Digital Evidence: CJN Calls for Stronger Court Capacity

The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, has called for sustained judicial training as digital evidence and technology-driven financial crimes introduce increasingly complex questions into court proceedings.

Her intervention highlights a growing challenge for the Bench and Bar: understanding the evidence behind electronic transactions well enough to investigate, present and evaluate it effectively.

According to TheNigeriaLawyer, the CJN spoke on October 13 in Abuja at the eighth annual capacity-building workshop organised by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the National Judicial Institute.

The workshop addressed the investigation and prosecution of economic and financial crimes in a digital age. Kekere-Ekun emphasised that technology has changed how digital evidence is obtained, preserved and presented, requiring judicial officers to update their knowledge continually.

Voice of Nigeria reported that President Bola Tinubu, represented by Vice-President Kashim Shettima, also urged improvements in handling digital-era crimes and weaknesses that frustrate proceedings.

Attorney-General Lateef Fagbemi, represented by Director of Public Prosecution Rotimi Oyedepo, called for institutional cooperation. EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede warned that technological developments were outpacing existing legal frameworks.

For lawyers, the workshop places technical preparation alongside courtroom advocacy. Cases involving electronic records require counsel to understand the material they seek to rely on and the questions that may arise when its reliability is challenged.

The event announced a training and reform agenda. It did not itself introduce a new evidentiary rule or displace existing procedural protections.

Its immediate significance is the emphasis on institutional readiness as financial investigations increasingly involve digital information.

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