NAN-H-63
Children
By Mohammed Lawal
Zaria (Kaduna State), Dec. 13, 2017 (NAN) Justice Ibrahim Tanko-Muhammad, Chairman, Supreme Court of Nigeria, on Wednesday,expressed concern over rampant cases of child-abuse in Nigeria.
He made the remark while declaring open the 18th Annual Judges’ Conference, at Kongo Campus of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, Kaduna State.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the conference was organised by Centre for Islamic Legal Studies (CILS), Institute of Administration, Kongo, in collaboration with the National Judicial Institute (NJI), Abuja.
The theme of the conference is: “The Role of Sharia/Area Courts in the Administration of Justice in Cases involving Children.”
Tanko-Muhammad, represented by Justice Ahmad Belgore, Justice of the Court of Appeal, said the theme of the conference was not just apt and timely but also suitable for deliberation.
“The theme is not only topical but timely and suitable for deliberation, taking into cognisance the rampant cases of child abuse in Nigeria.”
He identified cases of child-abuse as a common phenomenon that cuts across societies in Nigeria and called for reversal of the trend.
Tanko-Muhammad called on CILS and NJI to further strengthen their collaborative efforts at pursuing the desired goal for guiding and assisting the Nigerian judiciary in the areas of administration of justice.
“I have no doubt in expressing my confidence in the ability of the two institutions – CILS and NJI – to rise up to the occasion in making sure that this broken confederation would be fully supported and sustained.
“I also call on relevant authorities to give their optimum support to CILS in its efforts to provide continuing legal education to judges, judicial staff, legal practitioners, etc.
“The continuing education should be in the relevant fields of law generally and Islamic law in particular, for effective justice delivery in Nigeria,” he said.
In his speech, the ABU Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ibrahim Garba, described the conference as one of its kind on the Nigerian legal issues.
The V-C, represented by Prof. Ibrahim Ahmad, Direcor, Institute of Administration, Kongo, said the conference sought to address issues of succession, evidence and sharing of assess, among others.
He observed that in cases involving children, the procedure changed due to incapabilities of the children as minors.
Earlier, the Director, CILS, Prof. Bala Babaji, said the conference was the only annual colloquium on Islamic law in Nigeria where judges, lawyers and academics met and updated their knowledge and skills on Islamic law as practised in Nigeria.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the two-day conference, drew participants from Grand Khadis from different states, Sharia Court Judges, lawyers and academic. (NAN)
KLM/KOO/IA
========
Edited by Kevin Okunzuwa/Idris Abdulrahman