HEDA: No more hidding place for National treasures looters

Folalumi Alaran

The Chairman, Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre), Mr. Olanrewaju Suraju has said there would be no more concealed sites for robbers of national artifacts.

This, he argued, would be achievable if Africa, notably Nigeria, could embrace the International Anti-Corruption Court (IACC) system, which would effectively find and punish any legislator suspected of looting national wealth.

Suraju said this in Abuja on Thursday, in his opening remarks at a One-Day Hybrid Conference on the International Anti-Corruption Court (IACC), which was organized by HEDA Resource Centre in collaboration with Integrity Initiatives International(III) and focused on “Instituting International Anti-Corruption Court: Issues, Challenges, and Opportunities for Engagement.”

He claimed that the IACC movement is a form of international legislation that would allow for strong collaboration with local, international, and multilateral institutions to promote transparency, accountability, inclusion, and responsiveness in governance, assisting countries in forging global alliances, and reducing the impact of corruption by holding politicians accountable wherever they may have fled.

He specifically said: ” Advocacy for the international anti-corruption court, is nothing short of a very good opportunity where we can ensure that People who need to be brought to book are actually brought to book”

” The proposed court of of International Anti-Corruption Court-IACC, is a welcome development world wide and Nigeria cannot afford to lag as Corruption seems to be taking the center stage in the giant of Africa – Nigeria”

He added that ” We will Continue to engage with other stakeholders to see how it’ll speeds across Africa, Such that we can have the aspirations for international anti-corruption Court, achieved with in the shortest possible time.

The Executive chairman, Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), Mr. AbdulRasheed Bawa, Representative from the US Embassy in Nigeria, Mr Jason, Director of the Global Governmence Forum, and Co-Chair of the Committee to establish an IACC, Augusto Lopez-Claros, all premise on a firm believe that such a court will heed in the investigation and prosecution of grand corruption which may cut across various jurisdiction, especially places where the suspect may have escaped to in other plans to avoid prosecution.

The Executive Chairman EFCC, who spoke through his representative, Chinwe Ndubeze went on to say that Corruption has become more transnational to call for an international anti-corruption court to hold perpetrators accountable as core government improve national justice systems.

She said: ” Although concern about the political visibilities and effectiveness of the court have been raised, but it was agreed that an international anti-corruption court will work to reduce corruption by nations leaders who might be reluctant to permit the enforcement of extant cruddinal legislation against ther cronies and them self”

” It promises to be an avenue for nations to demonstrate their seriousness in the fight against corruption, resulting in containing the culture of impunity while also providing a platform inforce anti corruption laws, punish corrupt leaders and drifters ground corruption.” She said.