Okocha Harps On Rule Of Law …Says FG Has Failed On Security

Former President of Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Onueze C. Okocha (SAN), has stressed the need for the principles of the rule of law to be entrenched in the country, even as he asserts that the Federal Government under the watch of President Muhammadu Buhari has failed Nigerians in the area of security going by the spate of insecurity in several parts of the country.
Okocha, who made the remarks as a Guest Lecturer during the Pre-Convocation media briefing and 40th anniversary celebration of the Rivers State University in Port Harcourt on Monday said the rule of law entails that there must be separation of powers among the three arms of government to enable each function independently of one another.
Speaking on the topic, ‘The Rule Of Law: Total Adherence As Panacea For Restoration Of Security, Law And Order’, Okocha said there was the need for the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary in the country to work in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution to foster a better tomorrow.
He noted that the rule of law presupposes that there should be an independent and impartial judiciary as well as the recognition of the fundamental rights of the citizens devoid of intimidation, impunity and corruption, contending that a strong and independent legal profession and the equality of all persons before the law were equally necessary ingredients for the rule of law to flourish in any given society.
The legal luminary regretted that the current Federal Government has failed in its primary duty of providing security to Nigerians as well as guaranteeing their welfare, and prescribed that laws must be put in place for the decentralisation of the security architecture of the country and the maintenance and enforcement of law and order, insisting that such laws should spell out the definite areas of authority and control between the Federal Government and the States.
On his part, the Vice Chancellor of Rivers State University, Prof Nlerum Okogbule identified insecurity as a major challenge facing the country, and called on well-meaning Nigerians to work in synergy with security agencies to tackle the problem of insecurity in the country.Former President of
Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Onueze C. Okocha (SAN), has stressed the need for the principles of the rule of law to be entrenched in the country, even as he asserts that the Federal Government under the watch of President Muhammadu Buhari has failed Nigerians in the area of security going by the spate of insecurity in several parts of the country.
Okocha, who made the remarks as a Guest Lecturer during the Pre-Convocation media briefing and 40th anniversary celebration of the Rivers State University in Port Harcourt on Monday said the rule of law entails that there must be separation of powers among the three arms of government to enable each function independently of one another.
Speaking on the topic, ‘The Rule Of Law: Total Adherence As Panacea For Restoration Of Security, Law And Order’, Okocha said there was the need for the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary in the country to work in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution to foster a better tomorrow.
He noted that the rule of law presupposes that there should be an independent and impartial judiciary as well as the recognition of the fundamental rights of the citizens devoid of intimidation, impunity and corruption, contending that a strong and independent legal profession and the equality of all persons before the law were equally necessary ingredients for the rule of law to flourish in any given society.
The legal luminary regretted that the current Federal Government has failed in its primary duty of providing security to Nigerians as well as guaranteeing their welfare, and prescribed that laws must be put in place for the decentralisation of the security architecture of the country and the maintenance and enforcement of law and order, insisting that such laws should spell out the definite areas of authority and control between the Federal Government and the States.
On his part, the Vice Chancellor of Rivers State University, Prof Nlerum Okogbule identified insecurity as a major challenge facing the country, and called on well-meaning Nigerians to work in synergy with security agencies to tackle the problem of insecurity in the country.

By: Emeka Igbe