When President Bola Tinubu appointed Rotimi Oyedepo as Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation (DPPF) on Tuesday, he moved a long-time Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) prosecutor to one of Nigeria’s most consequential legal offices.
Mr Oyedepo’s appointment marked a significant transition from the frontlines of anti-corruption litigation to the apex of federal criminal prosecution, a role that places him at the heart of decisions shaping how the Nigerian state enforces its criminal laws.
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At 42, Mr Oyedepo, who has done nothing else other than prosecution all his career, assumed the role at a critical moment for Nigeria’s criminal justice system.
He replaced Abubakar Babadoko, who retired after completing the mandatory eight-year tenure as a director.
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As DPP, Mr Oyedepo now serves as the federal government’s chief prosecuting officer, working directly under the Attorney-General of the Federation and overseeing all federal criminal prosecutions.
His elevation marked a shift from frontline litigation to institutional leadership.
The DPP’s office supervises prosecutions initiated by federal agencies, advises on prosecutorial decisions, represents the government in criminal appeals, coordinates with state Directors of Public Prosecution, and supports international criminal cooperation.
Before his appointment, Mr Oyedepo spent more than 15 years at the EFCC, where he built his career as a specialist prosecutor of complex economic and financial crimes.
Until his new appointment, Mr Oyedepo had also served as the Special Assistant on Financial Crimes and Public Prosecution Compliance in the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) since his appointment by President Bola Tinubu in October 2023.
His core mandate in that capacity was working with AGF to bring about effective change in the anti-corruption ecosystem in Nigeria. To achieve the goal, he spearheaded and coordinated critical anti-corruption initiatives and inter-agency compliance measures.
Rising through the ranks to become a director, he handled politically sensitive cases involving money laundering, abuse of office, oil theft and large-scale asset recovery.
A defining aspect of his work at the EFCC was asset forfeiture litigation, particularly the deployment of Non-Conviction-Based Forfeiture (NCBF), a civil mechanism that allows the state to recover assets suspected to be proceeds of crime without first securing criminal convictions.
The approach, grounded in the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, has become one of the most consequential—and contested—tools in Nigeria’s anti-corruption framework.
Mr Oyedepo was part of the prosecutorial efforts that led to a Supreme Court affirmation of the constitutionality of non-conviction based forfeiture, notably in the case involving $8.4 million linked to former First Lady Patience Jonathan.
The ruling strengthened the EFCC’s asset recovery mandate and provided judicial backing for a method increasingly relied upon by investigators.
Following that decision, courts ordered the forfeiture of assets worth billions of naira and millions of dollars in cases prosecuted or coordinated by teams he belonged to.
These included exotic jewellery valued at about $40 million linked to former petroleum minister Diezani Alison-Madueke, funds traced to Mrs Jonathan, $43.4 million and luxury properties in Ikoyi, and a 753-unit housing estate in Abuja linked to former Central Bank governor Godwin Emefiele.
Some of these forfeiture cases sparked legal disputes, with affected parties challenging the processes on grounds of fair hearing and service of court documents.
The EFCC has consistently maintained that the forfeitures were carried out pursuant to valid court orders, placing the cases at the centre of broader debates over due process and asset recovery.
Beyond forfeiture proceedings, Mr Oyedepo prosecuted several high-profile corruption cases involving senior public officials and corporate executives, including cases against Mr Emefiele.
His work also extended beyond Nigeria’s borders. Mr Oyedepo was a key member of the federal government’s legal team in the Process and Industrial Developments (P&ID) arbitration dispute, a case that initially exposed Nigeria to an arbitral award of about $11 billion.
In October 2023, the English High Court set aside the award after finding it was procured through fraud, a decision the Tinubu administration said spared Nigeria a potentially crippling financial liability.
In 2022, the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee elevated Mr Oyedepo to the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria, citing sustained courtroom performance and impact in financial crimes litigation.
Born in 1983, Mr Oyedepo studied law at the University of Ilorin, graduating in 2007, and attended the Nigerian Law School in 2008, where he was called to the Bar.
His professional recognitions include EFCC Outstanding Staff of the Year (2014) and Best Financial Crimes Prosecutor (2019).
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He is a member of the Nigerian Bar Association, International Bar Association, African Bar Association, and the International Association of Prosecutors.
Outside his official duties, Mr Oyedepo serves as an Assistant Pastor with the Redeemed Christian Church of God.
He is married to Victoria Rotimi-Oyedepo, and they have four children.
Mr Oyedepo’s new appointment positions him at a strategic point in shaping how the federal government pursues criminal accountability.
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