News
National Justice Summit: Tinubu demands performance, challenge Judiciary to take the leadp

National Justice Summit: Tinubu demands performance, challenge Judiciary to take the lead
* As leaders seek system that provides justice for all
…Akpabio wants ruling in interlocutory appeals reserved till conclusion of suit
…. curbing of misuse of exparte order
By: Michael Mike
Nigerian leaders on Wednesday has called for the enthronement of an effective justice sector that would guarantee quality and speedy dispensation of justice in the country.
Leaders who spoke at the opening of a two-day National Summit on Justice include President Bola Tinubu, Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN and representatives of the European Union, United Nations office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and others.
The event is been organized in collaboration with the European Union funded RoLAC II Programme of the International IDEA.
Declaring the summit open, Tinubu who was represented by the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shetima, reiterated his committed to ensuring that the justice system in Nigeria is not just working but meets the aspiration of the people.
He said to that effect his administration upon coming on board has been working hand in hand with the Judiciary to uproot identified challenges in the sector.
While stating that the key challenge is how to address the claim that the justice sector is not responsive, he appealed to leaders of other arms of government to align with the Renewed Hope Agenda of his administration.
According to him, immediately he assumed office, he moved to harmonize the retirement age of judicial officers and made the welfare of the Judiciary a priority.

Besides stating that the funding for the Judiciary was double by a 100%, the president disclosed that he recently approved a substantial improvement in the salaries of judges, which is pending at the National Assembly.
The president, who observed that the Judiciary has recorded some commendable achievements especially with the Child Rights Act and reform in the Correctional service, however emphasized the need for an effective justice system that would provide justice for all.
He specifically charged leaders in the justice sector to seek for new directions and “find solutions to problems facing the sector”.
He also challenged participants at the summit to come up with policies that serve the needs of all citizens both now and in the future, adding that there must be a concerted effort towards improving public trust in the sector.
While demanded performance from the sector, so as to provide a fair and just system for all, he assured that he will not interfere with the Judiciary, adding that he will continue to work with the bar and bench in ensuring Nigerians enjoy the dividend of democracy.
Also speaking, Akpabio observed that the summit is not just a forum for discussion but a call to action, adding that expert’s recommendations must be translated into effective policies that will address not only current inefficiencies but also future challenges.
“I will not be telling the truth if I say that we at the National Assembly are not aware of the delays and backlogs plaguing our courts, which not only deny timely justice but undermine faith in our judicial system”, he said.
According to him these delays harm society’s most vulnerable and create an environment where justice is seen as inaccessible and inefficient.
The Senate President subsequently called for urgent reform in the approach of interlocutory appeals in civil cases. “Currently, these appeals often cause unnecessary delays, prolonging litigation and burdening our courts. As was done in the criminal jurisprudence during the enactment of Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015, we propose that all appeals in civil cases should be taken only after the conclusion of the substantive case.
“This change will accelerate judicial processes, reduce backlog, and ensure that litigations are not unduly prolonged by intermediate appeals”, he added.
Another area Akpabio also claimed requires urgent reform is the need for obtaining the Attorney General’s consent before executing judgments. He observed that the requirement often acts as a bottleneck, delaying justice and undermining the autonomy of the judicial system.
To that extent the legislators are proposing a replacement of the requirement for the Attorney General’s consent with a mandatory notification system.
He said, “Upon receiving a judgment against the government, the relevant authorities will notify the Attorney General immediately in writing.
Following the notification, the Attorney General will have a specified period, say 30 days, to respond. The response could involve initiating an appeal or settling the matter directly. This timeline ensures prompt action and prevents undue delays in justice delivery.
“If there is no response from the Attorney General within this period, the judgment will be executed automatically. This measure is crucial to prevent stalling and ensure that judgments are respected and enforced in a timely manner. In cases where the judgment comes from a final court, the option to appeal is not available.
“Therefore, the Attorney General’s response would be primarily directed towards settlement. This approach ensures that the government acts responsibly as a litigant and respects the decisions of our highest court in the land”.
He claimed that reforms like this foster trust in the justice system and improve the overall efficiency of legal proceedings involving the government.
Another area he sought reform is the misuse of ex parte orders in political cases by judges. He said to curb it, it is imperative that the National Judicial Council (NJC) exercises stringent oversight and met out decisive punishment for judges who are found to abuse their authority in this manner.
