13.12.2016
NEWS/5
VEHICLE PRESENTATION
CALL TO THE BAR L-R: Mr. Benson Igbanoi, Hadassah Igbanoi, Director General Nigerian Law School, Mr. Olanrewaju Onadeko SAN and Mrs. Juliet Igbanoi at Hadassah's Call to Bar last week
L-R: Mr. Omotayo Shasanya, Chief Registrar, Lagos High Court, Mr. Emmanuel Ogundare, Lagos State Chief Judge, Honourable Justice Olufunmilayo Atilade, Lagos Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Adeniji Kazeem, Honourable Justice Yetunde Idowu and Mrs. Funmilola Demi-Ajayi at the presentation of official vehicles to newly appointed magistrates of the Lagos State Judiciary, recently
Appeal Court Lagos for Commissioning
Tobi Soniyi in Abuja
All is now set for the historic commissioning of the Court of Appeal Complex Lagos Division, scheduled for the 19th of December 2016. A statement issued by the Court of Appeal's Media Officer, Mrs Saadatu Kachalla said that the President of the Court of Appeal, Hon. Justice Zainab Adamu Bulkachuwa CFR was in Lagos
last Tuesday, to inspect facilities put in place as part of preparations for the epoch making event. She said the commissioning would be historic because the court began in Lagos 40 years ago. When the court came into existence in August 1976, the office was then situated at Boudillion Road Ikoyi, Lagos. The building, which once accommodated the Supreme Court of Nigeria, was handed over to
the Court of Appeal after the Supreme Court moved to Abuja, the Federal Capital. The court has now been given a face lift by Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa. As Presiding Justice, Justice Bulkachuwa saw to the successful completion and commissioning of the new Jos Division Court of Appeal office complex in 2009, during the tenure of the former President Justice Umaru
F. Abdullahi CON. In 2014, when she was sworn in as the sixth President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Bulkachuwa worked assiduously, and in her resolve to create an enabling working environment against all odds, completed the Ibadan Division of the Court. It was commissioned that same year by the then Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Aloma Maryam Mukhtar GCON.
Malami, Kutigi, Falana for Human Rights Parley Commissioning Jude Igbanoi Former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Idris Legbo Kutigi, Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami SAN and human rights lawyer Mr. Femi Falana SAN will today grace the public presentation of a book on human rights at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Issues relating to human rights protection will take the front-burner, as foremost human rights lawyer, Chief Frank Agbedo unveils his book on human rights litigation. The International Bar Association’s Bernard Simmonds award winner, Mr. Femi Falana SAN will review the Book. Others expected at the book
presentation are Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode who is the Book Presenter; Enugu State Governor, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi; Chief Judge of Lagos, Justice Oluwafunmilayo Atilade; THISDAY Newspapers Editorial Board Member, Mr. Sonnie Ekwowusi who is also a Book Reviewer, and Nigerian Bar Association Lagos Branch
Chairman, Mr. Martin Ogunleye, the Chief Host. The author, a consummate human rights litigator, Agbedo is also the Founder of both the Global Centre for Defence of Human Rights and Crown Law Chambers, Lagos. The book is titled “Human Rights Litigation in Nigeria: Law, Practice & Procedure".
LEGAL UPDATES 25TH ANNIVERSARY RE-UNION OF NIGERIAN LAW SCHOOL – CLASS OF 91
In 1991, a set of law graduates who had successfully completed the one-year mandatory training at the Nigerian Law School were called to the Bar at a solemn ceremony. Some entered into legal practice, others into the corporate world and quite a few went into various forms of business. Some 25 years later, the distinguished members of the Nigerian Law School - Class of 91 have become governors, legislators, captains of industry, appellate and high court judges, benchers and senior advocates, company secretaries and directors of blue chip enterprises, successful legal practitioners – and have made their mark in their various communities and the society at large. On the 16th of December, 2016 which is the 25th Anniversary of our Call to Bar, the members of the NLS - Class of 91 will hold a head-line celebratory event - an Interactive Mentoring Session with the students of the Nigerian Law School, Lagos Campus from 10 am – 12 noon followed by a Cocktail, and a formal Dinner and Awards Night in the evening at the Oriental Hotel,Victoria Island, Lagos. Pioneering Awards will be given to persons who have the distinction of being the first member of the Class to become: Senior Advocate, Court of Appeal Justice, Chief Judge of a State, High Court Judge, Bencher, Governor, Speaker, Federal Legislator, State Legislator, Attorney-General, ranking NBA National Officer, Professor of Law; and Special Awards to some deserving members of the Class who have achieved great distinction in government and the private sector. The Vice-President of Nigeria Prof Yemi Osinbajo SAN has accepted to be the Guest of Honour and Dinner Speaker on the suggested topic ‘25 Years After Call - What Next?’. A full colour Commemorative Class Brochure for the event which will include a reproduction of the Law School 1990/91Yearbook will be published and presented at the Dinner. Members of the Class (all those called to the Bar in June or December 1991) should urgently contact the NLS-Class of 91 Steering Committee: JS Okutepa SAN o n 08035896910 or Alex Muoka on 08033009242 or send an email to ‘nlsclassof91@gmail. com’ and copy ‘alexmuoka@gmail.com’.Thank you.
