•Attorneys-General, others plan strategic legal approach to tackling challenge
Minister of JustIce and Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) Abubakar Malami, Professor of Law Akin Oyebode and Solicitor General of the Federation (SGF) Dayo Apata have identified factors behind the seeming intractable security challenge in the country.
Malami blamed the mounting trend of insecurity on the rising tempo of political activities and activities of looters of public treasury, who were uncomfortable with the present administration’s anti-corruption efforts.
Oyebode blamed the problem on inadequate action on the part of the government and its relevant agencies.
Apata called for a collaborative effort of all stakeholders to address the security challenge plaguing the country.
They spoke in Abuja yesterday at an event tagged: “An emergency high level dialogue on law, justice and security in Nigeria,” put together by Federal Ministry of Justice.
The two-day event, being attended by states’ Attorneys-General and other stakeholders in the nation’s legal circle, according to Malami, is meant to among others, design a more potent legal response to the country’s present security challenges.
The AGF regretted the negative effect of the incessant killings on the government’s effort to engender peaceful coexistence among Nigerians.
The AGF said: “As we are all aware, these horrendous incidents in Plateau State were not isolated events but followed a pattern in some other states, notably Benue, Taraba, Zamfara and Adamawa states, which has become a deep source of concern to the Federal and state authorities.
“The statistics of deaths and displacement in these incidents involving various communities are depressing and alarming and appear designed to challenge our common humanity and claims to civilisation in the 21st Century.
“From an informed assessment of the situation, permit me to first situate the apparent upsurge in these incidents to the advent of another political season of elections and the fierce contestation for power, which appears to now over-shadow all pretensions to patriotism and respect for human lives, in certain quarters.
“You will recall that when this administration came to power in 2015, it made security of lives and property a cardinal principle of its governance.
“Tremendous successes were achieved, particularly in decimating and degrading the Boko Haram terrorist group.
“As we approach another general election in 2019, it is easy to see the hands of corrupt politicians with contrary positions in our present security problems as they desperately attempt to discredit all the gains made by this administration, for pure political gain. We must resist these negative tendencies.”
As a solution, Malami suggested firm application of laws in cases of identified infractions and cautioned against adding religious colouration to the security problem being experienced.
Oyebode, who gave the keynote address, noted that the main duty of a government is to provide adequate security for the citizens. He urged the Federal Government to play its part effectively in ensuring adequate security in the land.
The law teacher, who spoke on the theme: “Law, justice and security in Nigeria: A plea for good governance,” noted that “where and when the sanctity of the lives of citizens cannot be guaranteed, the mortality of the state looms in the horizon”.
Apata explained that the gathering was part of government’s efforts to address the mounting challenge of insecurity.
He urged participants to be frank because every “contribution is very important to finding solution to the problem confronting us”.