The Federal Government of Nigeria has initiated the process of establishing a National Minimum Standard for implementing the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, aiming to reform the criminal justice sector and ensure uniform standards across the country.
This was announced on Tuesday, September 24, 2024, by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi SAN, during the opening of a three-day review and validation session of the National Minimum Standards Document.
Represented by Mrs. Beatrice Jedy-Agba OON, mni, the Solicitor General of the Federation, Fagbemi highlighted that the National Working Group on the Implementation of ACJA/ACJLs will play a crucial role in strengthening justice delivery and collaboration between stakeholders.
He said the group will work to ensure that criminal justice reforms are uniformly applied by both federal and state courts, eliminating discrepancies and inefficiencies within the system.
Fagbemi emphasized that harmonizing the implementation of the ACJA 2015 would address critical issues such as forum shopping—where offenders evade justice by moving between states—and contribute to the socio-economic development of the country by fostering a more effective and accessible justice system.
The National Working Group consists of representatives from federal and state governments, civil society organizations, legal professionals, and other relevant stakeholders.
The group’s mission is to finalize the National Minimum Standards Document, which will act as a template for ensuring efficiency and uniformity in criminal justice procedures nationwide.
In her remarks, Mrs Leticia Ayoola-Daniels, Director of the Administration of Criminal Justice and Reform Department at the Ministry of Justice, noted the importance of this initiative in addressing challenges such as court congestion, delayed trials, and the lack of accessible data in the criminal justice system.
She stressed the need for a cohesive framework to standardize criminal justice reforms across jurisdictions.
The initiative has received support from international organizations and agencies, including the European Union, International IDEA, and the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Programme (RoLAC).
Goodwill messages were delivered by representatives from the Nigerian Bar Association, EFCC, ICPC, Nigerian Police, and other stakeholders. The session is expected to conclude with key recommendations that will guide the future of criminal justice reforms in Nigeria.
Meanwhile, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Police Affairs, Mr. James Sule, has officially inaugurated a Delivery Task Team to improve the monitoring and implementation of Presidential Priorities and Ministerial Deliverables.
The initiative, launched at the Ministry’s Headquarters in Abuja, is designed to ensure effective performance management and data collection across various departments and agencies.
The newly established Ministerial Delivery Task Team comprises representatives from the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), the Nigeria Police Trust Fund (NPTF), the Ministry, and the Police Academy.
