The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has stated that court orders are impeding the agency’s ability to investigate corruption cases in 10 states.

He made these remarks during the 6th EFCC National Judicial Institute (NJI) capacity-building workshop for justices and judges on Monday, October 7, 2024, in Abuja.

Olukoyede, without specifying the 10 states involved in such cases, called for collaboration between anti-graft agencies and the judiciary in the fight against corruption.

The EFCC boss expressed concerns about frequent adjournments of high-profile cases and conflicting court orders in the corruption prosecutions.

“In spite of the energy and commitment of our judges in resolving corruption cases across the country and measures such as practice direction and designation of courts and judges to hear corruption matters, there are still some areas of concern that need to be addressed urgently.

“The spectre of frequent adjournments of high-profile corruption cases arising from frivolous applications, conflicting orders by courts of coordinate jurisdiction in corruption cases, intemperate contempt orders hauled at the commission’s leadership, and undue reliance on technicality in deciding serious corruption cases, unwarranted orders of injunction restraining the commission from investigating graft cases, are among a plethora of issues that bother the EFCC, which should be on the table for frank conversations over the next two days.

“The incidence of suspects facing criminal investigation rushing to court to obtain orders of injunction restraining the commission from inviting, investigating, interrogating, and arresting them, including some state governments, has become rampant and worrisome,” he stated.