The Acting Solicitor-General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice, Mr. Umar Etsu Mohammed, on Tuesday said the domestication of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, is capable of enhancing cross-sector collaboration amongst stakeholders in the justice sector.
Mohammed stated this at the opening of the national workshop on the implementation of Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, held in Yola, the Adamawa State capital.
The SGF posited that the provisions of ACJA are aimed at promoting access to justice and reduction of human rights abuses in the country.
Represented by the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Federal Ministry of Justice, Mr Mohammed Abubakar, the SGF pointed out that the Federal Government will through the Federal Justice Sector Reform Coordinating Committee (FJSRCC) continue to lead the efforts towards reforming criminal justice administration and promotion of the rule of law.
“Following the validation and adoption of the reporting templates and arrest protocol at the national workshop held in November, 2018 in Abuja by the heads of the various justice sectors institutions involved in criminal justice administration led by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, it became imperative to train those saddled with the responsibility of actual implementation of the Act.
“The Act has provided a broad legal framework for a more effective cross-sector collaboration and oversight between and amongst agencies in criminal justice administration and the protection of the rights of citizens” the SGF said.
On his part, Co-Chairman at the workshop, Prof Tabiu Muhammed noted that ACJA, since it’s inception, has changed the justice delivery sector, and assured that it would further help curb some of the challenges.
He identified implementation of ACJA as a major challenge.
However, Mohammed maintained that the monitoring mechanism will not only bring stakeholders to the same table but will also enable them to identify tools to use to achieve set goals.
In a brief remarks, the Component Manager, Rule of Law Anti-Corruption Programme ( RoLAC), Dr. Oluwatoyin Badejogbin expressed worry at the rate at which citizens rights are being trampled by law enforcement agencies.
He lauded the Federal Government for identifying key elements in ACJA implementation, stressing the need for an enduring partnership and interface.
The workshop, funded by the European Union (EU) for the North-East Geo-political zone, is the fourth in the series of such training in the country.
Participants and stakeholders at the workshop were drawn from the Nigerian Police Force (NPF), Nigerian Correctional Services (NCS), Department of State Security (DSS), National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Serivices ( NSCDC), Legal Aid Council (LAC), Ministry of Justice and Magistrates from the States of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe State.
