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From Abdulrazaq Mungadi, Gombe
The former Minister of Education, Science, and Technology, Ambassador Ibrahim Yerima Abdullahi (Sarkin Ban Gombe) has called on the federal government and other Nigerians to prevail on the judiciary and curtail iniquities in the justice system in the country.
He said, Nigeria is bleeding and cannot continue or develop with iniquities in the justice system, “justice must be seen or even heard and must be felt. I am appealing to Nigerians that we must work to remove iniquities from our societies and ensure justice for all.
The elder statesman stated this in an interview with newsmen at his residence in Gombe metropolis, he said the growing challenges of banditry, kidnapping and other social vices which he called ‘outlaws’ in the country is a product of iniquities and injustice in the justice system.
He said, “You the press refer to them as the ‘Bandits’ but I would rather use the word ‘outlaws’ that is people who have decided to operate outside the law. In the past few months, I have heard and I have seen a lot, I have also read an interview of one of the leaders of these outlaws and when I read that interview, I became very concerned about the causal factors of the outlaw.
“In that interview, he was complaining about the legal system, he talked about how one case took seven years in the court, he is from around Zamfara and if he has had the privilege of going around the country, he would have probably understood that seven years with a legal case is not a surprise in Nigeria.
I have lived in Lagos and there are cases that have outlived generations, from father to grandfather to grandchild and others, the point is that the legal system is not giving the citizens the cover that he required, I don’t intend to enter between the government and others but we have to draw the attention of the government on the iniquities and lack of justice that is being practiced in the society,” the former minister said.
He added saying, “if illegalities take over and the legal system cannot give us the citizens rest of mind then we are in trouble. I have taken my own personal decision to first of all pray to my creator and to urge other Nigerians to pray to God to restore peace and tranquility in our country”.
“I am appealing to the rest of us Nigerians to use whatever name or language to speak to their creator to restore peace to our society, we have every reason to be proud of our country Nigeria, there is no need to go into details of our economic, commercial or educational challenges but the point is that there are iniquities, there is also injustice.
I cannot seat here and pinpoint whose fault it is, but we all know that for a case to last seven years or more in a court, it means something is not right with the system. Am appealing to Nigerians to please prevail on the judiciary in particular and by the judiciary, I mean from top to bottom, I am not saying that they are all wrong but as a free citizen of this country, I feel dutybound to appeal to my creator first and if in the process our rulers and leaders feel that there is something they can do, please let them do it to ensure that our country is great,” Yerima said.
He urged the government and other Nigerians to see the laws as the guiding principles in the country and live by them, “we cannot continue like this, we have to curtail iniquity and make all Nigerians feel happy wherever they might be. We have to all resolve to obey our own laws,” he added.
