By Ebere Agozie
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN says the Federal Government is aiming to have a justice system that responds effectively to the realities of time and inspires public confidence.
Fagbemi said this at the presentation of the report of the Committee on the Review, Update and Consolidation of the Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, on Thursday in Abuja.
He said that the review, update and consolidation of the laws is a major undertaking and a significant milestone in ongoing efforts to strengthen the justice sector and modernise the nation’s legal framework.
“As you are aware, the last official consolidation of the laws of the federation was undertaken in 2004.
“More than 20 years have since elapsed, during which Nigeria has witnessed significant legislative, constitutional, institutional and technological developments.
“Several new enactments and amendments have accumulated over this period, making a comprehensive review imperative to ensure that our body of federal laws remains coherent, current, accessible and responsive to the needs of our country’’.
He disclosed that the committee identified obsolete and spent laws, addressed inconsistencies and overlaps and produced an authoritative and accessible edition of the laws of the nation.
“I was informed that the committee examined 932 federal enactments and 731 subsidiary legislation.
“Out of the 932 enactments considered, 663, together with their relevant subsidiary legislation have been identified for inclusion in the LFN 2025, while 269 were identified as obsolete, spent or repealed.
“These outcomes represent substantial progress towards providing the country with an updated and consolidated body of federal laws.
“Ultimately, our objective is to build a modern, coherent and accessible legal framework that promotes the rule of law, strengthens the administration of justice, supports effective governance, protects the rights of citizens and contributes to national development and security’’.
The minister added that the next step is to present the report to the President, for onward transmission to the National Assembly for the necessary legislative consideration and action.
He assured that beyond the immediate task of producing the LFN 2025, the exercise established a sustainable foundation for the periodic review and updating of our laws.
“The gap of more than twenty years between the last consolidation and the present exercise should not be repeated.
“We must strengthen our capacity to track new enactments, amendments and subsidiary legislation so that our laws remain current and responsive to emerging developments.
“The next step is to present the Report to His Excellency, the President, for onward transmission to the National Assembly for the necessary legislative consideration and action.
In his address, the Chairman of the Committee, Olawale Fapohunda SAN added that the statutory laws of any nation are the bedrock of its governance, economic stability, and social justice.
He added that a legal system that remains stagnant while society evolves becomes an impediment to progress.
“Our committee was confronted with laws that still referenced obsolete economic indicators, archaic penalties, and administrative frameworks that do not align with modern technological advancements or international best practices.
“We preserved the substance of existing laws, distinguished between legislation that remained in force, legislation that had been repealed, legislation that had become spent, and legislation requiring further legislative attention’’.
Fapohunda, thereafter, mentioned some recommendations made by the committee to the minster of justice.
“The committee recommended that the AGF issues a formal advisory note to all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) regarding the established protocols for reviewing their enabling and subsidiary legislation.
“This intervention is necessitated by recurring deficiencies in legal drafting observed by the Committee across several statutory instruments initiated by MDAs.
“Equally critical is the need to establish a robust framework for a centralised national repository of federal legislation, designed to ensure seamless access to, and facilitate the ongoing, revision of the laws.
“Previously, the absence of a consolidated, easily accessible reference hub for sourcing federal statutes proved to be a significant impediment in justice delivery.’’ he said. (NAN)
