The Enugu State Government has strongly debunked the report by some online media accusing the Ministry of Justice of demanding the payment of N50,000 review fee as a condition for accepting a petition.

The government demanded immediate retraction of the misleading publication, describing it as wicked, unfounded, as “the Ministry only requires practitioners applying for certified true copies (CTC) of public documents, fiats and related reviews to pay the statutory/approved processing fees to the prescribed public coffers, as obtained in other public institutions, including the courts in Nigeria.”

The clarification was made on Friday in a statement by the Director of Information at the Enugu State Ministry of Information and Communication, Chukwuemeka Nebo.

The government further explained that statutory processing fees do not apply to “crime victims and practitioners acting pro-bono.”

“These processing fees are not new, but have always existed. They are not taxes. They do not also go into private pockets, certainly not under Mbah Administration,” the government explained.

The statement continued, “The Ministry of Justice and the Attorney General’s office do not charge for the submission or review of petitions, complaints, or requests by victims or ordinary citizens seeking redress or assistance.

“These publications are nothing but sinister smear campaign by those opposed to accountability and excellence. These allegations are unfounded and misguided and masterminded by people who are threatened by the towering successes and achievements of the administration of Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, especially in the justice sector.

“They also ignore the reform-oriented agenda that the Honourable Attorney General has pursued with integrity and dedication, earning recognition as a figure of probity and excellence in public service.

“It is sad that the instigators of the sinister publication, including its arrowhead, who is a lawyer, only relied on hearsay from a dispatch rider as they claimed, without contacting fellow lawyers in the Ministry of Justice or the Attorney General for a redress or response before sponsoring the wicked propaganda.

“Enugu State Government therefore demands the immediate retraction of the false, malicious, and defamatory publications.”

The statement described the Attorney General, Dr. Kingsley Udeh, SAN, as a man “known for his impeccable character and uncompromising integrity in the discharge of his duties.”

“He remains committed to ensuring that justice in Enugu State is accessible, free to those who need it, administered with excellence, delivered promptly, and carried out with transparency and fairness. The Attorney General’s office is open to all during visiting days/hours, where he continues to attend to citizens on various issues of justice and rights.

“The present administration takes the matters of justice and rights in Enugu State seriously and does not hesitate to address any such matters brought to its notice,” the government added.

It went on to list the accomplishments of the justice sector as led by Dr. Udeh under Dr. Mbah-led administration.

“The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice has recorded enormous successes in the justice sector. The administration has driven a focused mission of justice-sector reform that has delivered visible results.

“Key justice achievements include: the digitalisation and automation across the Judiciary and Ministry of Justice, including e-filing, virtual hearing and an integrated case-management system; onboarding and capacity-building for judges and court staff on digital court processes; the expansion and functional strengthening of Multi-Door Courthouse and the Citizens’ Rights and Mediation Centres across the Local Government Areas; establishment of the Witness Support Fund and other victim assistance mechanisms; and the introduction of multiple e-services to speed up justice administration and improve transparency.

“All complaints and petitions are treated 100% free of charge and expeditiously. Service delivery that previously took weeks or months are now conclusively treated within days. These reforms have been publicly acknowledged and commended by stakeholders and covered in the media as the central pillars of the administration’s agenda to make justice accessible, efficient, transparent, and investor friendly,” the statement concluded.