The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, has announced significant progress in the prosecution of crimes under the purview of the Ministry of Justice, attributing these gains to strategic reforms, policy actions, and inter-agency collaboration.
Speaking during the Quarterly Stakeholders Engagement on Access to Criminal Justice, held in Abuja, Fagbemi highlighted key achievements in the justice sector between October 2024 and May 2025.
“These achievements are the outcome of deliberate policies aimed at enhancing prosecutorial capacity, strengthening synergy among prosecuting agencies, and refining our legal and institutional framework,” he said.
According to the Minister, the Ministry’s efforts were bolstered through collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser and other law enforcement agencies. He noted that targeted capacity development initiatives were carried out in critical areas such as general investigation and prosecution strategy, cyber security, forensic evidence, financial crimes, maritime offences, and sexual and gender-based violence.
Cybercrime, Terrorism, and Extradition Milestones
To bolster cybercrime response, the Ministry established a Joint Case Team (JCT) in partnership with relevant stakeholders. This initiative, he explained, aligns with the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 and aims to offer a coordinated approach to digital crimes. A review of the cybercrime legal framework is currently underway to align with emerging global trends.
On terrorism, the Minister reported the successful prosecution and conviction of 226 terrorism suspects during a special session conducted from December 9 to 13, 2024, covering a total of 237 cases.
In the area of extradition, Fagbemi confirmed that Nigeria successfully extradited two fugitives to the United States in 2025—Hassan Bun Hussein Abolore Lawal in January and Okechukwu Josiah Odunna in March. Additionally, Nigerian authorities worked with Qatar to secure the return of Benjamin Nnanyereugo (alias Killaboi) in April, to face murder charges for the killing of his girlfriend, Augusta.
He also addressed the pending extradition of Mr. Simon Ekpa, a Finland-based Biafra agitator, stating that Ekpa is currently undergoing legal proceedings in Finland and will be extradited to Nigeria upon conclusion of that process. “Ekpa violated laws in both Finland and Nigeria. The Finnish authorities want to complete their legal process before handing him over,” Fagbemi explained.
Asset Recovery and Deployment
Fagbemi disclosed a major breakthrough in asset recovery, noting that $52.88 million in looted assets (the Galactica Assets) were repatriated to Nigeria from the United States under an asset-sharing agreement signed on January 10, 2025.
Of this, $50 million will be channeled toward the Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-Up (DARES) Project, which targets 17.5 million Nigerians with improved electricity access. The remaining $2.88 million will support counter-terrorism capacity building for criminal justice sector practitioners.
Commitment to Justice Reform and Stakeholder Engagement
The Minister reiterated the unwavering commitment of the current administration to transparency, inclusivity, and accountability in the administration of justice. He emphasized the importance of continuous dialogue with stakeholders to refine service delivery across the justice sector.
“Today’s engagement offers a unique opportunity for open dialogue, enabling us to collectively identify gaps, propose solutions, and prioritize actions for the next phase of justice sector reforms,” Fagbemi said.
He called on stakeholders to provide feedback that will help the Ministry and its agencies further improve on their mandate.
For media inquiries, contact:
Ministry of Justice Press Unit
press@justice.gov.ng | +234 (0) 912 345 6789