“We further propose that the NJC establish clear and detailed standards governing the issuance of ex parte orders, accompanied by a defined set of sanctions for violations. These sanctions should be severe enough to serve as a deterrent against future abuses
“We recommend that the NJC should conduct regular audits and reviews of ex parte orders issued by judges to ensure compliance with established standards. This proactive approach will help in identifying patterns of abuse early and in administering corrective measures promptly.
“In addition to punitive measures, we also emphasize the importance of ongoing training and education for judges on the ethical and responsible use of judicial discretion in issuing ex parte orders”, he added.
Meanwhile, in his remarks, the Chief Justice of Nigeria,CJN, Olukayode Ariwoola, lamented that justice is still a far reality for most Nigerians, and has therefore called for a critical look at the legal framework with a view of making necessary reforms.
Meanwhile, Ariwoola urged that the judiciary must leverage on technological innovation in order to address issues of corruption, inefficiency, and undue influence.
The CJN said that the judiciary under his watch, has recorded a significant milestone.
Also speaking, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, said the justice sector under his watch will continue to push for mutuality in the formation and implementation of the national policy on justice.
According to him, the policy seeks to improve mechanisms for fair and speedy dispensation of justice; detention and correctional services; restorative justice; alternative dispute resolution (ADR) — developing Nigeria into an arbitration hub on the continent; commerce and economic activities; compliance with treaty obligations; synergy and cooperation across the justice sector; and independence of the judiciary; among others.
“Regarding the emphasis on strengthening the independence and welfare of the judiciary, it is to be recalled that one of the cardinal items on the Renewed Hope Agenda of this administration is to drive judicial reforms to achieve sustainable socio-economic growth and investment, facilitated by the rule of law, and to address the challenges militating against judicial development in our country..
“One key theme that has been added to the National Policy on Justice is Justice for Children. This is in line with our commitments under various inter national, regional and national instruments on protection of children consistent with the guiding principles on the best interest and welfare of the child. The idea is to adopt deliberate and strategic interventions for dealing with children in contact with the law” he added.
Also speaking, National Programme Manager, RoLAC II, International IDEA, Danladi Plang, observed that quality reform would attract the much needed Foreign Direct Investment to grow the economy.
According to him investors would not want to come to a country where their money would be tied down. “When you go to litigation they ask somebody to pay money into the court until the case is determined. We have cases that have gone up to 10 years. No investor would want to come to a country like that.
“So improving the efficiency of the justice system is important not only for commercial cases but also for criminals, we have seen many people detained for a very long time because their case has not been heard”.
National Justice Summit: Tinubu demands performance, challenge Judiciary to take the lead
International
OP-ED: “A RESCUE PLAN FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT”

OP-ED: “A RESCUE PLAN FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT”
By: Michael Mike
This month, leaders will gather in Sevilla, Spain, on a rescue mission: to help fix how the world invests in sustainable development.
The stakes could not be higher. A decade after the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals and many global commitments to finance them, two-thirds of the targets are lagging. And the world is falling short by over $4 trillion annually in the resources developing countries need to deliver on these promises by 2030.
Meanwhile, the global economy is slowing, trade tensions are rising, aid budgets are being slashed while military spending soars, and international cooperation is under unprecedented strain.
The global development crisis is not abstract. It is measured in families going to bed hungry, children going unvaccinated, girls being forced to drop out of school and entire communities deprived of basic services.
We must correct course. That begins at the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development in Sevilla, where an ambitious, globally supported plan to invest in the Sustainable Development Goals must be adopted.
That plan should include three essential elements.
First, Sevilla must help accelerate the flow of resources to the countries who need it most. Fast.
Countries must be in the driver’s seat, mobilizing domestic resources by strengthening revenue collection and addressing tax evasion, money laundering and illicit financial flows through international cooperation. This would provide much-needed resources to prioritize spending on areas with the greatest impact such as education, healthcare, jobs, social protection, food security, and renewable energy.
At the same time, national development banks, regional and Multilateral Development Banks need to come together to finance major investments.
To support this, the lending capacity of these banks needs to triple so developing countries can better access capital on affordable terms with longer timelines.
This increased access should include re-channeling of unconditional reserve assets — or Special Drawing Rights — to developing countries, preferably through Multilateral Development Banks to multiply their impact.
Private investment is also essential. Resources can be unlocked by making it easier for private finance to support bankable development projects and by promoting solutions that mitigate currency risks and combine public and private finance more effectively.
Throughout, donors must keep their development promises.
Second, we must fix the global debt system. It is unfair and broken.
