Forensic Case Management and Reporting Standards in EFCC Investigations in Abuja

Effective forensic case management and professional report writing are essential competencies for forensic investigators within financial crime agencies. This study evaluates the forensic case management practices and reporting standards of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) forensic unit in Abuja between 2021 and 2024. A professional practice-oriented mixed-methods design was used, incorporating structured interviews with fifteen EFCC forensic investigators, review of twenty-five forensic examination reports, and analysis of case file management records. The study assesses adherence to documentation protocols, turnaround time management, report structure and clarity, and the correlation between report quality and court admissibility outcomes. Findings indicate that while EFCC forensic reports generally meet minimum legal requirements, variability in structure and terminology across investigators creates inconsistency in court interpretation. Average case-to-report turnaround time was forty-eight days, exceeding the EFCC's internal target of thirty days in sixty percent of cases. The study identifies workflow bottlenecks at the peer review stage and recommends the adoption of standardised report templates and a digital case management platform to improve efficiency. Recommendations also include mandatory forensic report writing training and the introduction of an internal quality grading system to incentivise report standards. Keywords: case management, forensic reporting, EFCC, financial crime, admissibility.