Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), a former president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), has issued a call to action for the newly appointed Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), urging him to promptly implement reforms within Nigeria’s criminal justice system.
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Agbakoba emphasized the critical need for the creation of a comprehensive national prosecution agency, which would involve the restructuring of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). In a statement released on Monday, he highlighted the urgency of several vital tasks that lie ahead for the new Attorney General.
He stated, “A fundamental overhaul of the criminal justice system, particularly addressing the redundant overlapping functions of law enforcement bodies such as the EFCC and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), is an immediate priority. Furthermore, it is essential to restructure the EFCC by narrowing its focus to investigation alone, while concurrently establishing a new National Prosecution Agency.”
Agbakoba also emphasized the importance of decentralizing the Police Force at local, state, and federal levels, as well as updating archaic laws in alignment with successful precedents such as Rwanda’s extensive legal modifications.
He pointed out the imperative of expediting the Speed of Justice, highlighting the unfortunate reality of cases taking over 15 years to conclude, from the High Court to the Supreme Court.
Agbakoba proposed the establishment of sector-specific dispute resolution agencies to alleviate the burdens on the conventional courts, and he stressed the necessity of addressing the issue of over-centralization within Nigeria’s superior courts.
He suggested, “This is a propitious moment to deconstruct the heavily centralized court structure in Nigeria. The Attorney General is urged to consider substantial constitutional amendments that would institute a dual system of federal and state courts. State courts should possess exclusive jurisdiction over matters pertinent to their regions, while federal courts should be confined to federal cases. This approach will alleviate the congestion at the Supreme Court, allowing it to function as the authoritative court it was intended to be.”
Agbakoba expressed his unwavering confidence in Lateef Fagbemi’s capabilities, affirming, “Lateef Fagbemi SAN is an exceptional Attorney General. I firmly believe that this task is well within his capabilities. He is a highly esteemed colleague, and I have the utmost trust in his expertise.”
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