Crime Fighting: RSG Seeks Partnership With Abia

Worried over the recent spate of high profile murders and other criminal activities along the Aba-Port Harcourt highway, Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has appealed to his Abia State counterpart Chief Theodore Orji to partner with him in the fight against criminality in the border communities with Rivers State.

Governor Amaechi, who made the call, Monday, in Port Harcourt while speaking at a Special Court Session to mark the 2010 legal year in the state, said cases of criminality perpetrated along the border towns with Rivers, especially Obehie and Owaza communities required urgent attention.

The governor said his administration worked assiduously to fight crime in the state and has achieved relative peace, stressing that the activities of miscreants from neighbouring Abia State may affect the peace being enjoyed in the state, if not checked.

He said the state government was prepared to fight crime along the Port Harcourt, Aba Road up to Aba and other border towns with Rivers State to ensure that people go about their normal businesses unmolested, stressing that the partnership with Abia State was necessary in doing so

The State Chief Executive explained that efforts so far made to appeal to his Abia State counterpart to address the issue to curb crime at the border communities has not been successful and solicited his partnership to stamp crime out in the areas.

Governor Amaechi used the occasion to restate his preparedness to govern the state in accordance with the rule of law, protection of lives and property of Rivers people which he swore to in his oath of office.

The governor commended the Judiciary for the cordial relationship existing between it and the executive as well as the legislative arm and promised to sustain the independence of the Judiciary by also allowing them manage their funds.

Commenting on Judiciary workers strike in the state, Governor Amaechi said the state government would be prepared to meet their demands if there was any proof that any state of the federation was paying higher than Rivers and challenged them to compare notes with their counterparts in other states before requesting for increment in salaries.

In his address, the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Iche Ndu said there has been healthy cooperation among the three arms of government in the state, pointing out that the judiciary, has within the last one year, received from the executive and the legislative arms, the needed support in the implementation of its policies and projects aimed at making it more vibrant.

Justice Ndu, who expressed satisfaction with the performance of Judges and Magistrates with respect to the number of cases disposed of in the last legal year, announced that a new judicial division is to be established at Saakpenwa, the Tai Local Government Headquarters, to reduce the number of cases in Bori and Nchia Judicial Divisions, thus brining the total number of judicial divisions in the state to eleven.

The State Chief Judge also announced that in addition to the 26 Magisterial Districts in the state another 12 has been created with effect from the first of January 2010, adding that while a total of 2792 cases were disposed of and 7023 pending in the High Courts within the year under review, 72 are pending in the Customary Court of Appeal as non was disposed of. The Magistrate Courts  had 3070 cases disposed of and 6719 pending and customary court has a total of 1783 cases pending.

In his speech the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice Mr Ken Chikere, said the present administration has spared no effort to ensure that there was no stagnation in justice delivery in the state, by establishing the Customary Court of Appeal and appointed the President and Judges of the Court as well as over 30 new magistrates.

He said plans are on to resume free mobile legal clinics to the 23 local government areas of the state, to enable law officers take legal education, alternative dispute resolution mechanism and other legal services to the grass root, stressing that the Ministry proposes to establish mediation centres in Port Harcourt, Bori and Ahoada.

The Attorney General explained that the delay in achieving total prison decongestion was hinged on the need to be careful not to let loose suspects with strong criminal background, adding that the Ministry was undertaking a library project, in addition to building more court halls.

In his address the Chairman of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) Chief O. T. K. D Amachree assured of the cooperation and understanding of the bar in collaborating with the judiciary to achieve speedy delivery of justice.