- Lateef Fagbemi praised the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) method of corruption investigations and urged Nigerian agencies to follow suit
- The Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation emphasised the importance of completing investigations before arresting suspects to ensure fairness
- Fagbemi revealed the government’s plan to address conflicting judicial decisions using technology, ensuring more predictable rulings
Lateef Fagbemi, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice has commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) approach to corruption probes. He advised the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to complete investigations before making arrests.
During his address at the Food and Energy Security in Africa Conference in Lagos this past weekend, where he discussed "the Rule of Law and attracting international investment towards food and energy security in Africa," Fagbemi remarked that the FBI would ensure a diligent investigation before targeting suspects.
Fagbemi preaches FBI model to EFCC, ICPC investigations
“My attitude has always been that when the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, or the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, is investigating anybody, I prefer the FBI model of the institution,” Fagbemi stated.
Speaking further, he said, “But when they call at your doorstep, you have to open the door. Your rights are there. You call your, like they say in America, your attorney.
“You call your attorney, but I bet you what you will ask your attorney to do is to reduce your sentence, to negotiate how your sentence will be reduced. When they are doing it, nobody hears anything.”
Fagbemi cautioned against the practice of declaring the capture of a "big fish" in the fight against corruption without adequate investigation, saying it should be discouraged. He proposed that the proper approach to fighting corruption involves conducting investigations first, followed by media trials in a more civilised manner.
“So if you don’t hear that anybody has been arrested, if you don’t hear that anybody has been invited, it is not because actions are negative and not going on. It’s just that I believe that that is a more civilised approach of waging war against corruption,” Fagbemi stated.
“And that will also significantly reduce the impression even outside the country. I have made this point that I don’t believe that the situation is as bad as people are painting it. This issue of social media, they would have bastardised and abused the suspects before the truth came out.
“So it is important to say this. If you get one, if you want to crush the corrupt official, please do so, but ensure that he does not get off the shackles of the law.
“It is by so doing that we can help ourselves and help the country. We all have a duty; a civic responsibility to report incidents of corruption, and it is also the statutory duty of the anti-corruption agencies to ensure thorough investigation,” Fagbemi stated.
Fagbemi hints at new laws, initiatives to tackle corruption
He pointed out that while corruption is a global challenge, the government is taking adequate measures to control it.
Fagbemi said, “First, I start with an opening statement. Corruption is everywhere in the world. So when I hear people talk of corruption, corruption, as it exists in Africa, it exists in Europe, in Asia, but I will limit my question to this one now.
“In matters of corruption in the energy sector, we know the effect is like a cancer. Unless you are very careful, you may not be able to stop it. But we are doing our utmost to ensure that this is nipped in the bud, or at least reduced to the bare minimum.”
“For instance, we have witnessed the promulgation into law of critical legislations like the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 and Corruption Act also in 2022.”
He further said, “work of the various anti-corruption agencies, particularly the IPCC and EFCC are also things that we feel, if properly and effectively pursued, will also reduce corruption significantly and to ensure the process is respected, protected, and corruption is deterred.
“It’s not everything that IPCC or EFCC is doing that will be advertised. I am aware that they are more involved now in prevention while not abandoning corruption.”
Fagbemi praises EFCC, ICPC for securing nearly 4,000 convictions
According to the Minister of Justice, the EFCC and ICPC, alongside other agencies, have effectively investigated corruption claims and achieved notable results.
“For example, in 2022, a total of 3,700, almost 4,000 convictions were secured. This evidence is efficient on the part of these institutions to address the current corruption.
“Combating corruption is one of government’s priorities, and that’s why government has been doing it.”
Fagbemi included, “I believe, so concerted efforts of government against corruption will continue for months in terms of stealing, executive interference. This will continue to signal foreign investors that Nigeria is serious about combating corruption.”
The Attorney General of the Federation also revealed that the government plans to address conflicting judicial decisions through the use of technology.
“I cannot run away from the fact that we have had conflicting decisions. But I want to assure you that that was in the past. You will not hear of any conflicting decisions these days. And, you know, certainty and predictability are the two pillars upon which judicial decisions stand.
“It must be predictable. It must be certain. So when there is conflict, then there is a problem.”That is now being addressed.”
He added that conflicting decisions are mostly in political decisions.
“When cases are filed, numerous cases are filed almost simultaneously across all the divisions of the court.
“This one does not know what is going on there. So that accounts for that. But with technology that is being put in place, if any decision has been rendered along a particular area of the law, then it is easy to detect.”
AGF Lateef Fagbemi warns anti-graft agencies against false charges, others
Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that Fagbemi called for evidence-based legal evaluations and warned against justifying corruption
He highlighted the importance of collaboration among Attorneys General in combating corruption and proposed excluding those convicted of corruption from state pardons.