NAN-H-61
Law
By Edith Nwapi
Abuja, Oct. 31, 2016 (NAN) A don, Prof. Clement Dakas (SAN), on Monday urged Nigerians to effectively use law for social engineering and the fight against injustice.
Dakas, who is the Dean, Faculty of Law, University of Jos, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
- Cue in audio 1 (Dakas)
“We must consciously deploy law as a very important tool for social engineering, of constitutional engineering for attacking the structures that are at the heart of injustice in our polity.
“As lawyers, we say that we are ministers in the temple of justice; judges say that they are custodians of justice and it means that we have a responsibility to strike at the heart of the structures of injustice in our system and inspire confidence in the minds of Nigerians.
“Because if the generality of Nigerians lose confidence in lawyers and judges and their capacity to engender justice in the polity, then people will resort to jungle justice
“And once people resort to jungle justice there will be anarchy in the society and once there is anarchy in the society, the society is headed for a disaster.“
- Cue out audio 1
Hev urged the Federal Government to ensure that the war against corruption is not only comprehensive, but one that “inspires confidence’’ and is carried out within the framework of the rule of law.
- Cue in audio 2 (Dakas)
“We must consciously and always remind ourselves that people are looking up to us.
“We need to strike at the heart of corruption, because when you look at the monumental damage that corruption is wreaking on our dear country, you cannot but align with the anti-corruption agenda of Mr President.
“But we must also ensure that the best way to fight corruption is to make sure that it is comprehensive.
“That corruption is fought in a manner that inspires confidence, and inspiring confidence entails that people are not left with the impression that it is selective fight and to inspire confidence also means that you have to wage the war against corruption within the framework of the rule of law.
“It is absolutely essential that due process is followed and the rule of law is observed that will inspire confidence in the generality of Nigerians and enable them to key into the anti-corruption agenda.“
- Cue out audio 2 (NAN)
NEO/YEE
Edited by Emmanuel Yashim
======================