That Call For Anti-Corruption Court

Deputy President of the Senate, Ike
Ekweremadu recently made a good case
for the creation of a special court to deal with corruption matters and asked questions that the present government at the federal level will need to answer.
Ekweremadu who was decorated as  anti-corruption Ambassador by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)  asked if countries that established such courts are fools or whether they have any regrets for having such courts.
He said that if Nigeria must achieve the goals of the war against corruption  in all ramifications, there was  urgent  need  for the establishment of special anti-corruption courts.
While the urgency and the need for such courts have become apparent for years now, the political  will and an all-out attack against corruption has been lacking. But this renewed call should  make the present leadership to fully commit to the fight.
According to Ekweremadu, Anti-Corruption Courts  would  reduce a lot of burden on the regular courts, fast-track corruption trials and generally speed up the adjudication of justice  in Nigeria. Incidentally, this is not the first time he would be  making his call.
The time has come when this call should  be taken seriously. This is moreso because the anti-corruption campaign of the present government can only be complete when there are  courts to finish the job in the most democratic and timely manner.
Over the years, one of the things that the international community has had against Nigeria is its inability to achieve  quick dispensation of justice. The courts are always  congested and the laws had given room for delays, adjournments and injunctions that are largely avoidable.
Of course, this has not only made people lose faith  in the judiciary, but put a lot of waste on litigants and made whatever legal victory that was eventually won, almost worthless. A situation where litigants spend fortunes and for  upwards of 10 years suffer, from delays, only encourages more people  to punish law abiding people, knowing by going to court the issue would be forgotten.
Only recently, a neigbouring country arrested  some Boko Haram suspects and prosecuted  them. In  less than two months the judgment was given  and the matter was put  behind the nation. In Nigeria, we wonder   if there is yet any plan to try such persons, even when  there had been jail breaks that let some go free.
As a way of avoiding the drudgery in the normal courts, some State Governments have taken to setting up either Administrative or Judicial  Panels of enquiry to look into some matters. The snag is that often White papers from such panels do not get to the public and its efficacy in dealing with specific and special cases become doubtful.
Another reason why the suggestion of Ike Ekweremadu should be acted upon is the  gains experienced in the nation’s Industrial Courts and the Code of Conduct Tribunal. There are no delays, in fact, in the case of the CCT that is trying  Senate  President Bukola Saraki, the court decided to sit every day.
Whatever will facilitate quick and fair dispensation of justice in Nigeria  should be encouraged. The outcome  will not only improve the image of the country internationally, but also make the efficacy of the law real to the people and promote the rule of law. This is what every citizen should  look forward to.
What the establishment of the Anti-Corruption courts will do for  Nigeria are many. As Nigerians have not been  clear on the true  definition of corruption, these courts will be able to define same and help many more Nigerians to walk away from things that are corrupt that they did not know about.
With Anti-Corruption Courts, a number of things that have been taken for granted, even when they destroy the very moral, economic and social fabric of our nation can  be dealt with easily and quickly. Indeed, if properly done, even the Police will  fear to extort money  from citizens, lecturers  will fear to intimidate students and politicians will change their ways.
The Tide expects the President, the  National Assembly and the Chief  Justice of Nigeria to urgently kick-start the process of  establishing the Anti-Corruption Courts in Nigeria. This is  one of the few steps capable of salvaging the few vestiges of virtues left in Nigeria. This nation cannot  afford to let this also pass by.
The truth is that Ekweremadu has spoken well and reasonably. It is also true that his word resonates with the true wishes of well thinking members of the country. We believe that if the present government is honestly committed to ridding Nigeria of corruption, it will establish the Anti-Corruption  Courts soonest.