Nigeria’s Vice President, Kashim Shettima, has revealed that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has recovered assets worth more than ₦500 billion in the last two years under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Speaking in Abuja on Monday at the opening of a three-day capacity-building workshop for judges and justices, jointly organised by the EFCC and the National Judicial Institute, Shettima said the administration’s stance of non-interference in the work of anti-graft agencies has strengthened the country’s anti-corruption efforts.
“As an administration, we have prioritised public accountability by strengthening anti-corruption agencies and giving them the independence to carry out their mandates,” the Vice President said, representing President Tinubu at the event.
According to him, the EFCC has recorded over 7,000 convictions and recovered assets exceeding ₦500 billion within the past two years. He noted that the proceeds of these recoveries are being reinvested into social and developmental programmes such as the student loan and consumer credit schemes.
“Recovered proceeds of crime are being brought back into the economy to fund critical social investment programmes,” Shettima said.
He also stated that the government was working to improve the welfare of judicial officers, citing recent improvements in judges’ remuneration and working conditions.
Reaffirming President Tinubu’s commitment to transparency and the rule of law, Shettima stressed that the administration does not shield political allies from investigation or prosecution.
“There is no person or group who can accuse this administration of protecting political actors. We have allowed both the judiciary and anti-corruption agencies to exercise their powers to restore sanity,” he said.
The Vice President urged members of the judiciary to uphold integrity and patriotism in their work, warning that corruption affects all segments of society equally.
“Corruption is no respecter of persons. Judges are not insulated from its consequences. There are no special roads, hospitals, or communities for judges, we all face the same risks,” he said.
Shettima called for greater collaboration between all arms of government in the fight against corruption, stressing that a corruption-free Nigeria is achievable through collective effort and accountability.