Over 600 corruption cases stagnated at Code of Conduct Tribunal – Report

More than 600 high-profile corruption cases and trials are currently stalled at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Nigeria Anti-Corruption Performance Public Reporting (NAPPR) project report has revealed. It specifically said the research conducted disclosed that most of the cases and trials were halted due to procedural delays and political interference, while describing some of the […]

More than 600 high-profile corruption cases and trials are currently stalled at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Nigeria Anti-Corruption Performance Public Reporting (NAPPR) project report has revealed.

It specifically said the research conducted disclosed that most of the cases and trials were halted due to procedural delays and political interference, while describing some of the findings as “surprising.”

Daily Trust reports that the release of the report came amid concerns by Nigerians that many high-profile corruption cases have been swept under the carpet by the successive executive arm of government with the help of the judiciary arm.

The research document, a copy of which was obtained by Daily Trust in Abuja on Tuesday, disclosed that one of the abandoned trials includes the one involving a former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen.

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The report was presented to the representatives of different organisations, including the Police, EFCC, CCB, ICPC, journalists, among other key stakeholders, by the Executive Director of Centre for Media, Policy and Accountability (CMPA), Dr Suleiman Suleiman.

“Judicial Bottlenecks: Over 600 corruption cases remained unresolved at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) with high-profile trials, such as that of former Chief Justice Walter Onnoghen, stagnating for years due to procedural delays and political interference,” the document partly read.

It also disclosed that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) prioritized high-volume enforcement in the past, with 74 percent involved in low-level offenders.

The report added, “Through stakeholder engagements, data analysis, and institutional surveys, the NAPPR Project found disparities in policy implementation, enforcement efficacy, and public accountability.

“While some findings aligned with pre-existing critiques of Nigeria’s anti-corruption architecture, others emerged as surprising revelations, challenging assumptions about institutional readiness and societal engagement.

“Indeed, the NAPPR research found out both anticipated and unforeseen challenges: Private Sector Accountability Gap: Despite rampant illicit financial flows in Nigeria’s banking sector, none of the ACAs had policies specifically targeting private sector corruption.

“EFCC’s focus on Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs) overshadowed systemic risks, such as money laundering through multinational corporations.”