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Continued from previous edition
๐๐ฎ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ l๐๐ ๐๐ฅ o๐ฉ๐ข๐ง๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ
One of the major responsibilities of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice consist in counseling the state in all legal matters. It has the major role of promoting and enhancing justice for all, the rule of law and good governance.
2021 was a remarkable year in the justice sector in the country. Malami gave sound and qualitative legal opinions to President Muhammadu Buhari, especially in the areas economy, politics, health sector, security, signing of mutual agreements, memoranda of understanding and international cooperation. But for some of his sound legal views on issues, especially, on sensitive matters, the country may have found itself in chaos.
๐๐ข๐ซ๐ญ๐ฎ๐๐ฅ c๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ญ s๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ f๐๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฌ
The Covid-19 pandemic forced many countries around the world to adopt a new way of doing things which were never envisaged before. One of them is the introduction of virtual court sitting in the country through collaborative efforts with relevant local and international stakeholders.
Virtual Court Sitting Facilities, the first of its kind was commissioned in Correctional Centre in Kuje, Abuja, last year by Malami.
According to Malami, the deployment of a virtual court sitting technology in correctional facilities was aimed at ensuring speedy dispensation of justice and decongestion of custodial centres in the country.
โIt would also eliminate the issue of difficulties in conveying the inmates to court and would further ensure the safety and security of the inmates and law enforcement officers. We are no longer constrained by mobility, space and time in the justice delivery on account of accommodation of the virtual court sitting facilities and deployment of incidental technology,โ Malami said.
๐๐ฎ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ e๐ง๐ c๐ซ๐ข๐ฌ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ญ ๐๐๐ค๐ ๐๐ก๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ข๐จ๐ง
Another milestone achievement lauded by Nigerians was the determination of Malami to support and address crises at Lake Chad Region as Nigeria vowed to partner in the collaborative efforts to see to the end of the multidimensional crises facing the Lake Chad Basin states.
While receiving a delegation of the United Nations and Lake Chad Basin Commission who were in Nigeria for a high-level political advocacy visit, Malami noted with dismay that judging from the security challenges presently confronting Nigeria and some of the Lake Chad Basin States, several lives have been lost, including the lives of soldiers and millions of dollars of properties have been either vandalised or completely destroyed.
๐๐ฎ๐๐๐๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง O๐ฉ๐๐ง G๐จ๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ง๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐๐ซ๐ญ๐ง๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐ก๐ข๐ฉ
The level of transparency in the sector made the Buhari administration top global ranking in Open Government Partnership, OGP.Nigeria won the global award announced in Seoul, South Korea, at the opening ceremony of the Summit of OGP member countries. Nigeria beat other countries in Africa and the Middle East that are implementing the OGP.The review tracked and assessed milestones achieved by the Nigerian government in setting up a Beneficial Ownership registry to end anonymous companies in the country, a statement by the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) has said.
The Office of the Attorney General of the Federation coordinated the activities of Open Government Partnership.
๐๐ฎ๐ข๐ฅ๐๐ข๐ง๐ g๐ฅ๐จ๐๐๐ฅ c๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐๐ง๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐จ๐ง a๐ฌ๐ฌ๐๐ญ๐ฌ r๐๐๐จ๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฒ
The government, through the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice was able to build Global Consensus on Assets Recovery.
Malami, during the ninth session of the Conference of States Parties to the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) in Sharm El Sheik, Egypt, last year, said with support from the 19 countries across different continets of the globe, Nigeria got support in its submitted draft resolution entitled โEnhancing access to and the use of Beneficial Ownership Information to facilitate the identification, recovery and return of assets โ, to further highlight the importance of beneficial ownership transparency.Malami said significant progress has been recorded in the efforts to combat corruption in Nigeria.
”We have continued to make significant progress in our efforts to prevent and combat corruption, block leakages and recover our stolen assetsโ Malami said.
๐๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ ๐๐,๐๐๐ m๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ฌ
As of a week to 2022, being a workaholic Malami received and treated 18,388 mails last year. The total mails received from government agencies from January to December 2021 were 5,719, while 5,031 mails were received from law firms, 6,478 mails from private individuals and 1,160 from civil society organisations.
A point of interest associated with the volumes of the mails treated is the fact that in addition to the quantum, enormity of the mails received and treated, the opinions, decisions and actions of the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice arising from the mails have translated into major policy impact on the position of federal government relating to justice sector reform, security, economy and the fight against corruption, among others, in the country.
๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ฆ๐ข ๐ซ๐๐๐๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ h๐จ๐ง๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ a๐ฐ๐๐ซ๐๐ฌ
The reward for hardworking could translate into honours, awards, commendations and recognitions. In 2021 alone, no fewer than 79 organisations and corporate bodies conferred award of honour for patriotic service, humanitarian intervention and nation building to Malami. The nominations for the awards and honours received are a testimony to Malami’s selflessness and relentless commitment to public interest, rule of law and dispassionate approach to dispensation and administration of justice in the country.
The organisations comprised of national and international institutions from governmental, non-governmental organizations, anti-corruption and forensic investigation bodies, professional associations, student unions, media-based groups and traditional institutions.
In their separate letters, the organisations said they consider Malami for his landmark achievements and successes recorded in carrying out national assignments especially the fight against corruption.
๐๐ง๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐ซ๐ข๐โ๐ฌ p๐ฎ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ i๐ง๐ญ๐๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ญ p๐ซ๐๐ฏ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ฌ
Malami played very crucial roles in protecting Nigeriaโs public interest. Many governmental institutions attested to the inspiring strive of Malami in ensuring that Nigeriaโs public interest is always protected in all transactions. This was described as a demonstration of realisation of the essence of governance.
Also in this regards was the inauguration of the Committee to checkmate illegally refined petroleum products recovered around the creeks of Niger Delta.
๐๐ก๐๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ j๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ c๐ก๐ข๐ฅ๐๐ซ๐๐ง ๐๐ง๐ v๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ง๐๐ซ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ฌ
In addition to the fact that Malami worked assiduously to address the issues of Sex and Gender Based Violence, another remarkable Milestone was the inauguration `Justice for Children Coordination Forum committeeโ.
While maintains that the Federal Government remains dedicated to improve childrenโs access to child-friendly justice system, Malami said through age and gender-sensitive juvenile justice mechanisms and alternatives to detention for children on the move and vulnerable children, the Nigeria child would benefit from the child-friendly justice sector. Still many steps were taken by the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice to address the issues juveniles in the Nigerian Correctional Centres.
From the above, it is evident that 2021 was an eventful year, especially, in the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN.
Malami proved to have judiciously utilized the year by being patriotically committed to marvelous and remarkable activities in a bid to enhance nation building and better fortune of our dear nation.ย ย
Dr Gwandu writes from Abuja.
