FG’s Executive Order 10 will destroy criminal justice – Wike

By Mike Odiegwu, Port Harcourt

Rivers Governor Nyesom Wike has warned move by the Federal Government to implement its Executive Order 10 will destroy the criminal justice system in states.

Wike said the order, which allows the deduction of funds from each state’s account to finance the judiciary, was politically motivated and geared towards the 2023 general election.

A statement by Wike’s Special Assistant, Media, Kelvin Ebiri, said Wike spoke at the 3rd Annual Nigerian Criminal Law Review Conference organised by the Rule of Law Development Foundation in Abuja on Monday.

The Governor said ahead of the 2023 general elections, the Federal Government, which he said had been hostile to judges, wanted to lure the judiciary by presenting a body language it believed in independence of judiciary.

back link building services=0></a></div><p>He said: “Independence is not to take resources and preside over award of contract. If you cannot give judgment according to your conscience; if you cannot give judgment according to the law, then there is no independence. And this of course affects the criminal justice system.”</p><p>Wike also said the politicisation of security by the Federal Government had continued to negatively affect the criminal justice system in the country.</p><p>He said the prevailing cases of kidnapping, banditry and armed robbery threatening the existence and stability of the nation clearly justified the establishment of state or community police.</p><h2> <span>Read Also: </span><a href=https://thenationonlineng.net/wike-we-have-silenced-apc-others-in-rivers/ target=_blank rel=

Wike: we have silenced APC, others in Rivers

He noted while establishment of state police might require amendment of the extant Section 214(1) of the 1999 Constitution, the Rivers State Government was of the opinion that community police or neighbourhood watch could be established without constitutional amendment.

Wike said: “The truth of the matter is that with the current strength of the Nigeria Police Force which stands at about 372,000 the Nigeria Police Force lacks the operational capacity to fulfill its primary or core mandate of crime detection, crime prevention and maintenance of public safety, law and order or protection of lives and property of persons in Nigeria.

“To put it plainly, the Nigeria Police lacks the operational capacity to police the nation which is a federation of about 923.768km (356.669 sqm) with an estimated population of 195.9 million.