RismadarVoice Reporters
September 17, 2026
The Nigerian Bar Association has offered its professional expertise to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission as both institutions move to deepen cooperation in the fight against economic and financial crimes, with the lawyers’ body citing the commission’s reported convictions, asset recoveries and preventive anti-corruption efforts.
NBA President, Mrs Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, SAN, announced the offer when she led a delegation of the association on a courtesy visit to EFCC Executive Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday.
Badejo-Okusanya said the association had closely followed the EFCC’s activities and acknowledged what she described as the impact of its investigation, prosecution and recovery efforts.
“When we see things that are done and done properly, we appreciate them,” she said, citing the commission’s reported statistics on recoveries and convictions.
NBA SEEKS STRONGER EFCC PARTNERSHIP
The NBA president said lawyers and law-enforcement institutions have important roles to play in building a lawful society capable of supporting economic development and strengthening public confidence.
She offered the association’s professional expertise to the EFCC, particularly in knowledge sharing and areas where cooperation between investigators and legal practitioners could strengthen efforts against economic and financial crimes.
Badejo-Okusanya also welcomed Nigeria’s removal from the Financial Action Task Force grey list, crediting the EFCC and other relevant institutions with contributing to the process.
She said the development had implications for confidence in Nigeria’s financial system and cross-border business transactions.
The NBA president expressed hope that progress recorded by the commission would be sustained, stressing that preventing criminal activities and strengthening the rule of law required cooperation among institutions and professional bodies.
EFCC SHIFTS ATTENTION TO CORRUPTION PREVENTION
Responding, Olukoyede said Nigeria’s removal from the FATF grey list resulted from coordinated efforts involving the EFCC and other government agencies.
He acknowledged the NBA’s support and said cooperation with the legal profession remained important to the commission’s work.
Olukoyede maintained that EFCC investigations were conducted within the confines of the law and said the commission remained accountable to the public.
The EFCC chairman further said the agency was strengthening its preventive approach to corruption, with greater emphasis on identifying risks before public funds are lost rather than waiting until suspected fraud has occurred.
According to him, the establishment of the Fraud Risk Assessment and Control Department forms part of the strategy to detect and address corruption vulnerabilities.
Olukoyede pledged closer cooperation with the NBA, including collaboration aimed at strengthening professional standards within the legal profession and improving the relationship between lawyers and anti-corruption authorities.
