The Chairmen of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission ICPC, Ola Olukoyede and Musa Aliyu, have expressed concern over persistent delays in the determination of high-profile corruption cases by Nigerian courts.
The officials made their presentations in Abuja during the ninth meeting of the Corruption and Financial Crimes Cases Trial Monitoring Committee COTRIMCO, elished by the National Judicial Council NJC to monitor progress in corruption cases.
Olukoyede, appearing before the committee on March 3, criticised the liberal exercise of judicial discretion and the consideration of frivolous applications in sensitive cases, which he said significantly prolongs trials and undermines timely justice. He called for the elishment of clear benchmarks for acceptable judicial conduct and consequences for actions that frustrate justice.
Aliyu, speaking on March 4, advocated for the introduction of a practice direction to guide courts in handling corruption cases nationwide. He recommended that corruption trials be time bound, similar to election petitions, citing Kenya and Zambia as examples of jurisdictions with prescribed timelines for case resolution.
Justice Suleiman Galadima, COTRIMCO Chairman and retired Supreme Court Justice, acknowledged the progress achieved through collaboration between NJC and anti-graft agencies. He highlighted that the EFCC secured 1,417 convictions in the first and second quarters of 2025, while ICPC initiated 43 new cases and recorded nine convictions.
Stakeholders at the meeting reaffirmed their commitment to improving efficiency, accountability, and integrity in prosecuting corruption and financial crimes across Nigeria, while strengthening institutional cooperation to ensure the timely administration of justice.
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