The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ola Olukayode, has highlighted the serious issue of internet scams, specifically targeting judicial officials, during the launch of two books by retired high court judge Justice Alaba Omolaye-Ajileye. He recounted an incident where a serving judge was scammed of over N7.2 million at midnight, money she had saved over six years for her child’s education.

After contacting him in desperation, the EFCC successfully recovered the funds by the next morning. Olukayode emphasized the urgent need for collaborative action among Nigerians, law enforcement, and the judiciary to combat financial crimes effectively.

He also addressed the emerging role of artificial intelligence (AI) in criminal investigations, acknowledging the difficulties in generating admissible evidence from AI-operated systems, such as robots. He urged lawmakers and legal scholars to develop appropriate legislation to govern this area.

In the keynote address, former Attorney-General Chief Kanu Agabi encouraged the EFCC to intensify efforts in repatriating billions of looted public funds held abroad, asserting that failure to do so would represent a generational failure. He praised Justice Omolaye-Ajileye’s integrity, while Chief Wole Olanipekun, a former Chairman of the Body of Benchers, called for stricter enforcement of cybercrime laws.

The Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mr. Tosin Ajayi, suggested that more convictions would deter criminal activity. The event attracted a distinguished audience with legal professionals from various courts, reinforcing the necessity for improved strategies against financial crimes in Nigeria.