Some stakeholders in criminal justice administration in Enugu State have called for synergy among relevant institutions in the sector in order to quicken justice delivery.
The stakeholders, including Avocats Sans Frontieres, the Carmelite Prisoners’ Interest Organisation (CAPIO) and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), made the call in a communique issued on Tuesday in Enugu.
The group had organised roundtable on “Strengthening the National Actors’ Capacities and Advocating for Ending Severe Human Rights Violations in Nigeria,” which was supported by the European Union.
The communiqué, signed by the Executive Director of CAPIO, Rev. Fr. Ambrose Ekeroku, said security agencies, the judiciary and other related bodies needed to operate transparently, allowing one another access to data necessary to perform their duties.
It noted that magistrates and the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) ought to have unfettered access to custodial centres.
“Intelligence-driven policing is an important angle all security agencies must possess. This will ensure that innocent persons are not arrested, detained and tortured.
“There should be adequate reporting, complaints and redress mechanism to enable the public to seek enforcement of their human rights,” it stated.
It called on Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and other nongovernmental organisations to intervene in setting up and operating juvenile remand homes in the face of government non-responsiveness in that area.
It expressed concern on the seeming mutual suspicion and friction between the judiciary and the media, adding that such would not help the sector.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event was attended by representatives of the Enugu state judiciary, the NHRC, the military and the Nigerian Correctional Service.
Others were Legal Aid Council of Nigeria, CSOs, media and Human Rights Volunteer Corps (HRVC). (NAN)