The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), on Tuesday, called on Attorneys General of the 36 states of the Federation to work towards ensuring the full implementation of financial autonomy for their various state judiciary.
This, he said is provided for under Section 121(3) and (4) of the Constitution, as a mark of true and holistic commitment to the ideals of democracy and good governance.
“We should in this regard seek to robustly build the capacities of the judiciary, both in terms of personnel and infrastructure, particularly by investing in technologies that are necessary to automate vital aspects of our court operations and ultimately implement a digital justice delivery system,” he said while speaking at the Body of Attorneys-General Conference and meeting of the General Council of the Bar in Abuja.
According to the AGF, his ministry is making plans with relevant stakeholders to convene a National Summit on Justice, to among other things, engage all justice sector stakeholders to constructively look at how far the country has gone in the implementation of the 2017-2022policy document.
“We will, in this regard seek to examine current challenges within justice sector institutions with the objective of supporting critical reforms, necessary to build a resilient justice system, facilitate adherence to the rule of law, respect for fundamental human rights and ultimately, build public confidence in the entire justice sector”.
The AGF said, the meeting provides the opportunity to deliberate on some critical and cross-cutting legal issues affecting the country, which would require mutual cooperation and collaboration between the Federal Government and the Governments of the component States of the Federation.
Fagbemi stressed the need for close collaboration, cooperation and mutual understanding of State AGs in the performance of their constitutional and statutory responsibilities, both horizontally between the national and subnational entities and vertically by the three arms of government at all levels.
Following the amendments to the 5th Alteration Numbers 15, 16 and 17 Acts of 2023, of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to devolve powers to component States of the Federation in matters pertaining to Correctional Services and the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity in areas covered by the national grid respectively, the AGF said, it has become Imperative for States of the Federation to take maximum benefit of the constitutional alterations by developing their legal and policy frameworks on it.
“In doing so, I enjoin the States to ensure proper structuring and delineation of their responsibilities by taking cognizance of the constitutional doctrine of covering the field, so as to minimize or avoid constitutional frictions”, he said and urged the state AGs to look at how the entire justice sector, particularly the administration of criminal justice sector can be strengthened to meet the end goals of justice and the expectations of the citizens.
“This objective is very central and key to the realisation of our mandates as Chief Law Officers within the Nigerian Federation. As we all know, the effectiveness and functionality of the justice system has direct effect on the overall development, stability and sustainability of any society”.
He charged them to actively engage the legislative arm of government in the area of reform of existing laws, wherever necessary, and in the development of new legislations, that would address critical gaps, particularly within the justice sector institutions and beyond.
Earlier in his good will message, the chairman House of Representatives Committee on Judiciary, Olumide Osoba said, it is the moral and constitutional duty of Justice Minister and commissioners of Justice to ensure that all individuals, regardless of their background or social status, have equal access to Justice and urged them to bridge the divide and promote a more inclusive, equitable and just society.
To achieve the goal of providing a Justice system that is not only fair but also sensitive to the needs of the vulnerable in the society, Osoba said, there is the need to adopt a multi-pronged approach that involves coordination and collaboration between federal and state governments and civil society organizations.
“We must also work towards building trust and confidence in the Justice system by engaging with marginalized communities and addressing their concerns.
“Another critical issue that we need to address is the disproportionate representation of minorities in the criminal Justice system. Studies have shown that individuals from marginalized communities are more likely to be arrested, charged and sentenced to longer prison terms than their counterparts.
“This system discrimination is unacceptable and runs counter to the principles of Justice. We must also focus on addressing the root causes of crime, such as poverty, inequality and social exclusion”, he said, adding that, Justice for all is not just an ideal but a fundamental human right.
Also speaking at the meeting, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal matters, Senator Mohammed Mongunu called for a collaboration between the National Assembly and the Attorneys-General of the 36 states of the Federation in ensuring that obsolete laws are updated, streamlined to address emerging issues in the revolving jurisprudence.
Mongunu said the National Assembly is committed to multi-dimensional reforms that would reposition the nation’s judiciary to face the challenges of the 22st Century frontally and in tandem with global best practices.
“For us to be able to do this, we shall, from time to time, collaborate through effective synergy with relevant stakeholders to brainstorm on the way forward,” he said.
