By: Mayen Etim
KADUNA, North-West, Nigeria – Chairman, Kaduna State Justice for Children Coordination Forum, Justice Darius Khobo, has disclosed the establishment of Family Courts in the State.
He made the disclosure in Kaduna on Friday during a media engagement with a view to highlight some of the achievements of the Forum to members of the public.
According to Justice Khobo, the Forum was inaugurated in November 2021 by the State Government to implement the project funded by United Nations Children’s Fund, (UNICEF), and the European Union under the state Ministry of Women Services and Social Development to provide access to justice for vulnerable children below ages 18 that has come in conflict with the law.
He explained that the forum members after careful deliberations realized that there is need for the establishment of Family Courts to handle cases for this category of offenders who can not be taken to the regular Court or Correctional Centers which is in line with the provisions of the Kaduna State Child Welfare and Protection Law domesticated since 2018.
He further said during the Forum’s advocacy visits to the then Chief Judge of Kaduna State (CJ), Honourable Justice Muhammadu Lawal Bello, and other stakeholders they brainstormed and spoke on the need to establish Family Courts in the State, following rising cases of offenders after visits by the Forum to various Police Divisions in the state.
He said the then CJ before his retirement on April 24, 2022 had signed the Family Court Rules for the family court he designated in Kaduna that will soon be in operation.
He added that all that is needed was the training of personnel and staff that will man these Courts, and also training of Police prosecutors on how to protect the rights of the offenders that would be brought before them, and how to allow the rights of the offenders to be duly protected.
Justice Khobo also informed that the designated Courts would be in Kaduna, Kafanchan and Zaria, covering the three senatorial zones in the state.
The State Commissioner for Women Service and Social Development, Hajiya Hafsat Baba, said the establishment of the Family Court in the state is key to what her ministry has been advocating for, adding that it was a giant step taken by the State Government.
She opined that with the Family Courts in place in the state where cases concerning children, and also the responsibility of parents would be adequately addressed.
The Commissioner who commended the Forum for an excellent job done, tasked parents on proper upbringing of their children to become responsible citizens.
The Kaduna State Justice for Children Coordination Forum objectives include; To carry out advocacy visits to stakeholders in the administration of criminal justices for children in the state; to advocate for the establishment of family courts;
Others are; to provide baseline data of children in detention centres; and to ensure children in conflict with the law know their rights and has access to justice.