Judiciary, Police Collaborate on Efficient Justice Delivery

Malami made the call yesterday at the opening of a two-day workshop aimed at sensitising men of the Nigeria Police on the implementation of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015 in Abuja. The workshop was organised to review and adopt a national framework and template for a coordinated implementation of the Act in the country. Malami, who was represented by the Solicitor-General of the Federation, Dayo Apata, said the workshop was, “particularly significant as it attests to the determination of the Federal Ministry of Justice through the Federal Justice Sector Reform Coordinating Committee to continue to galvanise justice sector stakeholders in our collective efforts in reforming the justice system for effective and efficient Justice delivery and promotion of the rule of law”. He said the Act provides for a broad legal framework for a more effective cross-sector collaboration and oversight between agencies in criminal justice administration and protect the rights of citizens. Section 29 of the Act requires the IG to make quarterly report to the AGF on all arrest made with or without warrant in relation to federal offences within Nigeria; while sections 33 and 34 requires officer in charge of a police station who is authorised to make arrest to interface with Magistrate in the area on arrested persons as well as police detention facilities. “The Act also require the Chief Magistrate to submit the report from the officer in charge of police station to criminal Justice Monitoring Committee who us expected to analyse the reports and advise the AGF accordingly,” Malami said. However, the AGF remarked that the Act did not provide the template or protocols for generating and submitting such report, hence the need for the workshop. “As a committee, charged with the mandate of identifying and implementing reformes that facilities effective and efficient Justice service delivery and promation of rule of law, the FJSRCC in collaboration with other stakeholders and support from our development partners, have developed draft template and protocols for implementing these provisions for consolidation and adoption at this workshop”, he added. Also speaking at the event, the Inspector-General of Police (IG), Ibrahim Idris, said as a member of the monitoring committee, the police are committed and has taken steps at addressing the challenges associated with meeting the provisions of ACJA as it relates to policing function. Idris who was represented by the CP Legal, Force Headquarters, Abuja, Austine Sanomi, said the IG has regularly passed down directives to all commands and formations, to ensure compliance with the provisions of the Act, adding that the Act as a procedure law, guides investigation and prosecution of criminal cases.]]>