EFCC, NJI Seek Legal Reforms to Tackle Delay in Trial of Corruption Cases

BY MICHAEL AKINOLA 

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and the National Judicial Institute, NJI have called for legal and procedural reforms to curb delays and abuse of court processes in the trial of corruption and other economic and financial crimes cases.

The call is contained in a Communique issued by participants at the end of the 8th Capacity Building Workshop for Justices and Judges, held in Abuja between 13-15 October, 2026.

The workshop was organised by the EFCC in collaboration with the NJI under the theme “Investigation and Prosecution of Economic and Financial Crimes in a Digital Age.”

It brought together Justices and Judges from across the country, as well as investigators and prosecutors of the EFCC.

At the end of the three days of lectures, exhaustive discussions and a workshop survey, participants arrived at several resolutions that formed the basis of the Communique.

In the Communique, participants resolved that delays in the resolution of corruption cases “will be greatly reduced by designating specialized judges and court staff to handle such cases as well as equipping such judges and courts with necessary skills through training to ensure efficient, certain and consistent application of existing laws in the administration of justice.”

They also called for balance in the criminal justice system, stating that it “must strike the proper balance between fairness, efficiency and legal certainty in the protection of individual rights on one hand and the speedy administration of justice, on the other hand.”

To achieve this, they recommended that relevant provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) be reviewed where necessary.

Participants urged that investigation standards, including digital management protocols, “should be enhanced across investigative and prosecutorial agencies to ensure that prosecution of cases are based on credible, reliable and admissible evidence.”

The Communique further stated that adopting “a more inclusive coordinated approach in obtaining confessional statements will safeguard the rights of suspects and the integrity of investigation through institutionalizing the use of video recording and other necessary measures.”

Participants described Non-Conviction Based Asset Forfeiture proceedings as “an effective tool for recovery of stolen assets,” but stressed that its use “must follow extant legal protocols, adherence to human rights standards and strong institutional oversight.”

They also said procedural reforms are necessary to allow for extension of time for freezing suspected proceeds of financial crimes.

The Communique recommended that Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in the anti-corruption sector, working with the National Assembly and the Judiciary, “should develop governance protocols as well as policy guidelines to guide the adoption and deployment of Artificial Intelligence in the administration of justice.”

Participants called on stakeholders to acquaint themselves with existing laws necessary for the effective investigation, prosecution and adjudication of financial crime cases involving virtual assets.

These include the Investment and Securities Act (2025), the Executive Order on Virtual Assets Coordination (2026), the Rules on Digital and Virtual Assets Operations (2026) and the Proceeds of Crime Act (2022).

They also noted the “need for greater investment in digital forensic laboratories, technology infrastructure and specialized training for investigators, prosecutors and members of the Bench.”

Participants stressed the need for continuous and specialised training for judicial officers and staff of anti-corruption agencies, “to enhance their knowledge and skills in line with the evolving nature of economic and financial crimes and global best practices.”

“Investigators, Prosecutors and Judicial Officers should be trained to treat open-source intelligence primarily as a source of investigative leads and corroboration, while subjecting material relied upon in court to the applicable evidential rules,” the participants said in the Communique.

Subject to the need for legislative review, they recommended that the NJI, working with the National Judicial Council (NJC), “should develop accredited certification courses at certificate and diploma levels to equip Judges and relevant stakeholders with necessary skills required to improve their efficiency in justice delivery.”

The Communique also called for “continued and sustained synergy and coordination among all stakeholders in the administration of criminal justice in Nigeria,” particularly in sharing information on emerging trends in investigating and prosecuting economic and financial crimes in the digital age.

It further urged Heads of Court to “leverage information from this workshop to develop policies that clarify practice around various technical subjects raised.”

Participants expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who was represented by the Vice-President, Senator Kashim Shettima and other stakeholders and organizers of the workshop, who contributed to its success.

Presentations, technical sessions and deliberations at the workshop covered different areas including, the admissibility of confessional statements in criminal trials, reforming garnishee proceedings, delay tactics and abuse of court processes, non-conviction-based forfeiture proceedings, the role of artificial intelligence in investigation and prosecution, the recovery, management and disposal of virtual assets, and the use of digital forensics in the investigation and prosecution of economic and financial crimes.

Justices of the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal, together with Judges of the Federal High Court, State High Courts and the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory and other stakeholders in the judiciary and anti-corruption corridors attended the workshop.

A total of nine sessions were held, all of them interactive.