The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) reportedly expended N54 million to sponsor five judges on a trip to London, United Kingdom, for a professional symposium.
According to records on the public expenditure portal Govspend, the payment was made on August 27, 2025, to Wakanow.com Limited.
Confirming the development, EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale defended the expenditure, stating that the sponsorship was intended to strengthen institutional capacity in tackling financial crimes.
He explained that the judges were nominated by the Chief Justice of Nigeria and participated in an annual International Symposium on Financial Crimes hosted at the University of Cambridge.
Oyewale maintained that the trip was legitimate and aimed at enhancing participants’ understanding of economic and financial crime issues.
“The symposium brings together experts from across the world to share experiences in handling corruption-related matters,” he said, adding that such initiatives should be seen as beneficial to the anti-corruption fight.
He also clarified that the sponsorship was not limited to judges, noting that EFCC staff and other stakeholders were part of the delegation.
However, Oyewale challenged the reported figure of N54 million, describing it as inflated.
The development has revived memories of a similar controversy in 2023 involving the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), where judicial officers were reportedly sponsored for a London training programme—raising concerns about judicial independence.
Observers say the repeated occurrence of such foreign-sponsored programmes continues to spark debate over the neutrality of Nigeria’s judiciary, especially amid persistent allegations of bias in certain rulings.
