EFCC records over 20,000 convictions in 12 years

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has received no fewer than 147,588 petitions between 2014 and 2025.

Data from the commission, sighted by our correspondent on Wednesday, showed that more than 106,626 of the petitions had been investigated.

Within the same period, the EFCC filed over 28,264 cases in court.

Out of these, no fewer than 20,011 convictions were secured.

According to documents uploaded on its website, the offences charged include cybercrime, money laundering, conspiracy, dealing in adulterated petroleum products, possession of counterfeit currency, impersonation, and forgery of invoices and vendors’ receipts, among others.

According to some of the documents uploaded on its website, 976 convictions were secured in 2020; 2,220 in 2021; 3,785 in 2022; 2,674 in 2023 and 4,111 in 2024.

Reacting, Executive Director of the Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership, Debo Adeniran, said the figures suggested that the agency is making efforts despite daunting challenges.

Adeniran described the process of securing convictions as difficult and fraught with obstacles.

“The fact that there are as many as those 20,000 convictions shows that the EFCC is not laid back. At least they are doing what they can under the difficult circumstances they find themselves in.

“Really, getting convictions, with the existing landmines on the path of anti-corruption agencies in carrying out due diligence, investigation and prosecution, is an arduous task,” Adeniran said.

He further pointed to structural limitations such as inadequate funding, poor equipment, insufficient training, and low motivation, noting that suspects often attempt to frustrate investigations.

“Most of the time, those involved believe they are wealthy and do not mind spending that wealth to influence witnesses, including prosecution witnesses.

“They can even go to any length to destroy evidence. And because the anti-corruption agencies are not adequately funded, equipped, or trained, all of these make their job more difficult,” the CACOL boss added.

Adeniran added that institutional setbacks sometimes undermined the work of investigators and prosecutors, while calling for greater public support.

“What we should do is to praise them for what they have been able to achieve and challenge them to do more.

“We should motivate Nigerians to support them, to come forward as witnesses and whistleblowers. Once we provide information and are ready to stand by it in court, I believe they can do better,” he advised.

Also reacting, Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, Auwal Musa, said while the number of convictions is noteworthy, the broader goal should be to curb corruption before it occurs.

Musa stated, “If there is no EFCC or ICPC, the level of corruption in this country would be overwhelming.”

He stressed that the presence of anti-corruption agencies helps to check impunity, even if outcomes are not always optimal.

“For me, it is not just about the number of convictions. It is the fact that something is being done, that impunity is being challenged, and that people who think they can act without consequences are not always succeeding,” he noted.

Musa, however, blamed weaknesses in the justice system for limiting the effectiveness of prosecutions, alleging that wealthy suspects often exploit the system.

“We must also appeal to judges and lawyers because the major problem lies within the administrative justice system. Those accused of corruption often have the resources to hire lawyers and, in some cases, influence the process,” he added.

Musa called for reforms to strengthen accountability and prevent corruption, adding that civil society would continue to support anti-corruption efforts.

“What we should be aiming for is prevention. It is not only about securing convictions; it is about ensuring that these crimes do not occur in the first place,” he concluded.