President Bola Tinubu has forwarded a landmark criminal justice reform bill to the Senate, seeking the repeal of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015 and its replacement with a new Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2026, aimed at addressing long-standing challenges in Nigeria’s criminal justice system.
The request was conveyed in a letter read on the Senate floor on Thursday by Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.
In the letter, President Tinubu explained that the proposed legislation is designed to strengthen the administration of criminal justice in the courts of the Federal Capital Territory and other federal courts across the country, while establishing a more effective Administration of Criminal Justice Monitoring Council to improve compliance and coordination.
According to the President, the bill seeks to enhance the efficiency of criminal justice institutions, ensure speedy trials, protect society from crime, and safeguard the rights of suspects, defendants and victims.
Tinubu noted that the proposed law would also compel courts, law enforcement agencies and other institutions involved in criminal justice administration to comply strictly with its provisions.
The President said the decision to repeal and re-enact the 2015 Act followed a comprehensive review that identified several legal, procedural and institutional shortcomings hindering effective implementation.
He listed these challenges to include delays in criminal investigations and prosecutions, poor integration of technology into criminal proceedings, weak coordination among justice sector institutions, inefficient case management systems, and inadequate mechanisms for monitoring compliance with the existing law.
Tinubu disclosed that the draft legislation was prepared and reviewed by experienced legal experts with backgrounds in criminal law, criminal procedure and legislative drafting.
He added that the proposed Act reflects recent judicial decisions, technological advancements and international best practices in criminal justice administration.
The President further stated that the bill introduces stronger oversight measures by enhancing the powers of the Administration of Criminal Justice Monitoring Council to ensure more effective implementation by relevant institutions.
He urged the Senate to accord the bill expedited legislative consideration.
Following the presentation of the President’s request, Senate President Akpabio referred the bill to the Senate Committee on Rules and Business for legislative processing and directed the committee to report back to the chamber within one week.