Reform of justice sector, a cardinal of Tinubu’s govt – AGF Fagbemi

The Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Mr. Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), on Tuesday disclosed that President Bola Tinubu is considering an overhaul of the justice sector.

He stated that the government has already undertaken reformative initiatives to drive critical reforms in the justice sector.

The reform of the nation’s justice sector is central to Tinubu’s administration’s developmental blueprint.

Fagbemi revealed this in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, at the opening ceremony of the two-day conference of the Network of Justice, jointly organised by the Federal Ministry of Justice and the European Union-funded Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC II) Programme of the International IDEA.

He said, “As you are aware, the reform of the justice sector is at the heart of this administration’s developmental blueprint.

“You may recall that one of the cardinal items on our Renewed Hope Agenda as an administration is to drive judicial reforms to achieve sustainable socio-economic growth and investment, facilitated by the rule of law, and to address the challenges militating against the administration of justice in our country.

“For instance, I recently inaugurated the Presidential Committee for the Review and Update of the Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN) 2004 to identify obsolete laws and take steps to update and consolidate our laws. Furthermore, with the support of all stakeholders, the National Policy on Arbitration and the National Policy on Justice have been developed as blueprints that outline the desired reforms in the justice sector.

“It is pertinent for me to state also that at the heart of our reform agenda in the justice sector is the National Policy on Justice, which identifies the root causes of the failures and inadequacies of the justice system, and its adverse impact on the nation. The policy seeks to consolidate various reform efforts and achieve inter-agency (institutional) cooperation and coordination. Its purpose is to achieve a consensus among stakeholders for driving holistic development of all processes or components of the Nigerian justice system.

“We clearly recognise that Nigeria practises a federal system of government, which envisages a synergetic relationship between the centre and the sub-nationals, otherwise known as federating units. It is on this basis that we continue to engage with our colleagues from the states, in order to come up with uniform strategies to address our common challenges.”

He noted that the pursuit of justice lies at the heart of Nigerians’ collective aspirations for a fair and equitable society, saying: “It is a fundamental pillar upon which the rule of law rests, and it is essential for the maintenance of peace, stability, and social cohesion. However, as we gather here today, we do so against the backdrop of persistent challenges that continue to hinder the effectiveness and accessibility of our justice system.”

Fagbemi further revealed the federal government’s commitment to addressing challenges in the justice system through strategic policies and other mechanisms that will have a direct impact on improving democratic norms, the rule of law, access to justice, and minimum standards for the enforcement of human rights.

Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, while declaring the conference open, said: “This conference couldn’t have come at a better time as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu mobilises the Honourable Attorney General and his team to rejig the system for better outcomes.

“I have confidence that the JSRT will address all pending issues on judicial reforms from a position of knowledge and patriotism, and in a way that strengthens public confidence in the judicial system. I wish you a blessed stay in Ilorin as you articulate appropriate mechanisms to drive justice sector reform in the country.”

On the essence of the RoLAC II conference, Dr. Oluwatoyin Badejogbin noted the need to identify gaps within the justice system in the country and fix them.

“These gaps lead to anomalies like congestion in correctional facilities and the slow pace of delivering justice in the country,” he said.