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The calls for the creation of Special Courts to handle corruption cases has received the backing of Acting Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC), Ibrahim Magu.
Magu while fielding questions from Journalists in Abuja on Wednesday said such courts when established, will help to accelerate trial of corrupt public officials and reduce the pressure on the judiciary.
Magu spoke while conducting Journalists around facilitates in its new ultra modern headquarters located along airport road, Abuja.
Magu sees the new building as the fruits of hard work , prudence applications of scarce resources which he said he greatly boost the Commission’s quest for conducive work environment to enhance efficiency of the ant- graft agency.
The building which is scheduled for commissioning by President Muhammadu Buhari, next week Tuesday, was constructed by Julius Berger at the cost of N24b, over a period of eight years.
The occasion which will attract foreign dignitaries, including the Secretary General of the Commonwealth Patricia Scotland and the Head of the Africa Union ( AU) anti- corruption, will also see the graduation of over 300 new trainees recently engaged by the EFCC.
According to Magu, the new facility equipped with State of the art security features will assist the Commission in facilitating the fight against corruption.
” Yes, if you remember, we had a similar arrangements during the failed banks issues and the establishment of those Court to prosecute cases of bank frauds , as well as those who took loans from banks but refused to pay back. The establishment of such Special Courts did not only lead to the successful prosecution of those cases, but recovery of funds for those banks” he said.
Magu however commended the Nigeria judicial system for accelerating hearing of corruption cases which he said has led to recent successes achieved by the Commission.
” We however must commend our Judges , as you can see, we have witnessed great improvements in cases delivery in recent times. So, we must commend them” he said.
Magu denied that the fight against corruption was selective, but added that the Commission was targeting cases with evidence , adding that no one involved in corruption will go free.
“We will not renege in its fight against corruption, no matter what people say to blackmail us. But let me assure you that all corrupt cases will be dealt no matter who is involved”
” We see corruption fighting back at all levels and it is just terrible , but we will not be deterred no matter how hard they try to hit us”
Speaking on current rating by Transparency International ( TI) which places Nigeria at number 148 out of 175 countries, Magu he was concerned about the rating but assured that he was doing everything necessary to improve on Nigeria’s rating
” I am worried, yes, but even though I am working hard to improve on our rating, l don’t believe the indices are right but we will still do everything possible to improve on the ratings next year. You people should join me in this anti- corruption fight , l do not want to claim the glory alone, Nigerians must own this fight against corruption because corruption is bad. Like it is said, if we do not kill corruption, corruption will destroy this country. It is not about Magu, it is about saving our country from the clutches of corruption
Magu who declared that he has spent the most productive years of his ” life in fighting corruption” said the greatest challenge facing the war against corruption is that ” corruption is fighting back with vehemence” and appealed to Nigerians to support the war against corruption.
Tony Ailemen, Abuja
