AGF–on Tuesday, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN), set up an Investigation Unit in the Federal Ministry of Justice to investigate “sensitive and important cases.”
The AGF disclosed that the investigation unit is saddled with the duty “to coordinate and form part of every investigation in Nigeria.”
The AGF while speaking to newsmen at Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, Abubakar Malami briefed that the move became necessary because of lack of “legal expertise in the conduct and process of investigations by the various security agencies in Nigeria.”
Malami stated that the Investigation Unit would address such irregularities, anomalies leading to “consistent rejection of vital/relevant evidence in the course of prosecution.”
Malami further stated that the special investigation unit would also ensure “robust investigation and prosecution” of the cases being handled by the security agencies across the country.
According to the AGF, the Department of Public Prosecutions, DPP of the ministry of justice received and handled 3,723 criminal cases in 2015 and 2,923 in 2016.
He said in 2015 the DPP was able to conclude 3,709 petitions and 1,000 of them in 2016.
He said likewise, the DPP concluded 500 conspiracy/armed robbery cases in 2015 and 853 of them in 2016.
According to him, the department concluded 100 terrorism cases in 2015 and 196 of them in 2016.
He said as of 2016, the debt incurred by the ministry through judgments given by courts against it stood at N113bn.
It was assumed by the public that some of the security agencies, those whose high profile cases are likely to be affected include the Nigeria Police Service (NPS), National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Department of State Service (DSS) and National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) among others.
The general public are wondering whether the almighty antigrafts agency the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) would subcummb to the special investigation unit created by the AGF to take over cases from the commission.
When asked if he was not bordered by the negative implication of the confrontation between him and the EFCC over the suspension of Nigeria from the international financial intelligence body, the Egmont Group, the minister said he was not concerned about the negative reports on the issue.
It will be recall that the then Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo had, sometimes in 2016, set up the National Prosecution Coordination Committee, headed by the Attorney General of the Federal, AGF, to issue advice to various prosecuting agencies, including Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC and Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission, ICPC, concerning the high profile cases being handled by the commissions.
Announcing the establishment of the new Investigating Unit in the ministry on Tuesday, the minister stated, “Consequent upon want of expertise in the conduct and process of investigations by various security agencies in Nigeria and the need to address such anomalies, leading to consistent rejection of vital/relevant evidence in the course of prosecution and or the writing down of the probative value of such evidence owing to inappropriate investigation, my office as a result, and in line with the constitutional powers conferred on me as the chief law officer of the federation, and by virtue of Section 105 (1) and (3) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, hereby deem it fit to establish an Investigation Unit within the ministry.
“This unit shall coordinate and form part of every investigation in Nigeria for robust investigation and successful prosecution of such cases.”
The minister said the “core function/mandate” of the unit would consist of giving advice, beforehand, “to every security agency carrying out investigation on the best lawful and admissible means of such investigation for effective prosecution thereafter.”
The minister said that the unit would “actively form part of every sensitive and important investigation as a synergy to successful investigation and prosecution of such cases.”
Abubakar Malami, the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, however, submitted that the Department of Civil Litigation in the ministry of justice was able to “save” the Federal Government N119,217,179,105 and $14,696,532 being sums of money “claimed by various parties who initiated suits against the FG, claiming the amount as damages for loss incurred and or suffered”.
The AGF disclosed that the investigation unit is saddled with the duty “to coordinate and form part of every investigation in Nigeria.”
The AGF while speaking to newsmen at Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, Abubakar Malami briefed that the move became necessary because of lack of “legal expertise in the conduct and process of investigations by the various security agencies in Nigeria.”
Malami stated that the Investigation Unit would address such irregularities, anomalies leading to “consistent rejection of vital/relevant evidence in the course of prosecution.”
Malami further stated that the special investigation unit would also ensure “robust investigation and prosecution” of the cases being handled by the security agencies across the country.
According to the AGF, the Department of Public Prosecutions, DPP of the ministry of justice received and handled 3,723 criminal cases in 2015 and 2,923 in 2016.
He said in 2015 the DPP was able to conclude 3,709 petitions and 1,000 of them in 2016.
He said likewise, the DPP concluded 500 conspiracy/armed robbery cases in 2015 and 853 of them in 2016.
According to him, the department concluded 100 terrorism cases in 2015 and 196 of them in 2016.
He said as of 2016, the debt incurred by the ministry through judgments given by courts against it stood at N113bn.
It was assumed by the public that some of the security agencies, those whose high profile cases are likely to be affected include the Nigeria Police Service (NPS), National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Department of State Service (DSS) and National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) among others.
The general public are wondering whether the almighty antigrafts agency the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) would subcummb to the special investigation unit created by the AGF to take over cases from the commission.
When asked if he was not bordered by the negative implication of the confrontation between him and the EFCC over the suspension of Nigeria from the international financial intelligence body, the Egmont Group, the minister said he was not concerned about the negative reports on the issue.
It will be recall that the then Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo had, sometimes in 2016, set up the National Prosecution Coordination Committee, headed by the Attorney General of the Federal, AGF, to issue advice to various prosecuting agencies, including Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC and Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission, ICPC, concerning the high profile cases being handled by the commissions.
Announcing the establishment of the new Investigating Unit in the ministry on Tuesday, the minister stated, “Consequent upon want of expertise in the conduct and process of investigations by various security agencies in Nigeria and the need to address such anomalies, leading to consistent rejection of vital/relevant evidence in the course of prosecution and or the writing down of the probative value of such evidence owing to inappropriate investigation, my office as a result, and in line with the constitutional powers conferred on me as the chief law officer of the federation, and by virtue of Section 105 (1) and (3) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, hereby deem it fit to establish an Investigation Unit within the ministry.
“This unit shall coordinate and form part of every investigation in Nigeria for robust investigation and successful prosecution of such cases.”
The minister said the “core function/mandate” of the unit would consist of giving advice, beforehand, “to every security agency carrying out investigation on the best lawful and admissible means of such investigation for effective prosecution thereafter.”
The minister said that the unit would “actively form part of every sensitive and important investigation as a synergy to successful investigation and prosecution of such cases.”
Abubakar Malami, the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, however, submitted that the Department of Civil Litigation in the ministry of justice was able to “save” the Federal Government N119,217,179,105 and $14,696,532 being sums of money “claimed by various parties who initiated suits against the FG, claiming the amount as damages for loss incurred and or suffered”.