FG, states agree on special courts for hate speech, others

The Federal and state governments have agreed to designate
special courts for the purposes of prosecuting purveyors of hate
speeches as well as suspected terrorists and kidnappers.

According to a statement in Abuja on Sunday by the Senior
Special Assistant to the Vice-President on Media and Publicity, Mr.
Laolu Akande, the decision was reached at a one-day National
Security Retreat organised by the National Economic Council on
Thursday.

The council, which is chaired by the Vice-President, Prof. Yemi
Osinbajo, has the 36 states governors, the Minister of the Federal
Capital Territory and the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria
as members.

Akande said the retreat discussed concerns about the delay in
the nation’s criminal justice system and NEC members concluded that
prompt action by law enforcement agencies was imperative.

In arriving at special courts for purveyors of hate speeches as
well as suspected terrorists and kidnappers, he said it was
resolved that the Federal Government would help states to develop a
template for such courts.

He said, “NEC members urged prompt action in the arrest and
prosecution of perpetrators of terrorist acts, kidnappings and
purveyors of hate speeches.

“To facilitate this, the designation of special courts was also
advocated and the consensus was that the judiciary and executive
arms of the Federal and state governments will be working together
to establish such courts.

“The Federal Government will also be helping states to develop a
template on how such special courts would be established and
managed.”

On the clamour for state police, Akande said the conclusion was
that policing the country and the entire law enforcement generally,
could not effectively continue without devolving policing and law
enforcement out to the states.

He however said it was noted that while the idea of state police
required constitutional amendments, the Community Policing Model
must be enforced now.

“We must enforce a model that democratises security in such a
way as to include everyone in the process of protecting themselves,
securing their own lives and the lives of people in their
community.

“The simple advantage of the arrangement is that it would
involve the ordinary citizen in ensuring his security and that of
his community.

“It must involve all local leaders, all structures of civil
society. And on every street, the police ought to have one or two
persons who can contact the police at short notice,” Akande quoted
Osinbajo as saying at the retreat held behind closed doors.

He explained that the roll-out of the Community Policing
Programme was intended to enhance crime prevention and control,
improve intelligence-gathering capabilities of the police and
deliver quality and people-oriented policing.

He said the programme would involve the community partnering
with the police to uncover and solve crimes through a process
involving town hall meetings to assess security situation and
security priorities of the communities, the performance of the
police and the nature of the support the communities could provide
to improve the quality of policing.

Akande said the issues about funding of security agencies and
provision of equipment also featured in the discussion while NEC
members agreed that funding was essential.

“It was however added that defence budget and funding for other
security agencies of government always form some of the biggest
component of the budget. Calls for greater accountability of the
resources released were also made,” he said.

He disclosed that the council members also recognised the fact
that herdsmen and farmers’ clashes were being caused by problem of
land use, which he noted, had taken ethnic and religious
dimensions.

Akande said it was agreed that both the Federal and state
governments should properly define the problems and shun the
ethno-religious construction of what was otherwise an economic
challenge.

“NEC members stated that it would be useful to bring the
different groups together — herdsmen and the farmers — to meet and
discuss, and also work out some of the issues that concern them,”
he added.

On agitations in parts of the country, he quoted Osinbajo as
saying that notwithstanding Nigerians’ right to freedom of
expression, the constitution could not be compromised.

“With respect to the ethno-religious crisis and agitations, what
we all seem to agree on is that while people have the right to
express their views, those views must not compromise democracy and
must not compromise the integrity of our nation.

“However a person choose to express his views, the constitution
cannot be compromised. That is why I have made a point about hate
speech and that our national unity is important, it is crucial.

“Without national unity and territorial integrity of our nation,
we won’t even be here let alone talking about it,” Osinbajo
reportedly said.

Despite the security challenges in parts of the country, the
Vice-President was also quoted as commending the nation’s security
agencies.

The Federal and state governments have agreed to designate
special courts for the purposes of prosecuting purveyors of hate
speeches as well as suspected terrorists and kidnappers.

According to a statement in Abuja on Sunday by the Senior
Special Assistant to the Vice-President on Media and Publicity, Mr.
Laolu Akande, the decision was reached at a one-day National
Security Retreat organised by the National Economic Council on
Thursday.

The council, which is chaired by the Vice-President, Prof. Yemi
Osinbajo, has the 36 states governors, the Minister of the Federal
Capital Territory and the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria
as members.

Akande said the retreat discussed concerns about the delay in
the nation’s criminal justice system and NEC members concluded that
prompt action by law enforcement agencies was imperative.

In arriving at special courts for purveyors of hate speeches as
well as suspected terrorists and kidnappers, he said it was
resolved that the Federal Government would help states to develop a
template for such courts.

He said, “NEC members urged prompt action in the arrest and
prosecution of perpetrators of terrorist acts, kidnappings and
purveyors of hate speeches.

“To facilitate this, the designation of special courts was also
advocated and the consensus was that the judiciary and executive
arms of the Federal and state governments will be working together
to establish such courts.

“The Federal Government will also be helping states to develop a
template on how such special courts would be established and
managed.”

On the clamour for state police, Akande said the conclusion was
that policing the country and the entire law enforcement generally,
could not effectively continue without devolving policing and law
enforcement out to the states.

He however said it was noted that while the idea of state police
required constitutional amendments, the Community Policing Model
must be enforced now.

“We must enforce a model that democratises security in such a
way as to include everyone in the process of protecting themselves,
securing their own lives and the lives of people in their
community.

“The simple advantage of the arrangement is that it would
involve the ordinary citizen in ensuring his security and that of
his community.

“It must involve all local leaders, all structures of civil
society. And on every street, the police ought to have one or two
persons who can contact the police at short notice,” Akande quoted
Osinbajo as saying at the retreat held behind closed doors.

He explained that the roll-out of the Community Policing
Programme was intended to enhance crime prevention and control,
improve intelligence-gathering capabilities of the police and
deliver quality and people-oriented policing.

He said the programme would involve the community partnering
with the police to uncover and solve crimes through a process
involving town hall meetings to assess security situation and
security priorities of the communities, the performance of the
police and the nature of the support the communities could provide
to improve the quality of policing.

Akande said the issues about funding of security agencies and
provision of equipment also featured in the discussion while NEC
members agreed that funding was essential.

“It was however added that defence budget and funding for other
security agencies of government always form some of the biggest
component of the budget. Calls for greater accountability of the
resources released were also made,” he said.

He disclosed that the council members also recognised the fact
that herdsmen and farmers’ clashes were being caused by problem of
land use, which he noted, had taken ethnic and religious
dimensions.

Akande said it was agreed that both the Federal and state
governments should properly define the problems and shun the
ethno-religious construction of what was otherwise an economic
challenge.

“NEC members stated that it would be useful to bring the
different groups together — herdsmen and the farmers — to meet and
discuss, and also work out some of the issues that concern them,”
he added.

On agitations in parts of the country, he quoted Osinbajo as
saying that notwithstanding Nigerians’ right to freedom of
expression, the constitution could not be compromised.

“With respect to the ethno-religious crisis and agitations, what
we all seem to agree on is that while people have the right to
express their views, those views must not compromise democracy and
must not compromise the integrity of our nation.

“However a person choose to express his views, the constitution
cannot be compromised. That is why I have made a point about hate
speech and that our national unity is important, it is crucial.

“Without national unity and territorial integrity of our nation,
we won’t even be here let alone talking about it,” Osinbajo
reportedly said.

Despite the security challenges in parts of the country, the
Vice-President was also quoted as commending the nation’s security
agencies.