To curb growing level of citizens maltreatment by police and other security agencies, Chief Magistrates have been directed to periodically inspect police stations and other detention centres in their domains.

The directive is to be conveyed to the Chief Magistrates through their respective Chief Judges in the thirty-six states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen gave the directive, following what he described as the frightening proportions of horrific incidents of police brutality, inordinate arrest, detention and extortion of innocent Nigerians by officers across the country.

Onnoghen’s directive was said to be in a ‘Practice Direction on the Role of Magistrates in Curbing Police Brutality’ issued last week wednesday in line with the provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act.

The CJN’s Media Aide, Awassam Bassey said, in a statement on Thursday, that the directive is contained in “a Practice Direction issued on June 20 June, 2018 on the role of magistrates in curbing police brutality under the ACJA.”

Part of the Practice Direction reads: “I have observed, and received several complaints of the horrific incidents of Police brutality, inordinate arrest, detention and extortion of innocent Nigerians by Officers across the country.

“These incidents have assumed frightening proportions in recent times. The Magistrate Courts are currently overwhelmed with cases of such brutality, inordinate arrests and detention of Citizens.

“As we approach election year, it is imperative that we curb these excesses through the instrumentality of the statutory powers of the courts.”

Also, Onnoghen advocated increased application of alternative dispute resolution mechanisms (ADR) by courts.

He spoke while commissioning the Court of Appeal’s Mediation Center in Abuja,.

The CJN said it was now necessary the judiciary to deploy multi-modal justice delivery system to ensure speedy determination of cases.

He added: “It is hoped that this initiative will see the center grow to become a veritable alternative to the rigours of courts.”

President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, discribed the Court of Appeal Mediation Centre as first of its kind in the entire West African region.

Bulkachuwa said: “The Court of Appeal’s Mediation Centre would provide a platform that will encourage disputing parties in reaching an expeditious resolution of their disputes in good faith; and in a fair and efficient manner.

“The Centre will improve access to justice, user confidence in the court system, lighten the Court’s docket and invariably afford the conventional Court ample time for such matters or issues that are best solved through litigation.

“This is a giant stride in the right direction as Appellate Courts in countries like America, Canada, Australia, India, Singapore, and Mauritius have already achieved phenomenal successes in that regard.

“I wish to humbly appeal to members of the Bar to give appellate mediation in this court their maximum cooperation. We must bear in mind that our primary objective as officers in the Temple of justice is to do justice; and that justice delayed is justice denied”.

Human Rights Lawyer, Femi Falana, had in December, wrote to the Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Opeyemi Oke, asking her to designate Chief Magistrates to conduct a monthly inspection of all police stations and other detention centres in Lagos State.

Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria reminded the Chief Judge that his request was based on the provisions of section thirty-four of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, twenty-fifteen.