President Bola Tinubu has asked the Senate to repeal the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015 and replace it with the proposed Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2026 to strengthen Nigeria’s criminal justice system.
The request was conveyed in a letter addressed to the President of the Senate and read during plenary on Thursday.
According to the President, the proposed legislation is intended to regulate the administration of criminal justice in the courts of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and other federal courts across the country.
Tinubu said the bill would also establish an Administration of Criminal Justice Monitoring Council to enhance the effective and efficient administration of criminal justice in Nigeria.
He explained that the primary objective of the proposed law is to promote efficient management of criminal justice institutions while ensuring speedy dispensation of justice.
The President added that the bill aims to protect society from crime and safeguard the rights and interests of defendants, victims, courts, law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders involved in the criminal justice process.
According to him, the proposed legislation will also strengthen compliance with the provisions of the law by institutions and authorities responsible for criminal justice administration.
Tinubu said the proposed repeal and re-enactment became necessary to address legal, procedural and institutional challenges that have hindered the effective implementation of the ACJA 2015.
He identified the key challenges as delays in criminal investigations and prosecutions, inadequate deployment of technology in criminal proceedings, weak coordination among criminal justice institutions and ineffective case management systems.
The President also cited inadequate monitoring and evaluation mechanisms for ensuring compliance with the provisions of the existing law.
He disclosed that the draft bill was reviewed by a team of experienced legal experts specialising in criminal law, criminal procedure and legislative drafting.
According to him, the proposed ACJA 2026 incorporates recent developments in criminal justice administration, judicial decisions, technological innovations and international best practices.
Tinubu further stated that the bill strengthens the Administration of Criminal Justice Monitoring Council by introducing additional measures to improve the implementation of the law by relevant institutions.
He urged the Senate to give the proposed legislation expeditious consideration.
Following the presentation of the letter, Senate President Godswill Akpabio referred the bill to the Senate Committee on Rules and Business for legislative processing, with a directive to report back to the chamber within four weeks.
