Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) is grappling with a backlog of about 1,037 cases, some of which have remained unresolved for between five and 10 years, even as its leadership pushes for the establishment of a 37-judge National Anti-Corruption Court to conclude corruption cases within six weeks.

The proposed court, according to the tribunal, would have seven judicial divisions across Nigeria and operate under a summary trial procedure that requires cases to be disposed of within six weeks of arraignment.

The proposal is part of reforms being pursued by the Chairman of the CCT, Mainasara Ibrahim Kogo Umar, who assumed office on January 20, 2025.

The tribunal said the proposed legislation would transform the CCT into a full-fledged National Anti-Corruption Court with jurisdiction to hear corruption cases brought by anti-graft and public accountability institutions.

Under the proposal, agencies including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), Public Complaints Commission (PCC) and National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), as well as civil society organisations, would be able to prosecute cases before the court.

The proposed legislation is being pursued through the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation for presentation to the National Assembly as an Executive Bill.

The plan is being put forward against the backdrop of the 1,037 pending cases inherited by the present leadership, with the tribunal saying many had been left unresolved for between five and 10 years.

The chairman subsequently directed that the cases be returned to the CCB for thorough scrutiny to determine which should proceed, while the tribunal awaits the Bureau’s response.

The tribunal said the move was necessary to separate cases that could proceed from those requiring further action before adjudication.

At the same time, the leadership has introduced a faster approach to newly filed cases.

According to the tribunal, the chairman directed that cases filed by the CCB should be brought before the tribunal within one week.

It added that as of July 10, 2026, when the tribunal proceeded on its yearly vacation, there was no unattended case filed by the Bureau in its records.

The tribunal disclosed that six cases were filed before it in the 2025/2026 period, involving allegations including failure to declare assets and property, conflict of interest, running businesses while in public office and failure to declare council accounts.

It also said it had granted orders freezing the accounts of individuals and companies, as well as temporary asset forfeitures, in some cases instituted by the CCB.

To further modernise its procedures, the tribunal has drafted new Practice Directions to replace the existing rules, which it said were outdated and did not adequately incorporate key provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015 and the Proceeds of Crime (Recovery and Management) Act.