EFCC secured 7,000 convictions, N500bn in two years, says Tinubu
President Bola Tinubu says the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured over 7,000 convictions and recovered assets worth over N500 billion within the past two years.
The president spoke on Monday at a capacity-building workshop for judges in Abuja, where he was represented by Vice-President Kashim Shettima.
“The EFCC has recorded over seven thousand convictions in the first two years of my administration and recovered assets in excess of five hundred billion naira,” Tinubu said.
He added that the recovered proceeds are being channelled into social investment programmes, including the student loan and consumer credit schemes.
The president said his administration has not interfered with the operations of anti-graft agencies or the judiciary, allowing them to exercise their mandates freely.
“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,” he said.
Addressing the judicial officers, Tinubu acknowledged public frustration over delays in the adjudication of high-profile corruption cases compared to the swift conclusion of cybercrime matters.
“The theme of this year’s workshop… will resonate amongst many… coming at a time when conversation in the fight against corruption evokes anger over delayed adjudication of high-profile matters while cases involving cybercrime masterminds are determined with dispatch,” he noted.
He also pointed to a “consternation over decisions of courts in serious corruption matters that engender feelings that society is being left with the wrong end of the stick.”
Tinubu called on judges to strengthen the integrity of the judicial system, which he described as “the last sanctuary of our collective conscience.”
The president also stressed the need for continuous learning by judicial officers to tackle sophisticated financial crimes, including cryptocurrency fraud.
“How does one do justice in a cryptocurrency fraud case except one is grounded in such matters? Learning and relearning is no longer a buzz phrase but an essential undertaking,” he said.
He reminded the judges that they are not insulated from the consequences of corruption.
“There are no special roads, hospitals, or communities for judges. A Nigeria free of corruption is possible if we all commit to doing what is right in our respective spheres of influence,” he added.
