CLEEN Foundation calls for efficient management of criminal justice institutions

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CLEEN Foundation calls for efficient management of criminal justice institutions 


Lagos, April 3, 2025

A Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) CLEEN Foundation has called for the efficient management of criminal justice institutions in Nigeria, particularly through the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) and its state implementations.

The organisation's Programme Director, Mr Salaudeen Hashim said this on Wednesday during a media parley with newsmen at the CLEEN Foundation Hall, Innocent Chukwuma House, Ojodu, Ikeja, Lagos State.

Hashim said that ACJA was a complex issue with challenges related to funding allocations and resource allocation, as well as the need for efficient management of criminal justice institutions.

"Financing the ACJL in financing of criminal justice in Nigeria is primarily government-driven, with funds allocated from federal and state budgets.

"In spite the provisions in the Nigerian Constitution, ACJA, and ACJL, face challenges in translating these provisions into adequate funding allocations for the courts and other criminal justice institutions.

"Adequate funding of the ACJL implementation will accelerate judicial processes, reduce backlog and ensure that litigations are not unduly prolonged by intermediate appeals," the director said.

He called on the media to put a spotlight on the 2025 budget around context, content, process, objectives, underlying principle, direction, timeline, implementation, performance, reviews and impacts.

Hashim said that several issues were militating against the ACJL noting that justice was now up for sale to the highest bidder as Ministry of Justice was poorly responding to ACJL funding.

"ACJMC is not existing, inactive or poorly resourced and plea bargaining has now become a tool for settlement.

"Issues such as corruption permeates the entire sector, there are poor priorities in budgeting and welfare of justice is tied to political body languages.

"Also, there are deficit infrastructure for efficient dispensation of justice, weak Digital infrastructure for interrogation, witness protection and data management," he sy.

The director said that the Ministry of Justice at State and National levels had not demonstrated deliberate will power to reform the criminal justice system.

"The National and State Houses of Assemblies are not providing the needed appropriation and oversight and the Executive have weaponised judicial welfare for political gains," he said.

Hashim called on the media to raise awareness about the reality and potential of the ACJL, as well as the incoherency in its implementation.

"The media should help highlight how corruption undermines ACJL implementation across states, while emphasising the importance of transparency, accountability and open governance issues.

"Help in promoting voices seeking the eradication justice for the rich alone, eliminate undue political influence on the dispensation of justice and create forum and platforms for discussion of alternative development issues," he said.

The director urged journalists to take more interest in in-depth reporting, analysis of the ACJL.

"They must always have the people at the centre of their coverage

"They must stick to issues, follow up projects, evaluate performances

"They must report, write features and do sector focused journalism, collaborate with other stakeholders," Hashim urged.



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