By Anwar Usman
The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, has called on judges to play a significant role in the fight against financial crimes and ensure that the nation’s legal system does not become a facilitator of illicit financial flows.
She made this call in Abuja during a sensitisation programme on anti-money laundering, combating the financing terrorism, and countering proliferation financing risk assessment for the Judiciary.
This was contained in a statement issued on Friday by the Senior Special Assistant on Media to the CJN, Tobi Soniyi.
According to the statement, the CJN reiterated the need for collaboration between the judiciary, lawyers, law enforcement, and anti-money laundering agencies to ensure Nigeria’s removal from the Financial Action Task Force list of Jurisdictions Under Increased Monitoring, commonly referred to as the “Grey List.”
Kekere-Ekun stated that, “The success of any AML/CFT regime is based on the good rapport that exist among key stakeholders. The Judiciary, the Nigerian Bar Association, law enforcement agencies, anti-money laundering institutions, and financial regulators must work in concert to ensure a holistic and coordinated response to financial crimes.”
She further highlighted the negative impact of Nigeria’s continued presence on the Grey List, noting that it has imposed significant economic constraints, undermining investor confidence, financial transactions, and the broader economic outlook.
Kekere-Ekun expressed satisfaction with the workshop’s diverse participation, including key regulatory stakeholders, which she described as a reflection of the collective commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s AML/CFT framework.
On his part, the Deputy British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mrs. Gill Lever, reaffirmed the United Kingdom’s commitment to supporting Nigeria in fighting against money laundering, noting that Nigeria loses over $16 billion annually as a result of money laundering.