By Lizzy Carr
Judicial officers, lawyers, and law enforcement agencies in Bauchi State have expressed strong support for the introduction of the National Minimum Standards (NMS) aimed at enhancing the implementation of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) and its corresponding laws.
They made their positions known during a capacity-building workshop held in Bauchi, organized by the Centre for Socio-Legal Studies with support from the MacArthur Foundation.
The ACJA seeks to reform Nigeria’s criminal justice system by ensuring faster dispensation of justice and reducing the prolonged detention of suspects, which often leads to overcrowding in correctional facilities. The newly introduced National Minimum Standards are designed to provide uniform guidelines to address these issues and strengthen the overall implementation of the Act across the country.
The President of the Centre for Socio-Legal Studies, Professor Yemi Akinseye George (SAN), represented by Sharon Jibaniya, a lawyer and researcher at the Centre, said the document was presented in Bauchi for validation as part of ongoing efforts to promote compliance with the ACJA across all states.
Professor Akinseye George revealed that Bauchi currently ranks 28th out of 36 states in ACJA implementation and called on stakeholders to step up their efforts.
“For a State to say it has fully implemented the ACJA and the ACJL , it’s judiciary must have E-Recording of court proceedings and also have minimal number of inmates who are awaiting trail”.
He added that NMS should be used as a baseline performance by all 36 states and the FCT in the implementation of the Administration of criminal justice act and Administration of criminal justice law.
Also speaking, Chief Magistrate Safiya Abdullahi emphasized the need for urgent collaboration among judicial officers, legal practitioners, and law enforcement personnel to fast-track the adoption of the guidelines outlined in the NMS document.
“I wasn’t happy learning that Bauchi State is ranked 28 in the Country in the implementation of ACJA and ACJL, we need to talk among ourselves to seek how we can step up our implementation”.
Also speaking the Public Relations Officer, Custodial Centre Bauchi ,Assistant Superintendent corrections Ahmed Usman Tata, welcomed the initiative, stating that it would significantly will aid decongest the facility, which currently houses over 900 inmates, including around 600 awaiting trial.
Other stakeholders present at the workshop — including representatives from the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Legal Aid Council, and the state judiciary — commended the initiative and expressed optimism that the implementation of the National Minimum Standards would facilitate the speedy dispensation of justice and improve the efficiency of the criminal justice system in Bauchi State.