The current borrowing system is unsustainable, and developing countries have little confidence in it. It’s easy to see why. Debt service is a steamroller crushing development gains, to the tune of more than $1.4 trillion a year. Many governments are forced to spend more on debt payments than on essentials like health and education combined.
Sevilla must result in concrete steps to reduce borrowing costs, facilitate timely debt restructuring for countries burdened by unsustainable debt, and prevent debt crises from unfolding in the first place.
In advance of the conference, a number of countries put forward proposals to ease the debt burden on developing countries. This includes making it easier to pause debt service in times of emergency; establishing a single debt registry to strengthen transparency; and improving how the IMF, World Bank and credit-ratings agencies assess risks in developing countries.
Finally, Sevilla must raise the voice and influence of developing countries in the international financial system so it better serves their needs.
International financial institutions must reform their governance structures to enable greater voice and participation of developing countries in the management of the institutions they depend on.
The world also needs a fairer global tax system, one shaped by all governments — not just the wealthiest and most powerful.
The creation of a “borrowers club” for countries to coordinate their approaches and learn from one another is another promising step toward addressing power imbalances.
The meeting in Sevilla is not about charity. It’s about justice, and building a future in which countries can thrive, build, trade, and prosper together. In our increasingly interconnected world, a future of haves and have-nots is a recipe for even greater global insecurity that will keep weighing down progress for all.
With renewed global commitment and action, Sevilla can spark new momentum to restore a measure of faith in international cooperation and deliver on sustainable development for people and planet.
In Sevilla, leaders must act together to make this rescue mission a success.
OP-ED: “A RESCUE PLAN FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT”
Crime
Illicit drug consignment packaged as green tea intercepted at Lagos airport

Illicit drug consignment packaged as green tea intercepted at Lagos airport
By:Michael Mike
No fewer than 66 parcels of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis, packaged as green tea have been intercepted by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the import shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos.
According to the spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi, the seizure made last Thursday was based on credible intelligence received ahead of the arrival of the consignment at the cargo wing of the airport on 11th May.

Babafemi, in the statement issued on Sunday, disclosed that the NDLEA had watch-listed the shipment, and sustained surveillance around it for over three weeks before inviting other stakeholders for a joint examination last Thursday.
He said the Loud consignment weighing 62.2 kilogrammes was concealed inside wraps of green tea that came from Thailand via UAE on an Emirate Airlines flight.
Babafemi said in another operation in Lagos, NDLEA operatives last Monday intercepted a consignment of 1,665 kilogrammes skunk, a strain of cannabis, along Lekki-Ajah expressway. Two suspects: Gidado Ayinde and Obanla Oluwafemi were promptly arrested in connection with the seizure.
In Kaduna, operatives of the state command of NDLEA on patrol along Abuja – Kaduna expressway last Tuesday arrested 29-year-old Goodluck Nnaemeka with 612 bottles of codeine-based syrup and 2,970 pills of flunitrazepam. In another operation same day, a 52-year-old wanted drug dealer Kabiru Musa (a.k.a KB) was arrested at Kurmin Mashi. A total of 25.7 kilogrammes skunk was earlier recovered from his base.
While a total of 9 kilogrammes Loud was recovered from the spare tyre compartment of an Audi station wagon car marked AAA 975 XU driven by Atari Israel, 45, along Auchi road, Edo state, two young women: Favour Joy and Joy Igwe were last Tuesday nabbed at Ikpoba hill area of Benin city. Recovered from them include: 106.57 kilogrammes skunk; 1 kilogramme Loud; 800 grammes Colorado and 302 grammes of methamphetamine.
Babafemi said the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) social advocacy activities by NDLEA commands equally continued across the country in the past week.
Meanwhile, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd) while commending the officers and men of MMIA, Lagos, Kaduna, and Edo commands of the agency for the arrests and seizures of the past week, also praised their counterparts in all the commands across the country for pursuing a fair balance between their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.
Illicit drug consignment packaged as green tea intercepted at Lagos airport
News
One year after Allawa’s fall, displaced residents cry for help as humanitarian crisis deepens in Niger

One year after Allawa’s fall, displaced residents cry for help as humanitarian crisis deepens in Niger
By U.K. Umar
One year after armed attackers overran Allawa community in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State, a deepening humanitarian crisis continues to haunt the thousands of people who fled the invasion and now live in makeshift camps with no hope of return.
The silence that hangs over the once-thriving agrarian community of Allawa is not just physical, it is a silence of abandonment, neglect and despair.
