CACOL supports establishment of International Anti-Corruption Court

The Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership (CACOL) has thrown its weight behind the move by the government to establish an International Anti-Corruption Court.

CACOL in a statement by the Director of Administration and Programmes, Tola Oresanwo, on behalf of the Chairman, Debo Adeniran, remarked that “It should be noted that the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), represented by a Deputy Director (Public Prosecution), Yusuf Abdullahi Abdulkadir, stated this in his speech delivered in Abuja during the 33rd Anti-Corruption Situation Room organised by Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA) Resource Centre, in collaboration with Integrity Initiatives International.

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According to CACOL, the Minister was quoted as saying, “Nigeria, as a country that has been deeply affected by corruption, could benefit significantly from the establishment of an International Anti-Corruption Court. Such a court could provide a platform to address cases that involve individuals and assets located abroad, often tied to grand corruption schemes that have a devastating impact on Nigeria’s development efforts. It could serve as an additional tool to complement and strengthen the nation’s domestic anti-corruption efforts.”

Chairman of CACOL, in the statement declared: “We received the news that the government is considering the establishment of an International Anti-Corruption Court with great delight, it is indeed a step in the right direction considering the pervasiveness of corruption in the country.

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“However, we believe that Nigeria needs more than just legal frameworks to win the war against corruption. The present administration should coordinate and strengthen agencies whose purview includes corruption.
“Nigeria has no less than five commissions, bureaus, and tribunals that have the power to investigate and prosecute corrupt practices.

“But the current administrative set-up—including questions about the role of the attorney general in cases brought by other agencies—makes coordination extremely difficult.

“It is important to provide clear administrative protocols that make for more effective and cordial relationships among these institutions.”

CACOL further declared that “there is need to establish strong synergy and partnerships among the anti-corruption agencies and the present administration should also come out with its anti-corruption stance as this is vital to the success of its anti-corruption crusade. The president must counter the narrative that the anti-corruption war is only being waged at the executive level.”

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The CACOL Chairman enthused, “With the advancement in technology today, most of the looting or financial manipulations would be effectively prevented and detected ab-initio if we focused more on prevention and greater accountability and independence of organs saddled with oversight and embrace e-governance as a matter of urgency. Moreover, every Nigerian must see the fight against corruption as one that must be won hence the government must enlist the help of all and sundry and impress upon them the urgency of the cause. Without their support, a more open and accountable Nigeria will remain a fantasy”.