FG Tasked to Strengthen Criminal Justice System

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

The federal government has been advised to strengthen the Nigerian criminal justice system for a better society and benefit of the future citizens.

Speaking at an annual programme organised by the National Association Seadogs (NAS) in Port Harcourt, with the theme “Beyond Promise: Strategies for Reforming Law Enforcement in Nigeria”, a human rights activist, Mr. Segun Awosanya, noted the need for updates on the laws that guide the functioning of the police, Judicial and prison system.

Awosanya, who was one of the conveners of the EndSARS protest, stated that with level of injustice experienced in the society, especially from the system which is meant to protect the people, Nigerians are radicalised and may be force to negative actions if nothing is done.

The activist stressed that the Police Act, which was promulgated in 1943 victimises the personnel in their relations with the society.

He stated that “The only reason why people take laws into their hands is because of lack of trust in the criminal justice system. If the police would do justice without demanding money from parties, if the case taken to court don’t take the time it takes at humungous cost, and if the judgements obtained can be enforced without barrier, why would anyone take laws into their hands?

“So the solution built into the Reformation Plan involves the emphasis on the community policing principles that ensures further democratisation of the police with accountability and transparency.

“Imagine having police officers teach in schools and share the word in mosques and churches. This way they familiarise themselves with the community in which they serve and win their trust. This way there won’t be need for blanket arrest.

“I cannot count the number of police that have been dismissed, imprisoned, demoted and even redeployed based on the crime they have committed against humanity. So we can actually hold the police authority accountable without holding much emphasis is the CSOs”.

He further noted the efforts by the Pirate Confraternity (Seadogs) in the Advocacy against police brutality and other abnormalities in the system.

“The National Association of Seadogs today are not running after ballot boxes to become President just to make changes, they have decided to live from where they are by running advocacies that seeks to fix our rural justice system through legislation.

“We have a police institution which is supposed to support the pillar of our civilisation to maintain law and order who have been left in the primitive age. A police institution that is being run by a constitution and was promulgated in 1943, that does not respect human rights now operating in the 21st century, there will definitely be a gap. And this institution have claimed the lives of our comrades, our people, children, parents or people who did not asked to be born.

“The police themselves are the victims of the system, if you look at the Act that put them in power, they are actually protective mechanism for the rulers of the country. The ‘EndSARS, Reform Police NG Advocacy’ is an objective that seeks to bring to a hold the culture of impunity by identifying the cancerous loads in the police system”, Awosanya added.

Earlier in his keynote address, the NAS Capoon, Abiola Owoaje, called for the sensitisation and understanding of the rule of law, for people to obey the laws that governs their actions.

He said: “There had to be a full understanding of the rule of law because what we quite noticed was that even when judgement is given or when court orders are given, some of the time the police ignore that and they also ignore citizens rights as well.

“So we need to ensure all these rights are enforced and obeyed, that way people will be able to know that their rights are protected under the law”.

Meanwhile, some of the NAS members who recalled their torture experiences 25 years ago during the military regime, said nothing has changed even in the present democratic dispensation.

Sam Dede, Ikechukwu Okoroafor and Jonny Barango told the participants that the military era was a period of frustration.