Retraction: Olujobi, O.J., & Olusola‐Olujobi, T. (2020). Comparative appraisals of legal and institutional framework governing gas flaring in Nigeria's upstream petroleum sector: How satisfactory?. Environmental Quality Management, https://doi.org/10.1002/tqem.21680The above article from Environmental Quality Management published online on 3 July 2020 in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com) in Early View has been retracted by agreement between the journal Editor in Chief, Jega Jegatheesan and Wiley Periodicals, LLC. The retraction has been agreed due to unattributed overlap with a previously published article from the same group of authors.

Nigeria is ranked one of the main producers of crude oil in Africa and due to this, oil exploration activities have occasioned high rate of gas flaring which was intensified by poor enforcement of anti-gas flaring laws by the regulatory authorities. Associated natural gas is generated from oil production and it is flared in large volumes, thereby leading to the emission of greenhouse gases and a waste of natural resources which could have potentially spawned billions of dollars for the Federal government. Nigerians are apprehensive that if nothing is done to combat this menace, the environment and man will be at risk due its damaging consequences. There is therefore the need to stop gas flaring by replicating the approaches used in the relatively advanced petroleum countries like Norway to tackle the menace. The research is an appraisal of legal frameworks regulating gas flaring in Nigeria's Upstream Petroleum Sector. It is a doctrinal legal research that adopts a library-based research approach. Weak enforcement and ambiguity of some anti-gas flaring laws are largely identified as the key factors responsible for the menace. It recommends the use of more advanced technologies, sophisticated mixture of regulations and none-regulatory incentives such as fiscal policies, gas market restructuring and proffer practical suggestions.JEL Classifications: K2, K42, Q4, Q5, P28, K32, K12.

Fossil fuel has been the mainstream of energy supply and a major source of foreign exchange earnings for the Federal Government of Nigeria, in spite of being an unrenewable and unsustainable source of energy. But Nigeria is yet to tap into the full benefits after privatising its power sector, including the new global evolution in the energy sector and the resulting increasing demand for renewable energy sources, which some consider to be cheaper and more environmentally friendly than fossil fuel and its allied products. Energy security is a challenge to socio-economic development in Nigeria, due to its over-dependency on fossil fuel. In terms of its impact and the potentials to preserve energy sources for longevity and sustainability, however, it is obvious that fossil fuel will come to be seen as an out-dated alternative in the power sector as the energy industry evolves. The implications for Nigeria’s oil sector will not be limited to dwindling crude oil prices. The concerns include poor energy utilisation in Nigeria and the need to promote energy efficiency and sustainability. They have led to the formulation of new energy policies around the world to serve as a vehicle for translating solutions into reality. This study has adopted a library-based legal research method with a comparative approach. The study reveals that it is the lack of a coherent legal framework with incentives for using renewable energy that is largely seen as the key issue causing slow uptake of renewable energy as an alternative source of energy in Nigeria. In conclusion, as well as the need for a coherent legal framework on energy and incentives for using renewable energy sources, the study advocates stringent enforcement of existing energy regulatory policies.

Breach of fundamental human rights and rule of law are challenges that have tainted Nigeria’s image and impaired sustainable development of her justice system. These breaches are: torture, distorting bail procedures among others. These illegal practices if unchecked may culminate in the denial of justice. The lawyer’s role therefore, is vital in fostering a culture of enduring dispensation of justice, especially in the light of the many challenges bedeviling Nigeria’s criminal justice system. The paper re-appraises the statutory and ethical roles of lawyers pursuant to the Nigeria’s Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015 in facilitating stringent compliance with the Act to safeguard the rule of law. The study is a doctrinal legal research with a library based approach. It adopts primary sources such as statutes, judicial authorities and secondary sources such as textbooks, journals/articles and internet sources. The research recommends among others, reform and strengthening of the judiciary to promote its independence in the administration of criminal justice system. Lawyers must ensure that the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015 fosters dexterous management of cases by all adjudicatory bodies for speedy dispensation of justice, promotion of rule of law, and to end abuse of court processes. The study finds that Nigerian criminal law appears flawed in this regards. This research revealed series of human rights violations in Nigeria and equally highlighted the roles of lawyers in combating these abuses and suggest the use of modern forensic technologies in all courts in Nigeria which is currently lacking and made some recommendations.