FG not considering Special Corruption Court- Presidency

The Federal Government is yet to come up with a concrete policy that would aid its ‘mouthed’ special courts to aid its fight against corruption, which is widely accused of targeting the opposition to

President Buhari’s administration and the ruling party.

Government was a few months ago, reported be setting in motion efforts at setting up anti-graft courts to try corruption-related cases in order to fast-track the adjudication of several corruption cases stalled in the regular courts.

Presidential Spokesman, Femi Adesina, in response to when government intended to fully institute the courts, said: “there is nopolicy to that effect yet”. Adesina added that government was not planning on setting up any other courts to try corruption cases.

There have been both local and international dissatisfaction over the long delays in trial process in Nigeria, especially for high profile cases of corruption involving serving or former political office

holders.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has several ongoing corruption cases in different courts across the country, top of which include the  arms deal probe which indicted the former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki; former Sokoto Governor, Attahiru Bafarawa; and founder of Daar Holdings Plc, Raymond Dokpesi.

Others include the pension scam fraud in the office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, the now-infamous oil subsidy scam andthe Central Bank of Nigeria currency scam.

Some more cases involving biometric data scams and a former Head of the Federal Civil Service,

Stephen Oronsaye and corruption charges leveled against the former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, as well as Adamawa State’sex-governor Murtala Nyako.

Another ongoing criminal trial that may soon blow up, is that of funds allegedly stolen at the Nigerian

Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).

Elizabeth Archibong