s commitment to supporting anti-corruption agencies through enabling laws and adequate funding.
“Corruption is an enemy of the state, and combating it requires action from all fronts — the legislature, the judiciary, and the citizenry,” Akpabio said.
NJI Administrator, Justice B. A. Adejumo, described the EFCC-NJI workshop as a vital platform for strengthening institutional synergy in the fight against corruption, adding that no nation can develop without addressing graft.
EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede commended the judiciary for its role in advancing the anti-corruption campaign. He noted that the Supreme Court’s recent decision reaffirming the commission’s constitutional mandate had boosted institutional confidence.
“The record of 4,111 convictions and humongous asset recoveries could not have been achieved by a lazy or ineffective judiciary,” Olukoyede said, reaffirming the EFCC’s commitment to sustaining its anti-corruption efforts.