President Bola Tinubu has criticised Nigerian judges and lawyers for impeding the speedy adjudication of corruption cases by delivering judgments based on technicalities and filing frivolous appeals.
He emphasised that no “Nigerian is immune to corruption.”
Mr Tinubu stated that some of the challenges hindering the swift resolution of corruption cases include “frivolous applications and appeals, intimidation of judges by counsel, and judgements not based on the facts of cases but on technicalities.”
Represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, Mr Tinubu made these remarks at the 6th Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) – National Judicial Institute (NJI) Workshop for Justices and Judges on Monday.
The president called for a collective effort toward the anti-corruption fight to tackle the menace in Nigeria.
“No Nigerian is immune from corruption, a cancer which continues to deny the nation the full benefits of its God-given resources. Rather than look up only to the anti-corruption agencies for a solution to this malaise, I believe it is in our enlightened collective interest to close ranks and aggressively tackle this common enemy,” Mr. Tinubu said.
Ola Olukoyede, chairman of the EFCC, echoed Mr Tinubu’s stance at the event.
He said, “The spectre of frequent adjournments of high-profile corruption cases arising from frivolous applications, conflicting orders by courts of coordinate jurisdiction in corruption cases, intemperate contempt orders hauled at the Commission’s leadership, and unwarranted orders of injunction restraining the Commission from investigating cases are among a plethora of issues that bother the EFCC.”
