Governor of Nasarawa State, Abdullahi Sule, has urged the National Assembly to establish special courts dedicated to handling corruption cases in Nigeria.
Speaking on Friday at the combined passing-out parade of 404 cadets of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) at the Nigeria Police Mobile Force Training College in Ende Hills, Akwanga, Governor Sule praised the commission’s rigorous training programme and its achievements in the anti-graft fight, including over 4,000 convictions last year.
He, however, expressed concern that the impact of the EFCC’s work was being weakened by delays in the judicial process. According to him, lengthy trials risk allowing suspects to evade justice and could discourage the EFCC from pursuing older cases.
Sule argued that creating a dedicated court would ensure quicker trials and more efficient delivery of justice — a reform he described as timely, given the ongoing review of the 1999 Constitution.
“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, we can have a country people are happy with,” he said.
“For those of us who have lived abroad, we know other countries see us as unserious. Once we show determination in handling these cases, the world will begin to take us seriously.”
The governor expressed confidence that a more efficient judicial process would boost Nigeria’s global image, signalling the country’s seriousness about tackling corruption.
Highlighting the EFCC’s workload, Sule noted that the agency is currently handling about 18,000 corruption cases, alongside thousands of ongoing investigations and pending petitions.
He congratulated the 294 detective superintendents and 110 detective inspectors graduating from the training, commending their discipline and resilience.
The governor also thanked EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede for his commitment to integrity and praised lawmakers for their past support, urging them to take the next step by strengthening the legal framework against corruption.
Earlier, Olukoyede charged the new cadets to uphold integrity and discipline in their duties, urging them to approach their work with patriotism, accountability, and an unwavering commitment to the anti-graft mission.