Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has said that failure of the justice system to apprehend and punish perpetrators of violence and killings is fuelling insecurity in the country.
He stated this in a statement signed by his media aide, Paul Ibe in apparent reaction to killings in Plateau and Taraba over the weekend.
The Herald recalls that unknown gunmen suspected to be bandits killed more than 10 persons around Kwatas village in Bokkos LGA of Plateau on Sunday.
The 2019 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said that justice remained key to promoting peace in the society.
Atiku noted that the government must ensure those caught perpetrating crimes face the full wrath of the law to serve as deterrence to others and raise the confidence of the citizenry in the justice system.
“A society with a derelict justice system is a fertile land for misconduct, according to a popular Africa adage.
“To be sure that we are one step ahead of criminals who pose existential threats to our internal security, it is important that we empower our justice system with the belief that when stiff punishments are handed down on these criminals, there will be a deterrence for a repeat of this nature of crime.
“So, there is no deterrence to such crimes. Justice is thus key to promoting peace in our communities.
“If you give people the confidence that anyone who breaks the law will be found and made to face the full wrath of the law, then people will be less inclined to promote violence and the killings that come with it,” Atiku said.
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