Tinubu Urges Judiciary to Close Loopholes for Elite Criminals

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu urged the Nigerian judiciary to overhaul the justice system to prevent well-connected individuals and organized crime actors from using legal technicalities to evade prosecution. Speaking through Vice President Kashim Shettima at the 8th annual EFCC/NJI Capacity Building Workshop in Abuja, Tinubu argued that the judiciary must act as a guardian of moral order rather than a mechanical arbiter of rules.

Tinubu demanded that judges dismantle outdated precedents and seal procedural gaps that allow politically exposed persons to frustrate trials. He emphasized that the law must prioritize the public good over narrow interests shielded by technical maneuvers, particularly as financial crimes evolve through artificial intelligence and blockchain technology.

Chief Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun stressed the necessity of disciplined case management and specialized training for judicial officers to handle digital evidence. This effort aligns with recent successes by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, which recovered billions of naira and millions of dollars in digital assets and prosecuted 192 foreign nationals for fraud and cyberterrorism. EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede warned that digital innovation is currently outpacing the legal instruments available for prosecution, while Attorney-General Lateef Fagbemi called for increased cooperation across government institutions to combat the evolving architecture of corruption.