The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday asked the National Assembly to create special courts for the prosecution of crude oil thieves and sundry crimes in the petroleum industry.
The Chief of Staff to the EFCC Chairman, Michael Uzokwe, who made the request at the ongoing investigative hearing of the House of Representatives special committee probing ‘crude oil theft and other losses’ said there was the need to create the special courts in order to accelerate prosecution of suspects.
He lamented that the delay in attending to cases in court was affecting the speedy dispensation of justice, adding that with special courts, the commission will be able to fast track the prosecution of oil thieves.
Uzokwe lamented that the commission had filed hundreds of cases in various courts, however, only a few had been successfully prosecuted expressing concerns that many other cases were ongoing.
According to him, as a result of the huge number of cases in regular courts, the commission was hamstrung in effectively and promptly prosecuting suspects, especially across the Niger Delta region where the crimes are being perpetrated and arrests are being made daily.
Also speaking at the hearing, the EFCC Director of Investigation, Abdulkareem Chukkol disclosed that the commission’s commands in the Niger Delta have a section that deals specifically with oil-related crimes.
In his welcome remarks, Chairman of the Committee, Alhassan Ado Doguwa reiterated that the investigation was to look for ways on how best to tackle oil theft in the country.
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