From Maiharaji Altine Salah
The Kebbi State ministry of Justice has recorded significant achievements since the swearing-in of Kebbi State Governor, Comrade Dr. Nasir Idris Kauran Gwandu.
The Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General of the state, Dr. Junaid Bello Marshall, announced this in Birnin Kebbi this Monday at a ministerial press briefing organised by the the State Ministry of Information and Culture.
The briefing according to the Special Adviser to Governor Nasir Idris on Media and Publicity Alhaji Yahya Sarki was to abreast the public on the achievements Governor Nasir Idris within 8 months of his administration.
According to the Commissioner, Kebbi State Government employed ten new state counsels into the civil service to hasten the dispensation of justice in courts of persons standing trial
Dr. Marshall said the Ministry had only 27 Law Officers throughout the state at the inception of incumbent administration which was grossly inadequate and consequently, Governor Nasir Idris approved the recruitment of more lawyers into the system.
The Commissioner added that the Justice Ministry recorded 853 criminal cases, motions, bail applications and legal advice in the period under review.
Furthermore, the Ministry presently handles 80 appeal cases pending before the Kebbi State High Court as well as 70 cases at the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court.
Also, 200 case diaries were vetted and forwarded to relevant Law Enforcement Agencies, of which few were terminated for want of evidence while majority of the cases were prosecuted.
Dr. Marshall was grateful to Governor Nasir Idris for approving the refurbishing and provision of furniture to the Attorney General’s Chambers, refurbishing and supply of updated research materials for the ministry’s library, purchase of 40 new PH Model Laptops for Law Officers, subscription of law pavilion and law companion application for law officers.
The Governor further approved sponsorship of 10 lawyers into specially tailored programme for prosecutors resulting into Master in Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice by Abu Zaria, refurbishing of Attorney General’s Chambers at Argungu and Yauri as well as the upward review of wardrobe/outfit allowances for law officers from N13. 9 million to N70 million.
In addition, approval was given for sponsorship of law officers for the NIALS workshop on legal writing skills and research method, sponsorship of law officers for ICT training in Abuja, sponsorship of the Ministry of Justice and the Judiciary to attend the 2023 NBA conference in Abuja.
Other gestures were, payment of registration and tuition fees to Kebbi State indigenes at the Law School, sponsorship of workshop on application of the Kebbi State administration of criminal justice in Kano, provision of accommodation for new law officers and settlement of outstanding judgment sum against Kebbi State Government through favourable terms amounting to N1 billion approved by the Governor.
Before the settlement, 33 accounts of Kebbi State domiciled in 11 financial institutions were frozen but were now unfrozen while withheld certificates of students have also been released.
The ministry further received approval for the purchase of Peugeot 406 station wagon, regular payment of quarterly witness expenses and appeal cases, connection of the ministry to solar inverter and internet facilities as well as the restructuring and creation of new units and establishment of justice sector reform team.
The Attorney General announced that the Justice Ministry was woking tireless to draw up a bill for the creation of security outfit for Kebbi State under which special units would be designated to focus on different aspects of lives of the citizenry and control on sectoral basis, such as traffic regulations and illegal mining.
Dr. Junaid Bello Marshall said his ministry prepared and presented 18 executive bills to the State House of Assembly which were ratified and subsequently assented to by the Executive Governor.
