By Jacinta Nwachukwu

Some Civil Society Organisations (CSO) have advocated for holistic reform of the justice sector, especially in the law enforcement agencies to facilitate justice for pre-trial detainees.

They made the call at a CSOs Coordination and Communication Meeting organised by the Public and Private Development Centre (PPDC), on Thursday in Abuja.

Chioma Onyenucheya-Uko, the Chairperson, International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Nigeria, Abuja Branch, said there was need for retraining of the Investigative Police Officers (IPOs), to enhance their capacity in justice administration.

According to Onyenucheya-Uko, criminal justice sector is one that caters or interfaces with virtually every citizen at one time or the other.

She said through trainings and enlightenments, the law officers, whether magistrates or judges of lower courts, would understand the principles and statutory provisions they must comply with.

“You will find out that certain persons are in some of these detention places on a remand order for protracted period against the prescribed limit as to how long a person can be kept in detention.

“Some people think that it doesn’t matter whether the sector is sanitised or not, but, nobody knows who can come in conflict with the law tomorrow.

“If we have a system that is sanitised, it will meet everybody’s need.

“While we hold people accountable to discourage criminality, we also do not compromise on the constitutional provision of the respect for the dignity of the human person at all times, even when that person is in conflict with the law,” she said.

The FIDA Chairperson added: “It is important to note that no matter what offence a person is alleged to have committed, the constitution prescribes for a presumption of innocence in the person’s favour.

“What it means is that, regardless of the offence, it is possible that person is innocent, and it will be unfair if the person is treated lesser than a human”.

Also speaking, the Programme Officer, PPDC, Onyeka Oduye, reiterated that the criminal justice system in Nigeria should be reformed, cutting cross all stakeholders.

Specifically, she identified the law enforcement agencies, the judiciary and the correctional service as sectors that need urgent reform.

On his part, the Director-General, Legal Aid Council, Aliyu Abubakar, reiterated that the justice system needed urgent reform.

Represented by Ogechukwu Ibenegbu of the council, Abubakar said there would be continuous conversation among stakeholders to address the challenges around justice system in the country.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the CSO Coordination and Communication Meeting is a forum where PPDC brings together civil society organisations working on criminal justice to deliberate on justice sector reforms.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Rotimi Ijikanmi