FG, ActionAid take access to justice campaign to Karshi community in Abuja

The Federal Government, in collaboration with ActionAid Nigeria and other justice-sector agencies, has taken its awareness campaign on access to justice and judicial accountability to the Karshi community in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

In a message to the sensitisation programme, the Solicitor-General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice, Mrs Beatrice Jeddy-Agba, said the ministry was committed to building a justice system that was accessible, fair and responsive to the needs of all Nigerians.

Jeddy-Agba, who was represented by Drusilla Tarfa, said the ministry, through the Federal Justice Sector Reform Coordinating Committee (FJSRCC), was leading a comprehensive reform of the country’s justice sector, with particular focus on poor and vulnerable people and residents of rural and underserved communities.

“Our goal is to build a justice system that is accessible, fair and responsive to the needs of all Nigerians, especially the poor, the vulnerable and those in rural and underserved communities,” she said.

According to her, justice cannot be delivered from Abuja alone, stressing the need for the government and its partners to take justice services directly to communities.

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“We must come to the people, we must listen, we must educate and we must serve,” she said, explaining that the campaign was being implemented in partnership with the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria, which provides free legal assistance to indigent Nigerians; the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), which protects and promotes fundamental rights; and ActionAid Nigeria, which works to empower communities and advance social justice.

She said residents of Karshi would benefit from free legal advice and referrals, human rights education, sensitisation on legal rights and how to enforce them, as well as information on reporting rights violations and seeking redress.

The Permanent Secretary said traditional rulers remained the first point of call for many residents seeking resolution of land disputes, family matters and community conflicts. She called for a lasting partnership between the formal justice sector, traditional institutions and civil society organisations to ensure that justice becomes a reality for citizens regardless of their location, income or social status.

Also speaking, the Deputy Director, Legal and Prosecution Department of NAPTIP, Mrs Nkaiso Aniekan Eshiet, used the occasion to sensitise residents on the dangers of human trafficking.

Eshiet said NAPTIP could not combat human trafficking alone, stressing the need for families, traditional rulers, religious leaders and community members to support the agency’s efforts.

She warned parents against releasing their children to strangers who promise to take them to cities such as Lagos or Port Harcourt for employment without first verifying the destination, nature of the work and the person offering the opportunity.

According to her, traffickers often exploit the ignorance and vulnerability of parents and children by disguising their intentions as offers to help them secure better lives.

She said such deception could result in children being subjected to slavery, child labour, prostitution and other forms of exploitation, including organ trafficking.

Representing the NHRC, an Assistant Director, Mariam Kadiri, said the commission participated in the programme as a member of the Federal Justice Sector Reform Coordinating Committee.

Kadiri identified lack of awareness as one of the major challenges limiting access to justice in Nigeria, adding that many indigent Nigerians were unaware of their rights and, even when they knew their rights had been violated, did not know where to seek redress.

She said the sensitisation campaign was therefore designed to bridge the knowledge gap by informing citizens of their rights and the channels available for seeking justice.

In his remarks, ActionAid Nigeria’s Social Mobilisation Specialist, Mr Newton Otsemaye, said the campaign was aimed at reconnecting rural communities with the justice system.

Otsemaye said people in rural areas were among those most disconnected from access to justice, making it necessary for justice-sector institutions and civil society organisations to meet them in their communities.

“Justice is not just about delivery, it’s also about access,” he said, explaining that ActionAid’s role was to create platforms that bridge the gap between government and citizens, enabling both sides to understand their respective responsibilities.

He said the organisation also sought to help communities understand their rights, speak out against misconduct and demand accountability within the justice system.

Otsemaye stressed that citizens needed not only to know their rights but also to understand how to report misconduct and assess whether justice was being properly delivered.