NHRC creates committee on sensitisation of laws by legislatures

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has created a committee for sensitisation, publication and  circulation of laws enacted by the legislative arms of government at the national, state and local government levels. It would be recalled that the Commission had in November 2015 set up a committee of experts to examine federal and state laws […]

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has created a committee for sensitisation, publication and  circulation of laws enacted by the legislative arms of government at the national, state and local government levels.
It would be recalled that the Commission had in November 2015 set up a committee of experts to examine federal and state laws in conflict with human rights standards.
In a statement signed by the chief press officer of the commission, Fatimah Agwai Mohammed, the executive secretary of the commission Prof Bem Angwe complained that some Nigerians were made to face prosecution for violations of certain provisions of the law which they were not aware of their existence, stressing the need to enlighten them.
He described the act where laws passed by the legislature were not available for members of the public as unfortunate, saying: “Given the application of the cardinal principle of law which states that ignorance is not an excuse to criminal liability, many Nigerians are made  to face prosecution for breach of penal provisions which they are not aware of their existence.”
 Angwe condemned the indiscriminate publication and circulation of different versions of laws  enacted by the national and state legislatures by unauthorised sources, saying that such publications were capable of misleading citizens.
The committee has Professor Yemi Akinseye George (SAN) as Chairman, Professor Ernest Ojukwu (SAN), and Professor Jumai Audi as members while Abdulwahab Oyedokun, Esq will serve as its secretary.