The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN said the ministry was making plans to hold a national summit on justice.
According to him, stakeholders at the summit would consider and adopt an improved national policy on justice that would be in use from 2024 to 2028.
Fagbemi spoke at a forum on the review of the implementation of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 and the Administration of Criminal Justice Laws of states in Abuja on Tuesday.
“The Federal Ministry of Justice is making plans with relevant stakeholders to convene a National Summit on Justice to consider and adopt a revised National Policy on Justice, 2024 – 2028,” he said.
Fagbemi noted that a lot had happened after the passage of the ACJA and the National Policy on Justice developed in 2017.
He admitted that the policy developed in 2017 brought to the fore failures of the justice system in the country.
He added, “So much has happened since the passage of ACJA in 2015. Of great significance is the development of the National Policy on Justice, which was developed in 2017 through a collaborative platform.
“Indisputably, the National Policy on Justice identified some of the root causes of the failures and inadequacies in our entire justice system, and sought ways to consolidate on various reform efforts across justice sector institutions.”
Fagbemi promised to work with key stakeholders to develop and agree on a National Minimum Standards to have an effective and inclusive system of justice.
“In addition, we will collaborate and work with colleagues in the private and public sectors, including fellow Attorneys-General to develop and agree on National Minimum Standards that would guide our collective efforts at achieving a more balanced, effective, and inclusive system of justice, ” he said.
In view of the removal of the Correctional Service from the exclusive list, Fagbemi said states and FG must ensure responsibilities were well shared.
“It has therefore become imperative to properly address issues arising directly from these constitutional changes. Central among these issues is the need for expedited collaboration and coordination between the respective States of the Federation and the Nigerian Correctional Service, to ensure proper structuration and delineation of responsibilities on custodial and other correctional matters,” he explained.
The President of the Center for Socio-Legal Studies, Prof. Akinseye George, SAN, said the Administration of Criminal Justice Laws are not only instruments that protect the rights of persons who come in contact with the justice system, but they also seek to ensure that all are treated fairly.
He added that the instruments also lay down standards for justice providers on what is expected of them in the discharge of their duties.
Represented at the occasion by a Justice of the Court of Appeal, Justice Steven Adah, the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem said the purpose of ACJA, 2015 is to ensure that the system of administration of criminal justice in Nigeria promotes efficient management of criminal justice institutions, speedy dispensation of justice, protection of rights and interests of suspects, defendants, and the victims.
She said the law must be adhered to and human rights observed from the stage of investigation, arrest, prosecution, conviction, and incarceration of a person and added that the innovations in the ACJA 2015 will keep the wheel of the criminal justice system moving steadily without delay and suppression of the rights of defendants.
