- Task NJC and citizens to hold the judiciary to account
The call for merit and transparency in the recruitment process for security agents, institutional accountability, accountability for perpetrators of insecurity, punishment for electoral crimes and more were part of the resolutions at the annual House of Justice Summit held recently in Kaduna.
In the communiqué signed by the CEO of House of Justice, Gloria Ballason, and Luka Ashafa Odita, Lecturer in Criminology and Security Studies at Kaduna State University, the summit condemned the government’s policy of rehabilitation, recovery, and reintegration programs for offenders while abandoning victims in internally displaced persons camps, which are sometimes re-attacked by terrorists.
The summit urged that: “Border communities should be enlightened on national consciousness. Proper advocacy on national identity will strengthen community-based border security which will enhance intelligence gathering, natural surveillance and will stifle the influx of weapons upon which non-state actors rely on”
They also asserted that government and security agencies should go after the sponsors of terrorism in the country while expressing concern that over the years, the government has not deployed concerted efforts towards tackling insecurity and its financiers.
On Nigeria’s justice system, it was resolved that: “There is need for judicial reforms and systematic and timely justice delivery. The justice system in Nigeria and Africa should dispense justice according to law.
“The National Judicial Council and citizens shall hold the judiciary to account. Judicial appointments should be apolitical and shall not devolve by ‘inheritance’ family or filial ties or through any primordial sentiments. The Justice sector shall be independent and shall be the pivotal institution that holds all other institutions accountable.”
Meanwhile, they counselled that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should constitute persons who are above board.
Again, the summit in the communique charged the National Orientation Agency (NOA) and the Ministry of Information to ensure civic spaces and platforms where citizens engage public office holders for greater accountability.
“Advocacy through skits on national ethics and principles should be used to enhance integrity, honesty, truth, justice, dignity of labor, love for neighbor and country and respect for ethics, values, rules and regulations.
“Family and community values and etiquettes that are in tandem with national culture should become part of our education curriculum. Student should be publicly awarded in both character and learning,” they urged.
In addition, the summit which had General Martin Luther Agwai (Rtd), Professor Chidi Anselm Odinkalu, Professor Chris Kwaja, Honorable Sarah Reng Ochekpe, and Group Captain Sadeeq Garba Shehu (Rtd) as participants charged that:
“Community-based and structured reconciliation forum should be initiated to push for restorative justice in communities that are experiencing both intercommunal and ethno-religious conflicts.
“There should be more focus on programs for victims than perpetrators. The Government shall ensure security and welfare is primary in line with Section 14 2 (b) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
“Psycho-social healing for primary and secondary victims should be prioritized as material palliation. There is the need to set up trauma response centres across communities that have suffered terror and in places of worship. It is imperative to disaggregate trauma-healing nuggets in easily understood and used formats so victims can have access to the information and tools for their healing.”
Other participants at the event included: Dr. Mike Omeri, Mr. Chima Christian, Audu Adamu Maikori, Jibrin Samuel Okutepa, SAN, and Commissioner of Police, Kaduna State, Muhammad Rabiu, represented by ACP Badamasi Musa.
