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From Godwin Tsa, Abuja
The new Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi on Monday assumes office to confront an inefficient justice system that is grappling with massive corruption, executive recklessness and disobedience to court orders.
Already, the 24th Attorney General of the Federation who arrived at the Federal Ministry of Justice at about 3:10 pm has warned staff, heads of agencies and parastatals under the ministry against acts of lawlessness and insubordination.
Fagbemi who was warmly received by the Solicitor General of the Federation (SGF), Ms.Beatrice Jeddy-Agba, directors, heads of agencies and parastatals under the Federal Ministry of Justice, on arrival, stressed the strategic importance of the ministry in a democracy.
Among those who received him were Buba Marwa, Chairman, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and Tony Ojukwu, Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).
Shortly after his arrival, he was conducted around the office and introduced to directors, heads of agencies and parastatals under the ministry.
Addressing the staff of the ministry, Fagbemi who solicitated their cooperation in discharging his onerous duties said he is open to constructive criticism that would drive his administration to an achieveable and remarkable success.
He tasked the staff on the need to re-double their efforts in the performance of their duties and to be guided by their oath of office and conscience.
In her welcome address, the SGF and Permanent Secretary, Jeddy-Agba pledged the support and unalloyed loyalty of the management and staff of the ministry to enable the minister to function well in office.
In her words, “We will deploy all the human and material resources of the ministry and its parastatals to support and assist you in realising your set objectives and, more importantly, in achieving the enormous constitutional and statutory mandates and responsibilities vested in the Federal Ministry.
She described the newest Minister as a consummate legal practitioner, prolific writer and distinguished Senior Advocate of Nigeria.
Jedy-Agba said the entire staff of the Justice Ministry is happy to have him as Minister and assured of their support.
With a flourishing lega career of close to four decades, Fagbemi has inherited a justice sector that is presently grappling with massive corruption, disobedience of court orders, executive lawlessness and impunity by law-enforcement and security agencies.
Beyond that, the 64-year-old, who hails from Ijagbo in Oyun Local Government Area of Kwara State, will be confronted with the rot created by the past administration’s misuse of pardons and withdrawals of cases.
During his screening at the Senate, Fagbemi had acknowledged these challenges during his Senate screening, where he emphasised that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Department of State Services (DSS) must not defy court orders.
He equally stressed the need for the DSS and EFCC to investigate before arresting, rather than arresting before investigation.
While responding to a question regarding a President’s violation of court orders, Fagbemi added, “I think with respect, you will not find the President flouting any order because the Attorney General will be made a party to.”
He also suggested the merger of the EFCC and ICPC. According to him, one of the anti-graft agencies should be for the sole purpose of investigation while the other exclusively pursues prosecution
He graduated from the University of Jos, Plateau State, with a Second Class Upper degree in Law in 1984. He bagged a master’s degree in. Law (LLM) from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, in 1987.
A year after completing his law degree at the University of Jos, he was called to the Nigerian Bar in August 1985, marking the beginning of his 38 years of flourishing legal career. He became a SAN after just 10 years at the Bar, the minimum statutory period of active legal practice a lawyer must reach to qualify for the rank. By the time he was sworn into the rank the following year, he was 37 and the youngest person, then, to ever hold the rank.
Fagbemi cut his legal teeth and honed his skills under the tutelage of a renowned lawyer, Afe Babalola, for 11 years.
His law firm, Lateef Fabgemi & Co, also known as Temitope Chambers, which he established later, is now 21 years into practice. The law firm handles cases for clients across the country from its offices in Oyo, Lagos, and Abuja.
With diverse areas of law practice in arbitration, alternative dispute resolution, commercial law, and land and border disputes, the ministerial nominee has handled some high-profile political and corruption-related suits.
With his intellect and enormous wealth of experience, it is expected that he will tackle these challenges frontally.
