Police Commissioner explains how lawyers frustrate prosecution of ‘hardened criminals’ in Niger

The Niger State Police Command will partner with the Minna Branch of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), in ensuring the speedy administration of Criminal Justice in the state, the Commissioner of police in Niger State Alh. Adamu Usman has assured.

He said the NBA as critical stakeholders in criminal Justice system in the country, the state command of the force under his watch will continue to synergise with the members of the bar in the state towards ensuring smooth working and cordial relationship.

Receiving the new executive of the NBA who paid him a courtesy visit in his office at the police headquarters in Dutsen Kura Minna during the week, CP Adamu Usman noted that the command is facing some challenges with some legal practitioners in the prosecution of some hardened suspects in court urging the new executive of the NBA to appeal to their members to conduct their duty in a professional manner.

He noted, “that the police is charged with the constitutional responsibility of conducting investigations into matters and enforcing the law, some legal practitioners have been interfering with some capital offences thereby truncating our investigations.”

“As a result, according to the Commissioner of police, the trends affect police investigation, which necessitated the police to seek for court orders from court of competent jurisdiction to “keep the suspects in custody on court order, to enable us complete our investigations”.

He explained that the police as a critical stakeholder in administration of criminal Justice system, investigation into capital crimes of culpable homicide, rape, armed robbery and other heinous offences would not be compromised by the police.

“Investigation into capital offences by the police no matter, who is involved would not be compromised.

“Even though is not all that easy, it take us time to complete on time.

“That is just the reason, we rush to court to get court orders to enable us to further keep such offenders in our facilities pending when we completed our investigations”, he explained.

The commissioner of police, appealed to the new executive of the Minna Branch of NBA to partner with his command to achieve the same set objective of ensuring the speedy administration of criminal Justice in the state.

“We have a duty to collectively partner towards ensuring speedy administration of criminal Justice in Niger State.

“We can only achieved this when we partner together as a critical stakeholders in the Justice system” he noted.

Speaking earlier, Chairman of the Minna Branch of NBA, Barrister Mohammed Abubakar El-Surur told the Commissioner of police that the visit was aimed at formally introducing the new executive of the branch to his office towards creating a good and cordial working relationship with his command.

He pointed out that the police as critical stakeholders in criminal administration of Justice, saying that the Nigeria Bar Association under his leadership will not leave any stone unturned in creating a level playing ground with the police command of Niger State.

“We will continue to partner with your command towards achieving the same set objective of administration of criminal Justice in Niger State.

“The Lawyers and the police needs each other to partner in ensuring that Justice systems in the state is given the desired goals.

“Let’s work together. Like I said, the NBA under my leadership will continue to synergize with the Niger State Police Command under your watch in ensuring smooth administration of Justice in Niger State.” he assured.