Northern States to Review Penal Code Law

Northern States to Review Penal Code Law

Laleye Dipo in Minna

Governments in the 19 northern states have resolved to review its penal code laws to take care of present day challenges, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Niger State, Mr. Nasara Danmalam, disclosed this in Minna thursday.

Danmalam said a new penal code law has been prepared and sent to the states for domestication.

Briefing newsmen at the end of Niger State Executive Council meeting, Danmalam said the “modern penal code law” has taken into consideration the new trends of crimes in the country including “cyber crime, banditry, kidnapping and terrorism.

“All these crimes were not captured in the old penal code law. With the current reality, we believe we should have laws that will adequately take care of these new trends of crimes,” he added.

Danmalam also announced that in a bid to reduce the workload and pressure on judges and magistrates as well as customary court judges, the council has approved the establishment of “multi door court.”

Under the arrangement, “a body of neutrals will be set up to adjudicate on issues.”

He said the council’s decision would be sent to Niger State House of Assembly for appropriate legislations.

Danmalam, however, said the body of neutrals would be made up professionals or people with vast experience in the issue to be adjudicated upon.

Meanwhile, the council has also approved a new development plan which would serve as a follow up to the development of the state from 2020- 2023. The last action plan terminated in 2019.

The Commissioner for Planning, Alhaji Mamma Musa, explained that the plan covered all sectors of the state economy, adding that relevant stakeholders were also consulted before the policy was put together.

Speaking on the implementation of the 2015-2019 Development Plan, Musa said government recorded tremendous success, but was slowed down in 2019 by bad roads and insurgency in parts of the state which caused the diversion of funds to address the problems.

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