EFCC ADVOCATES SPECIAL COURTS

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has called for creation of a special court to try cases of crude oil theft in Nigeria

The Director of Investigation of the commission, Abdulkarim Chukkol, who made the call in Abuja at an investigative hearing by the House of Representatives special committee on crude oil theft explained that the commission is currently bedevilled with challenges in prosecuting suspects in regular courts in the country

He told the lawmakers that the commission had filed a significant number of cases, with over 400 in 2019 and an additional 200 in 2022, stressing the importance for a specialized court as well as amendments to the agency’s legal framework to combat crude oil theft optimally

The Committee Chairman, honourable Alhassan Ado-Doguwa, stressed the need for unending transparency in recoveries noting that the investigation is to fashion out appropriate strategy to confront oil theft in the country.

Honourable Doguwa emphasized the relevance of tackling the challenges in the oil sector so as to increase production and generate enough revenue for the nation.

The lawmaker insisted that the government has the political will but manipulated by years of corruption in the oil and gas sectors of the economy.