The Impact of Plea Agreements on Victims’ Rights in Corruption Prosecutions by the EFCC

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has emerged as Nigeria's primary anti-corruption law enforcement agency, prosecuting high-profile cases involving public officials, corporate executives, and financial intermediaries. In recent years, the EFCC has increasingly utilised plea agreement arrangements under the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 to secure convictions and asset recovery in corruption cases. However, concerns have been raised that plea agreements may compromise the rights and interests of victims of corruption. This research examines the impact of EFCC plea agreements on the procedural and substantive rights of corruption victims, drawing on a sample of concluded plea agreement cases from 2017 to 2024. A doctrinal and empirical methodology was employed, combining analysis of judicial approval decisions with interviews conducted with EFCC prosecutors, defence lawyers, and victim advocacy representatives. Secondary sources include EFCC annual reports, UNCAC implementation assessments, and academic literature on victim rights in white-collar crime proceedings. The findings indicate that Nigerian corruption victims are rarely informed of or consulted during plea negotiations, and compensation to victims is infrequently included as a condition of plea agreements. The study recommends mandatory victim notification in EFCC plea bargain processes, judicial scrutiny of plea agreement terms affecting victim interests, and the establishment of a corruption victim compensation fund. This study advances the literature on victim rights and anti-corruption law in Nigeria. Keywords: plea agreement, victim rights, EFCC, corruption prosecution, ACJA 2015.