By Suleiman Yakubu

Niger State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Hon. Nasiru Mu'azu, has disclosed that his ministry presented a memo before the state executive council seeking amendments to Niger State administration of Criminal Justice Law 2023, passed into law in May 2023.
The Attorney General made this disclosure yesterday during the post-state executive council press briefing held at the Press Gallery, Government House, Minna.
He said the bill was passed and assented to by the immediate past administration in the state, and it was greeted by some cries about its implementation because the positions of the law made it too cumbersome to be implemented.
The commissioner added that the amendments they drafted will allow both law officers and police officers to effectively discharge their obligations without any form of hindrance that causes unnecessary delays in the administration of criminal justice in the state.
He said the amendments were to fast-track the prosecution of criminal cases in both magistrates and high courts in the state and to empower non-members of the legal profession, that is, police officers with the requisite experience, to prosecute criminal cases at magistrate courts, as well as the need to prevent private persons from prosecuting criminal cases as private prosecutors without the knowledge of the Attorney General of the state.
The Attorney General also disclosed that they arranged for the amendment of a provision of Section 1 of the law, referred to as the citation and commencement section of the said law, which he said was crucial and vital to have amended in order not to render the law null.
He explained that every law has a commencement date, but for this law that was passed and assented to on May 27, 2023, the operational date was October 20, 2023, saying it has a retrospective effect, which was not in tandem with the expectations of what an ideal law should be.
He said the commencement date was very important because it was a procedural law, and with the law being passed, assented to, and made public on May 27, 2023, all processes filed before this date will be null and void because they were in compliance with the law.
He also disclosed that another area of importance they sorted for amendment was the right of any person to proceed with private prosecution, which must be with the consent of the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice of the state.

By Suleiman Yakubu

It has been discovered that the cure for many health problems that have bedevilled the populace can be found in the plants that grow abundantly and naturally in Nigeria.
Prof. Dickson Achimugu Musa, Professor of Pharmacological Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; and Inaugural Lecturer at the 21st Inaugural Lecture series of the Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University (IBBU), Lapai, titled "Exploring Nigeria's Natural Treasure Trove: A Pharmacological Biochemistry Journey from Plant to Pill", which took place at the university's auditorium yesterday, explained the potency of some naturally growing plants in the treatment of typhoid fever and other bacterial infections.
Prof. Musa, who relived his bitter experience with typhoid fever that defied various efforts of modern medicine until he took a concoction made from plants that were native to Nigeria, said it opened his eyes to the vast potential of Nigeria's natural treasures and kicked off his research journey from plant to pill to share the knowledge with the world.
According to the Professor of Pharmacological Biochemistry, "Our understanding of the ideas of venom versus antidote and antigen against antibody has taught us that mother nature offers remedies for all illnesses.
“Drug research and biotechnology have evolved greatly in recent years, and biodiversity has become a key source of possible novel medications and treatments.
"Researchers can uncover compounds that are useful against particular diseases and develop new therapies and medicines by analysing the natural molecules produced by different species", he added.
Musa, who reiterated the growing interest in natural products and traditional medicine globally, noted that Nigeria has the potential to be a significant player in that field due to its vast array of potential compounds for drug development, medicinal plants, microorganisms, marine organisms, and animals.
As a way forward, the university don recommended that there should be greater collaboration among researchers into medicinal plants; Nigerian universities should invest in research infrastructure and facilities; and the government should provide more support for pharmacological biochemistry research by increasing funding, creating policies, and providing incentives for industry partners, among other recommendations.
Earlier in his address, Professor AK Adamu, Vice Chancellor, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, and Chairman of the inaugural lecture, said the title of the lecture, "Exploring Nigeria's Natural Treasure Trove: A Pharmacological Biochemistry Journey from Plant to Pill," by the lecturer, which further suggested how plants move to pill was very beneficial to various stakeholders in the health sector, especially pharmaceutical companies.
He pointed out that "most of us may not realise that many of the drugs we are taking are coming from common plants in our houses, in our surroundings, and in our environment".
He stated further that some plants were making us healthy and congratulated Prof. Dickson Musa for being the 21st Inaugural Lecturer and for accepting the challenge, which was critical to every scholar of IBBUL.
The vice chancellor also congratulated some newly promoted professors, adding that, "Just yesterday, IBB University was blessed with 14 professorial cadres".
He said he hoped that very soon some of them would take the challenge to also present their inaugural lectures.
He therefore commended the younger professors for their commitments and resilience.
He said, "Most of them are meeting expectations and have been taking their inaugural lectures within three years, and one of such professors is Dickson Achimugu Musa.
Highlights of the occasion included the presentation of a plaque and certificate to the lecturer.
Members of academia present at the event included the Vice Chancellor, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, and the Chairman of the Inaugural Lecture, Prof. AK Adamu, DVC Academics, Prof. Mohammed Aliyu Paiko, Registrar, Alhaji Idris Saleh Kusherki, Chairman Senate Committee on Seminar and Conference, Prof. VA Kolawole, University Orator , Prof. Sule Egya, and Prof. OFC Nwodo, the inaugural lecturer's supervisor.