President Bola Tinubu has urged the judiciary to close procedural loopholes and address flawed prosecution tactics that allow economic and financial crime suspects to escape justice.
Mr Tinubu made the call on Tuesday in Abuja at the eighth annual capacity-building workshop organised by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and National Judicial Institute (NJI).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Vice-President Kashim Shettima represented the president at the workshop under the theme, ‘Investigation and Prosecution of Economic and Financial Crimes in a Digital Age’.
Tinubu called for an overhaul of the justice system to prevent influential individuals from exploiting legal technicalities to evade prosecution and punishment.
He urged the judiciary to review existing statutory frameworks to address emerging financial crimes.
“Probe prosecution strategies, dismantle outdated precedents, and seal procedural gaps that politically exposed persons and organised crime actors exploit to delay or frustrate trial,” he said.
The president warned that economic and financial crimes posed an existential threat to Nigeria, stressing that corruption affected every arm of government.
He said portraying the anti-corruption campaign as exclusively an executive responsibility was a fundamental error.
“This is because compromised public services equally affect the executive, legislature, judiciary, and ordinary citizens,” he said.
Tinubu described the fight against corruption as a collective struggle for national survival, urging the courts to prevent legal technicalities from shielding criminality.
“We must no longer permit legal pyrotechnics and procedural pedantry to shelter criminality.
“The Bench is not merely a mechanical arbiter of rules, but an active guardian of moral order and social equity.
“Law is, by design, an instrument of social engineering; it must invariably prioritise the public good over narrow, selfish interests shielded by technical manoeuvres.
“Our courts must embody the spirit, and not just the arid letter, of the law,” the President said.
Tinubu maintained that meaningful progress against corruption required an independent, progressive and reform-minded judiciary.
He commended the EFCC for organising the workshop, describing its theme as timely and necessary for strengthening institutional cooperation against evolving financial crimes.
The President said technological advancements had expanded the reach and sophistication of criminal activities, creating new challenges for investigators and judicial authorities.
“My Lords, we confront a rapidly shifting criminal landscape. Technology has amplified the audacity and reach of illicit actors, ushering in sophisticated crimes driven by destructive ingenuity.
“The rise of blockchain technology and artificial intelligence has introduced unprecedented layers of complexity to traditional illicit activities.
“Because these modern crimes constantly mutate, law enforcement and judicial authorities must continuously build capacity to adapt and respond effectively,” he added.
Tinubu stressed that investigative and prosecutorial strategies must evolve to prevent Nigeria’s institutions from becoming ineffective against emerging financial crimes.
He expressed confidence in the EFCC’s efforts to tackle cryptocurrency fraud and recover virtual assets.
“We are already on the right trajectory. The EFCC’s recent momentum in tackling cryptocurrency fraud and its commendable strides in recovering virtual assets are highly reassuring,” he said.
The President added that the commission had recovered billions of naira in cryptocurrency investment-related fraud cases.
Earlier, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, said the workshop demonstrated the NJI’s and EFCC’s commitment to addressing challenges confronting stakeholders in the justice system.
Kekere-Ekun said technological developments had transformed how digital evidence was obtained and recorded, requiring appropriate judicial responses.
She stressed that effective criminal justice administration in the digital era required firm and disciplined case management.
The CJN said sustained judicial education and capacity development were producing positive results, particularly in improving judicial officers’ conduct.
Also, the Administrator of the NJI, Justice Babatunde Adejumo, described the workshop as an integral part of government efforts to address evolving financial crimes.
He said the event reflected efforts to confront the changing dynamics and scale of financial crimes in the digital age.
Adejumo said Shettima’s presence demonstrated the Tinubu administration’s commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s fight against corruption.
On his part, EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, described the workshop as a national imperative and an important component of both institutions’ annual programmes.
Olukoyede said the commission had pursued reforms and recorded unprecedented convictions and financial recoveries over the past three years.
He assured Nigerians that recovered funds and assets would be handled transparently and judiciously.
The EFCC chairman expressed concern about the impact of advanced technology on financial crimes and other forms of corruption.
He noted that digital innovation was advancing faster than the legal instruments and provisions available for prosecuting offenders.
NAN