Foundation Organises 3-Day Capacity Building for Prosecutors
Human Rights Group Calls for Immediate Release of El-Zakzaky
Alex Enumah in Abuja
Akinwale Akintunde
As part of efforts at enhancing efficiency in the Nigerian justice sector, a Non-Governmental Organisation, The Wayamo Foundation in conjunction with the International Nuremberg Principles Academy, Africa Group for Justice and Accountability in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Justice, organised a three-day training session for prosecutors in the justice ministry. The workshop tagged, “Strengthening Justice and Accountability in Nigeria” was aimed at setting standards for prosecutors in addressing the most serious and complex crimes. Director of Wayamo Foundation and Head of the Secretariat of the Africa Group for Justice and Accountability, Bettina Ambach, in an interview with journalists at the venue of the workshop in Abuja, disclosed that one of the goals of the training, is to enhance the ability of Nigerian prosecu-
tors to address the most serious and complex crimes under the Nigerian criminal law, as well as have a better understanding of international, transnational and terrorism-related crimes, including those of concern to the International Criminal Court (ICC). “Today we are strengthening the capacity of Nigerian prosecutors to deal with complex crimes, transnational crimes, terrorism-related crimes and the crimes which potentially may fall within the jurisdiction of the ICC." “We believe in general that justice and accountability are strengthened through developing and helping to strengthen the domestic systems." “When we do our programs to strengthen domestic capacities, we always try to make sure that we have a good relationship at the international level and the international court”, she said. Ambach further disclosed that,
a representative from the Office of the Prosecutor of the ICC would be on hand to explain what the admissibility requirements are for Nigeria, since Nigeria she noted, is under preliminary examination at the ICC. She expressed hope that, if the Nigerian prosecutors are strengthened and they have the capacity to deal with complex crimes which are potentially under the jurisdiction of the ICC, then they will have the capacity in the future, to deal with those crimes domestically, and the ICC would not have to intervene. The facilitator also disclosed that the training would also take a look at the instruments at the disposal of the local prosecutors, what Nigeria's criminal code, the penal code say about those instruments, and how it can be adapted to meet the requirements of international standard.
Human Rights group, Access to Justice, has urged the Federal Government to obey the court's decision which ordered the release of the leader of the Shi’a Islamic Movement in Nigeria, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky. El-Zakzaky was arrested by the military on December 14, 2015, after a clash between the movement and officers of the Nigerian army. The army killed at least 347 members of the group. The sect leader approached the court to demand his release, months after he was arrested without being charged to Court. An Abuja Division of the Federal High Court however, ordered the release of the leader of the Shi’a Islamic Movement in Nigeria, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky. But weeks after the court order, El-Zakzaky still remains in detention. Access to Justice through its
Executive Director, Mr. Joseph Otteh, however, condemned the continued illegal detention of the sect leader and urged the Federal Government to obey the court order by freeing him. Otteh also urged President Buhari to investigate the killings of IPOB members, and the growing and gnawing culture of impunity by government officials. According to the statement, further delay in releasing ElZakzaky, will represent a direct and serious affront to the rule of law in a democratic government and a dangerous abuse of power. “The Nigerian military government is engaging in summary, arbitrary and extrajudicial executions of members of the Independent Peoples of Biafra (IPOB)." “It is a major vilification of Nigeria’s constitutional democracy that those who ordered and perpetrated the attacks that resulted in these killings, are still in office and exercising state authority till this time. It is also regrettable that
the Federal Government could not be bothered to investigate the atrocities committed against the IMN group by its military forces." “On the contrary, the government proceeded to detain and imprison El-Zakzaky and his spouse since December 2015, without charge. This irony beggars belief and greatly diminishes any claims of this government to respect for the rule of law and protection of human rights." “The continuing silence from the government, coming on the heels of several other “silences”, is non-the-less quite audible in its meaning, and proclaims that human rights are expendable platitudes for the Buhari government." "The Buhari government is steadily emboldening a climate of impunity in governance, and strengthening the hands of those who unleash brutal force against protesters", Access to Justice stated.