The government led by President Bola Tinubu is currently considering the creation of an International Anti-Corruption Court in the coming months. This initiative represents a paradigm shift in its approach to fighting corruption at a global level. Corruption has had a corrosive impact on Nigeria’s development, stability, and prosperity, and the government believes that an IACC could provide a platform to address cases that involve individuals and assets located abroad, often linked to grand corruption schemes that have a devastating impact on Nigeria’s development efforts.
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), represented by Yusuf Abdullahi Abdulkadir, a Deputy Director (Public Prosecution), disclosed this during the 33rd Anti-Corruption Situation Room organized by Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA) Resource Centre in Abuja in collaboration with Integrity Initiatives International.
According to the AGF, corruption poses a great threat to the stability, progress, and development of nations worldwide. He described corruption as a cancer that knows no boundaries, undermines trust, weakens institutions, hampers economic growth, and perpetuates social injustice. An IACC could serve as an additional tool to complement and strengthen the nation’s domestic anti-corruption efforts.
Olanrewaju Suraj, the Chairman of HEDA, expressed concern that corrupt individuals are being promoted to higher positions. He pointed out that some ministers accused of corruption are being returned to office, while some governors and ministers who are still standing trial are now heading government agencies. Many of these individuals currently hold federal and state-level positions, which is alarming.