Since the violent invasion of April 25, 2024, residents who escaped death have become Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), living in overcrowded primary school buildings, market stalls and half-roofed compounds in neighbouring towns such as Kuta, Erena and Gwada.
Education has been disrupted. Food is uncertain. Healthcare is nearly non-existent. And worse, hope is fading.
At an abandoned block of classrooms now serving as a displacement shelter in Kuta, Zagazola Media Netowork, met Malam Musa Yakubu, a 47-year-old farmer and father of seven. He sat quietly under the shade of a neem tree, surrounded by three of his children, all barefooted and visibly malnourished.
“This place was once my children’s school. Now it is our home,” he said, forcing a smile. “We sleep on broken desks, on bare floor. During rainy nights, we cover ourselves with nylon bags. My wife cries often because she cannot feed our children.”
Malam Yakubu said he grew up in Allawa and owned over 15 hectares of farmland before the invasion. Today, he depends on handouts from well-wishers.
“The last time we received food aid was three months ago. Since then, we have been living on roasted yam and wild leaves. My children have not seen a classroom since we fled.”
Standing nearby was Amina Ibrahim, 16, who said she dropped out of Junior Secondary School following the attack. Now, she spends her days helping her mother hawk groundnuts in Kuta. I want to return to school,” she said quietly. “But how can I go to school when we have no home, no books, and no peace?”
‘My primary school is a ghost town’
For U.K. Umar, a former resident of Allawa and the writer of this report, the tragedy is personal.
“I attended Central Primary School in Allawa, which is now in ruins,” he recalled. “My childhood friends are now scattered across IDP camps. Some lost their parents. Some were taken by the attackers. We were not just displaced. We were forgotten.”
Umar said the displacement was not just the result of one attack, but a culmination of years of insecurity that was never addressed.
“What happened on April 25, 2024, was the final blow. Security agencies left, and armed groups moved in. What followed was a complete collapse of community life. Now, we are a forgotten people.”
Terror in the shadows
Reports from Shiroro LGA suggest that terror groups now control mining activities across several wards including Kurebe, Kwaki and Kushaka. Residents allegethat the attackers collect levies from artisanal gold miners up to N2 million per site every two weeks. Those who fail to comply are barred from mining, while others are punished.
“Their boys come during the day to collect fuel and money. At night, they disappear into the bush. They even settle disputes among locals. It is like a second government,” said a displaced youth who asked not to be named.
Just two weeks ago, five persons were reportedly abducted in Kwanta Yashi. Locals say they fear speaking out, as they are caught between hunger and violence.
‘Even water is a privilege’
In the Erena IDP settlement, Hajia Halima Abdullahi, 60, spoke through tears.
“I used to be a trader. I had goats and chickens. Now, I beg for drinking water. We fetch from a stream one hour away, and sometimes, we boil it. Other times, we drink it raw.”
She said many elderly displaced persons have developed hypertension and respiratory infections due to harsh conditions.
“There are no drugs. No doctors. Sometimes, we use herbs. Our children are falling sick every day.” It was also observed that the camps lack toilets, clean water, mosquito nets, and electricity. In some shelters, more than ten people sleep in one small room.
‘We feel abandoned’
There is growing frustration among displaced residents over what they describe as state government indifference.
“All we hear are promises. No concrete plan. No official has told us when we can return. It is as if our lives no longer matter,” said Ibrahim Zakari, a youth from Allawa now living in Gwada.
He appealed to the Niger State Government and the Federal Government to urgently intervene.
We are Nigerians too. We voted. We paid taxes. We built our homes and schools. Why have we been left to suffer?”
“You cannot keep over 20,000 displaced people in hopeless conditions for over a year and expect stability. Children are out of school. Teenage girls are being married off. Boys are joining vigilante groups. Trauma is spreading like wildfire,” he warned.
He called on the Federal Government to declare a humanitarian emergency in Shiroro LGA and mobilise the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), as well as development partners, to scale up food, water, and shelter support.
“There must be a concrete, time-bound plan for resettlement. These people deserve to go home with safety, dignity, and support.”
Conclusion
One year after the fall of Allawa, the question remains: how long must a people wait?
As Niger State and the Federal Government grapple with rising insecurity, the forgotten people of Allawa continue to live in limbo displaced, distressed, and dangerously ignored.
Their pain is not history. It is ongoing. And unless urgent steps are taken, the crisis may deepen further.
“We have not died,” Malam Musa Yakubu said quietly. “But we are not living either.”
One year after Allawa’s fall, displaced residents cry for help as humanitarian crisis deepens in Niger
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