Thursday, 17th June 2021: The anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), has said that it is set to file 800 new corruption cases in court, following the suspension of almost two months old strike by the judiciary workers.

The chairman of the commission, Abdulrasheed Bawa, made this known on Thursday as part of the weekly briefing by Heads of MDAs (Ministries, Departments and Agencies) to give an update on their performance in office. He addressed State House reporters in Abuja.

He said the cases to be filed will border on public corruption and cybercrime.

The cases were delayed largely because of the strike by judiciary workers who shut down courts in Nigeria for over two months and only recently suspended the strike.

At the event, Bawa also vowed that former Abia governor Orji Kalu “will be prosecuted all over again.”

CEOAFRICA reported how Kalu was set free by the Supreme Court on technicalities after being convicted of stealing billions of naira when he was Abia State Governor (1999-2007). Without addressing the substance of the case, the Supreme Court ruled that the trial judge that found him guilty had been elevated to the appeal court and should not have ruled on the matter.

On Thursday, Bawa gave an overview of his performance in office since assumption 100 days ago.

He said the commission on Wednesday secured a judgment against a former banker, Francis Atuche, who was sentenced to six years in jail for stealing N27 billion from the former Bank PHB while he was the managing director.

“This case was instituted on October 16, 2009, but judgment was only given yesterday. But we are determined to continue prosecuting no matter how long it takes,” he said.