Judiciary Is Functional Under Wike – Okocha

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Barrister O.C.J. Okocha has acknowledged the good works of the Rivers State Government in the judiciary.
Okocha made this known in an interview with The Tide recently in Port Harcourt.
According to him, before the inauguration of the Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, the judiciary had been under lock and key but immediately the governor was inaugurated on May 29, 2015, he appointed the former Acting Chief Judge, Hon Justice Daisy W. Okocha and the Acting President of the Customary Court of Appeal, Hon Justice Christy Gabriel Nwakwo. The governor within the last three years of his administration has also ensured that more Judges are appointed with facilities made available for them and also ensured the appointment of Magistrates, customary court of appeal chairmen and members all with cars and improved conditions of service in place, also the building of physical structures, renovation of the court of appeal, building of the Federal High Court etc.
He said the governor had given the judiciary independence and ensure that all that was needed to establish a judiciary and make it functional were in place under the present administration.
He further stated that the government has been able to checkmate violence and crime in the state to an extent. According to him, before the governor came on seat, lawlessness and criminality were at their highest levels but since his emergence, he has made a lot of achievement, landmark rights have also been made, people can now walk around Port Harcourt safely and sleep with their two eyes closed, the restiveness of the youths has come down to bearable limit, the sorry saga that played out in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of the state where individuals were terrorised by some youths has been dealt with, the rate of kidnapping has reduced drastically.
He explained further that the maintenance and enforcement of law and order was not the sole responsibility of the governor, and noted that it was the responsibility of the Federal Government, “The Federal Government controls all security agencies from the Army, Navy, Airforce, Directorates of State Security, police, national security and safety defence corps, therefore a lot has to do with the Federal level of government because the governor can only do so much when it concerns the police but even as that, the governor has been very generous in providing facilities and logistic support for the police, few years ago, the governor commissioned vehicles for the police including personal carriers, also built some structures in the army bases, gave boats to the navy etc. therefore the governor has done his level best using state resources to make provisions even for those federal agencies that are charged with the maintenance and enforcement of law and orders”, he stated.
Okocha told The Tide that the government has contributed so much to the judiciary and crime fighting by making the necessary provision for the establishment of the court or the judiciary which has to do with human capital, appointment of judges, magistrates, and customary court of appeal personnel and the provision of all that is required to do their work and the building of physical structures and provision of other infrastructural equipment which they require.
Okocha said one bold challenge the government was facing was the maintenance and enforcement of law and order which he said is the responsibility of the Federal Government.
He canvassed the establishment of state police and commended the state for establishing the Neighbourhood Watch an organisation that will assist and facilitate law enforcement.

Stories by Boma Ikiriko