The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), says that the ministry will always follow due diligence in all its efforts for proper justice delivery.
Malami said this while delivering his keynote address at a conference organised by the National Association of Judiciary Correspondents (NAJUC), on Thursday in Abuja.
The conference has as its theme: ”The Judiciary and 2023 General Elections: The way Forward.”
“We always insist on due diligence, assiduous scrutiny, as well as beyond-reasonable-doubt exploration and meticulous examinations .
”This is in our policy to bequeath on posterity sound and impeccable precedents in the determination of issues.
“It is unfortunate that these legally recognised processes that we strive to strictly adhere to are misconstrued by mischievous publications to convey negative undertones.
“It has been our desire to tame the tide of conflicting judgments and instill due diligence in the judicial process,” Malami added.
The minister declared that the struggles in the P&ID case symbolised the due diligence policy of the Federal Government, as well as the need to address judgment debts, in the interest of the Nigerian public.
“This has been our position on a number of current national issues,” he said.
The minister said he hoped with the 2023 general elections approaching, the conference would address the practice where journalists would be conscripted by agents of destruction to spread false information about personalities and issues.
Malami said, “Unprofessional media practitioners have been reporting untrue and fabricated information against public office holders.
“Many public officers have been victims of malicious media reports, and mischievous and deliberate distortion of facts.
“No doubt, the media are important in shaping public opinions, but hate speech and fake news challenge our cherished and collective culture of peaceful and harmonious co-existence as a people.
“We cannot afford to go wrong on account of mischievous actions and inactions of some who claim to be journalists.
“There must be consequences for the conduct of journalists that offer themselves to conscription by agents of destruction that make it their stock in trade to spread fake information about personalities and issues.”
He, therefore, called for enhancement of media literacy for Nigerians to appreciate fact-checking and verification of information.
“I call on journalists to refrain from fake news, defamation, sedition, hate speech, blasphemy, and incitements through inflammatory statements in their reportage.
”These could jeopardise our corporate existence as a nation and hamper the peace we have been enjoying.
“The Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation awaits the recommendations of the conference in order to key into factors brought forward in enhancing vertical and horizontal integration in the process of making people-oriented policies in the country,” Malami added.
Mr Kayode Lawal, the Chairman of NAJUC, had earlier stated that judiciary reporters could not afford to lag behind as stakeholders in the scheme of things as the 2023 elections draw nearer.
“Legal brawls associated with elections have helped in sharpening our reportorial skills and legal face-offs that will arise from the 2023 elections will not be an exception,” Lawal said.
The Executive Secretary, National Judicial Council (NJC), Ahmed Saleh, lauded the association for proving to be worthy partners and demonstrated professionalism amidst formidable challenges.
He further charged them to direct their reportage towards the strides the NJC is making in the area of virtual technology.
This, Saleh described as a way of promoting qualitative judicial delivery.
