The League of Patriotic Lawyers has praised the EFCC recoveries and convictions recorded under the leadership of its Chairman, Ola Olukoyede.
Chairman of the organisation, Abubakar Yesufu, described the achievements as significant milestones in Nigeria’s fight against economic and financial crimes.
Yesufu made the remarks in Lagos, where he commended the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for its recent performance.
According to Yesufu, the anti-graft agency has recovered more than N1.23 trillion in local currency and $684.47 million.
He said the scale of the recoveries showed that the EFCC could “hold its head high” in its fight against financial crimes.
The lawyer also disclosed that the Commission had secured 10,832 convictions from nearly 15,000 cases handled.
He described the figure as unprecedented.
Yesufu said he was particularly pleased with the development as a member of the legal profession.
He noted that Olukoyede, whom he described as a colleague, had promised from the beginning of his tenure to raise professional standards at the Commission.
According to him, the EFCC chairman had also pledged to “hoist the NBA flag on the high halls of achievement.”
Commenting on the recent dismissal of more than 40 EFCC personnel, Yesufu said termination of employment alone was insufficient.
He argued that officials found to have compromised the integrity of the Commission should face criminal prosecution.
“Kindly prosecute and jail them,” he advised.
Yesufu said prosecuting culpable officials would demonstrate that the Commission’s zero-tolerance stance on corruption was more than a slogan.
He maintained that accountability within the agency was essential for sustaining public confidence in its operations.
The League chairman also raised concerns about delays within Nigeria’s judicial system.
He said weaknesses in the existing framework could slow down the prosecution of economic and financial crime cases.
Yesufu therefore called on the National Assembly to establish special courts dedicated to economic and financial crimes.
According to him, such courts could facilitate faster trials and ensure that complex financial crime cases receive timely attention.
He said judicial reforms were important to strengthening the impact of EFCC recoveries and convictions.
Yesufu further urged the Commission to remain focused on its statutory mandate.
He called on the EFCC to investigate and prosecute high-profile suspects whenever available evidence established a case against them.
The lawyer cautioned the agency against yielding to political pressure.
He specifically urged the Commission to pursue “the big fishes” where evidence justified prosecution.
Yesufu said the EFCC must preserve its independence and ensure that its anti-corruption campaign remained transparent, even-handed and firmly guided by the rule of law.
