Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani has advised the Body of Attorneys General to work harmoniously to conduct comprehensive legal reviews and appraisals of the country’s laws.
The governor who gave the counsel at the Body of Attorney Generals Conference on Wednesday, added that the body should also identify inconsistencies, outdated provisions, and areas where laws were simply silent.
He pointed out that this onerous task “cannot be achieved by a single state or the federal government alone. It requires a collaborative effort to fund legal aid services, train community paralegals, and use technology to demystify the legal process for all.’’
“For too long, the administration of justice in our country has been hampered by a lack of coordinated action. We have seen jurisdictional conflicts, duplication of efforts, and a fragmentation of legal reforms that slow down progress and create confusion.
“This approach, where federal and state authorities operate in isolation, is a significant gap in our current system. It is a gap that breeds inefficiency, frustrates citizens, and ultimately undermines public confidence in the rule of law,’’ he added.
The governor said, “The time has come to change this approach. We must establish a robust framework for continuous dialogue and cooperation between federal and state legal authorities.’’
Governor Sani argued that ‘’this is not about one level of government ceding its authority to another. Rather, it is about creating a symbiotic relationship where we can share ideas and address critical gaps.’’
In his remarks, the attorney general of the federation and minister of justice, Chief Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) noted that, ‘’one of the most persistent challenges besetting our legal system remains the protracted delays in court proceedings and the growing backlog of cases.
