The Human Rights Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Lafia Branch, has paid a courtesy visit to the Nasarawa State Judicial Service Commission (JSC), raising serious concerns over alleged arrests by proxy and the unlawful practice of demanding money as a precondition for bail in the state’s courts.
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The visit, which took place in Lafia, was part of the committee’s ongoing engagement to promote human rights and strengthen the administration of criminal justice across Nasarawa State.
Welcoming the delegation, the Secretary of the Nasarawa State JSC, Yahaya Yakubu Shafa, emphasized the Commission’s commitment to upholding human rights and protecting citizens from oppression, discrimination, and abuse. He announced that plans were underway to fully digitize all courts in the state to enhance efficiency in criminal justice administration.
Shafa stated, “Ensuring respect for human rights through functional and modern judicial systems will enable our people to live without fear and reach their full potential. We are committed to ensuring that our judges and counsels work in an environment free of unnecessary challenges.”
He also revealed that the Commission would soon convene a town hall meeting to sensitise key stakeholders on the provisions of criminal law, especially concerning bail procedures, to prevent abuses and misinterpretations at lower courts.
Earlier, the Chairman of the NBA Human Rights Committee, Muhammad Danjuma, commended the Commission for its decisive actions against fraudulent individuals issuing affidavits outside the legal framework. However, he called for urgent reforms in the criminal justice system, particularly regarding the misuse of Section 162 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law, which addresses bail conditions.
Danjuma decried the rising trend of arrests and prosecutions by proxy and the practice of demanding monetary deposits as a condition for granting bail — violations that he said have led to widespread human rights abuses in magistrate courts.
He urged the Commission to liaise with the Chief Judge of the state to address these concerns, stressing that immediate action was necessary to restore public confidence in the judiciary.
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