The Code of Conduct Tribunal has raised concern over a backlog of 1,037 unresolved cases, some of which have remained pending for between five and 10 years, blaming inadequate funding, irregular referral of cases by the Code of Conduct Bureau and a lack of basic operational facilities.
![](https://thenigerialawyer.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/2026-Summer-IDRI-Masterclass.jpg")
The Acting Director of Litigation of the tribunal, Yahaya Laraski, said the situation had weakened the CCT’s capacity to effectively discharge its anti-corruption mandate, disclosing that only six cases were referred to the tribunal by the CCB between December 2025 and May 2026.
Laraski explained that the tribunal does not initiate cases on its own and is entirely dependent on matters investigated and forwarded to it by the Code of Conduct Bureau for adjudication.
He said this dependence had become a major challenge because referrals from the Bureau had been irregular, leaving the tribunal without sufficient new matters to determine despite its constitutional and statutory responsibilities.
The CCT also complained about what it described as grossly inadequate funding, saying that even its approximately ₦2 billion annual budget was rarely fully released by the Federal Government.
“There is gross inadequacy of funding because we hardly get the N2 billion budget funded by the government. We don’t have even housing and motor vehicles for our chairman, talk less of many directors that do not have official vehicles,” Laraski said.
He added that the tribunal required furniture, Information and Communication Technology equipment, official vehicles and greater investment in staff training and capacity building to operate effectively.
Despite the constraints, Laraski said the current leadership of the tribunal, headed by Chairman Mainasara Kogo, had introduced measures aimed at preventing new cases from joining the inherited backlog.
According to him, newly referred matters are now attended to within one week of filing, while the tribunal has also issued orders freezing bank accounts and directing the temporary forfeiture of assets belonging to individuals and companies in cases brought before it.
“As of July 10, 2026, when the tribunal embarked on annual vacation, there is no unattended case pending from the bureau in the record of the tribunal,” he said.
Laraski clarified that the 1,037 unresolved matters were inherited by the current leadership, with many having remained without adjudication for periods ranging from five to 10 years under previous administrations.
The disclosure comes as the Federal Government moves to significantly expand the mandate of the CCT by transforming it into a full-fledged National Anti-Corruption Court.
Laraski said discussions were already ongoing with the National Assembly, the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation on an Executive Bill that would provide the legal framework for the proposed court.
Under the proposal, the existing tribunal would be expanded into a National Anti-Corruption Court with seven judicial divisions across the country and a wider mandate to adjudicate corruption-related cases.
The proposed reform would mark a significant departure from the present structure of the CCT, whose jurisdiction is principally tied to breaches of the Code of Conduct for public officers and cases referred to it by the CCB.
Laraski said the current leadership had also taken steps to strengthen the institutional status of the tribunal, including repositioning the office of the CCT Chairman to correspond with that of the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court and its members with judges of the Federal High Court.
“The new leadership has repositioned the status of the chairman to that of the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court and that of members to judges of the Federal High Court,” he said.
Internally, the tribunal has expanded its administrative structure from three departments by creating seven additional departments.
Laraski also disclosed that outstanding staff promotions had been implemented while 13 new allowances were introduced as part of measures aimed at improving staff welfare and institutional efficiency.
The CCT maintained that adequate funding, regular referral of cases from the CCB and improved infrastructure would be necessary if the tribunal is to clear its inherited backlog and effectively perform its role in Nigeria’s anti-corruption architecture.
The proposed National Anti-Corruption Court, if backed by the required legislation, is expected to substantially broaden the tribunal’s current jurisdiction and establish seven judicial divisions for the handling of corruption-related cases nationwide.
[A MUST HAVE] Evidence Act Demystified With Recent And Contemporary Cases And Materials
Available now for NGN 40,000 at ASC Publications, 10, Boyle Street, Onikan, Lagos. Beside High Court, TBS. Email publications@ayindesanni.com or WhatsApp +2347056667384. Purchase Link: https://paystack.com/buy/evidence-act-complete-annotation
______________________________________________________________________ “Enhance Legal Practice With Authoritative Reports” — Alexander Payne Offers Comprehensive Law Reports, Spanning Over A Century Of Nigerian Jurisprudence
Interested buyers are encouraged to place their orders and enquiries via:
0704 444 4777, 0704 444 4999, 0818 199 9888
Website: www.alexandernigeria.com
The book also examines Nigeria's legal ecosystem, focusing on the LPELR and NBA AI Guidelines. As a bonus, every purchase comes with a FREE eBook titled: How to Use the AI Features in LegalPedia and LawPavilion.
Ohio Books Ltd praises the publication, stating:
"....this is the only Nigerian book I know of on the topic."
How to Order:
📞 Call, Text, or WhatsApp: 08034917063 | 07055285878
📧 Email: benadigwe1@gmail.com
🌎 Website: www.benadigwe.com
Ebook Version: Access it directly online at https://selar.com/prv626
Authored by Ben Ijeoma Adigwe Esq., ACIarb (UK), LL.M, Dip. in Artificial Intelligence, Director at the Delta State Ministry of Justice, Asaba, Nigeria.
______________________________________________________________________
