The Yobe State Government has improved the welfare of government lawyers and built their capacities as part of efforts to enhance service delivery.
Saleh Samanja, the state Attorney General (AG) and Commissioner for Justice has said.
He disclosed this while speaking in an interview on Monday in Damaturu.
He said the ministry, under the current administration, trained all government lawyers on alternative dispute resolution and will distribute laptops to 70 counsel in the ministry.
“Our salary is as good as anywhere in Nigeria,” he stated.
The commissioner added that the ministry will establish a Public Defender’s Office to provide free legal services to indigent litigants, while a “state brief” system is already in place where the ministry pays for legal representation for those who cannot afford it.
To bring justice closer to the people, Samanja said the ministry opened branches in Potiskum, Nguru and Gashua LGAs.
He explained that relying only on Damaturu discouraged witnesses.
“We are also going to establish a multi-door court to handle disputes through alternative dispute resolution,” he added.
The AG said the ministry established a Directorate of Citizens’ Rights to handle human rights violations that conventional courts struggle with, including malpractice, breach of trust, rape, gender-based violence, and unfair distribution of inheritance.
“Where we discover serious violations, we refer the matter to police for investigation and prosecute after.
“Yobe is one of the first states to enact the VAPP law, and we have secured many convictions on rape, gender-based violence and unnatural offenses,” he said.
He urged citizens to report cases of rights violations directly to the directorate in the ministry for intervention.
On congestion, Samanja said government built a new prison in Damaturu to decongest facilities in Potiskum and Gashua.
“Previously, Damaturu had no prison, forcing all suspects to be detained in Potiskum”, he revealed.
He also announced that the ministry will establish an Anti-Corruption Unit before the end of this month or within next month, in line with a directive by the Northern Governors Forum.
The unit, he noted will receive complaints on corruption in government institutions and escalate them to the EFCC, ICPC, or the Public Complaints Commission.