Governor of Nasarawa State, Abdullahi Sule, has called on the National Assembly to establish special courts dedicated to handling corruption cases in the country.
Governor Sule made the call Friday at the combined passing-out parade of 404 cadets of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) held at the Nigeria Police Mobile Force Training College in Ende Hills, Akwanga Local Government Area.
He commended the EFCC for its rigorous training program and its successes in the anti-corruption fight, which resulted in over 4,000 convictions last year.
However, he expressed concern that the impact of the work was being undermined by delays in the justice system.
Governor Sule stated that cases often took too long, risking the possibility that individuals charged with corruption might escape justice and that the EFCC could lose interest in prosecuting old cases.
He emphasised that creating a special court would speed up the hearing and determination of corruption cases, a reform that is particularly timely as the nation is currently engaged in a process to review its 1999 Constitution.
According to him, the ongoing review presents a window of opportunity for the National Assembly to consider and enact significant changes to strengthen national institutions.
“I call on the members of the National Assembly to consider a special court to try cases of corruption in the country. Once we do that, then we can have a country that people are happy with.
“For some of us who have lived outside our country, we know that other countries see us as if we are not serious. The moment we have convictions in managing these kinds of cases, then the world is going to take us seriously,” he stated.
Credit: channelstv.com
