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From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Rotimi Oyedepo, as the new Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in the Federal Ministry of Justice, transferring him from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to the mainstream Federal Civil Service.
In a statement issued by Director of Information and Public Relations in the State House, Abiodun Oladunjoye, the reshufflement comes amid ongoing efforts to enhance efficiency in Nigeria’s justice system, particularly in handling high-profile financial crime cases.
The move aims to fill the vacancy left by the retirement of Abubakar Babadoko, who will complete his mandatory eight years as a director on December 31, 2025. A letter dated December 23, signed by Omolabake Mafe on behalf of the Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission, emphasized that the appointment was made “in the public interest.”
Oyedepo, a 2007 law graduate from the University of Ilorin and Nigerian Law School alumnus of 2008, brings over 15 years of experience from the EFCC, where he specialised in prosecuting complex economic and financial crimes and served as Head of the Monitoring Unit.
He played a key role in the Federal Government’s legal team for the landmark Process and Industrial Development (P&ID) case against Nigeria, earning accolades including EFCC Outstanding Staff of the Year in 2014 and Best Financial Crimes Prosecutor in 2019.
The appointment is expected to bolster the ministry’s capacity. Officials anticipate Oyedepo will “deploy his expertise to reduce reliance on external counsel for critical prosecutions and to ensure greater coherence and consistency in the Federal Government’s legal strategies,” as stated in the release.
Oyedepo’s wealth of experience positions him perfectly to strengthen our prosecutorial framework at this critical time.
