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AGF, Stakeholders Seek Uniformity on Implementation of ACJA 2015

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AGF, Stakeholders Seek Uniformity on Implementation of ACJA 2015


Adopt National Minimum Standards

By: Michael Mike

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, along with key stakeholders in the justice sector, have taken significant steps to ensure uniformity in the implementation of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015.

Fagbemi announced this development at the weekend in Abuja, at the conclusion of the stakeholders’ meeting for the inauguration of the committee for the review and validation of the national minimum standards documents on the implementation of the ACJA. Organized by the Federal Ministry of Justice with support from the European Union-funded Rule of Law and Anti-corruption (RoLAC-II) Programme of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA), the event culminated in the adoption of the National Minimum Standards Document 2024 on the implementation of the Act.

Speakers at the event emphasized that the introduction of the National Minimum Standards will significantly enhance the effective implementation of the ACJA, 2015. The RoLAC-II Programme aims to improve the performance, quality, and oversight of the criminal justice system and justice service delivery in Nigeria.

According to Mr. Badejogbin Oluwatoyin, Manager of Component 1 – Criminal Justice Reform under the RoLAC-II Programme, the project aims to establish a national scheme for assessing and evaluating the implementation of the ACJA/ACJLs and a national scoresheet indicating the performance of each state. This initiative seeks to provide a common basis for evaluating the implementation of criminal justice reforms, promote healthy competition among states, and attract more resources to the criminal justice sector.

The document covers several areas, including pre-trial case management, witness support, case filtering and timelines, bail, remand protocol, trial case management, and post-trial procedures. Participants also encouraged the use of plea bargains and agreed that the stay of trial proceedings due to an interlocutory application or appeal should be prohibited.

The National Minimum Standards for the Implementation of ACJA 2015 were designed to consolidate rule of law and anti-corruption reforms, a key component of the programme aimed at enhancing the criminal justice system and justice service delivery in the Federal Capital Territory, Abia, Adamawa, Anambra, Edo, Kano, Lagos, and Plateau states.

During his presentation, Professor Yemi Akinseye-George of the Center for Socio-Legal Studies (CSLS) emphasized the need to deepen the implementation of the ACJA and the ACJLs of States.

In a keynote address, Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, represented by the Solicitor General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Justice, Mrs. Beatrice Jessy-Agba, noted that the federal government enacted the ACJA in 2015 to ensure harmonious implementation of criminal justice reforms across the federation. He explained that the Act promotes efficient management of criminal justice institutions, speedy dispensation of justice, and the protection of the rights and interests of suspects, defendants, and victims in Nigeria.

“The adoption of the Act by States ensures that offenders cannot escape justice by moving from state to state, a practice commonly known as forum shopping. Improved and uniform implementation of criminal justice reforms across the country will leave no escape route for criminals, contributing to socio-economic development in Nigeria,” he said.

He added that the National Minimum Standards have been developed to implement the ACJA and consolidate collaboration between stakeholders in justice delivery by ensuring that courts at both the federal and state levels apply similar standards in criminal procedures and enforcement of criminal justice.

Chairman of the Body of States Attorneys-General, Dr. Ben Odoh, represented by Nassarawa AG, Labaran Shaibu Magaji, described the initiative as significant, capable of creating a balanced and inclusive justice system that safeguards the rights of all parties and strengthens legal frameworks.

Other speakers included representatives from the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), the Nigerian Police, ICPC, EFCC, and NCoS, among others.

In her welcome address, Director of the Administration of Criminal Justice and Reform Department (ACJRD) at the Federal Ministry of Justice, Mrs. Leticia Ayoola-Daniels, stated that the initiative stems from the growing need for a unified framework to address persistent gaps in the implementation of the ACJA and ACJLs across the country. She identified challenges such as court congestion, unavailability of data, delayed trials, and a lack of uniformity in criminal justice processes, assuring that finalizing the document will significantly address these issues.

RoLAC representative Mr. Peter Omenka stressed that the entity will continue to support the process and create awareness to ensure the documents are translated into different languages.

“RoLAC is ready to support the process, create awareness in such a way that the documents is translated into different languages,” he said.

AGF, Stakeholders Seek Uniformity on Implementation of ACJA 2015

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Troops arrest three suspected log suppliers in Kwara

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Troops arrest three suspected log suppliers in Kwara

By: Zagazola Makama

Troops of Operation SAVANNAH SHIELD have arrested three suspected log suppliers in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State for alleged involvement in illegal supply activities.

Security sources said the suspects were apprehended at about 1315 hours on Wednesday by troops of Sector 1, operating from Forward Operating Base (FOB) Kaiama.

The arrest followed routine operational checks and intelligence-led patrols in the area.

The suspects were subsequently handed over to troops of 22 Brigade for further investigation and necessary action.

Military authorities said the operation forms part of ongoing efforts to curb criminal logistics networks and disrupt support structures aiding armed groups in the region.

They added that troops have continued sustained surveillance and patrols across border communities to prevent the movement of illicit materials and criminal supplies.

Troops arrest three suspected log suppliers in Kwara

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Kwibuka 32: Rwanda Sounds Alarm on Evolving Genocide Ideology, Demands Global Accountability

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Kwibuka 32: Rwanda Sounds Alarm on Evolving Genocide Ideology, Demands Global Accountability

By: Michael Mike

Rwanda has issued a powerful warning to the world as it marks the 32nd anniversary of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, cautioning that the dangerous ideologies that fueled the mass killings have not disappeared—but are mutating in more sophisticated and far-reaching ways.

Speaking at a solemn commemoration in Abuja, the Rwandan High Commissioner to Nigeria, Moses Rugema, urged the global community to move beyond ceremonial remembrance and confront the persistent and evolving threat of genocide ideology, particularly in an era shaped by digital influence and artificial intelligence.

The event, held under the theme “Remember. Unite. Renew.”, marked Kwibuka 32, an annual period of reflection on one of the darkest chapters in modern history.

He said: “Remembrance must carry responsibility. It is not enough to honour the dead—we must actively resist the forces that made such atrocities possible.”

He recalled the scale of the Genocide against the Tutsi, in which more than one million people were systematically killed within 100 days in 1994. The envoy stressed that the genocide was not a spontaneous eruption of violence, but a calculated campaign driven by propaganda, division and state-backed extremism.

Drawing a direct line between the past and present, Rugema warned that similar patterns are re-emerging globally, now amplified by technology.

“The tools may have changed, but the intent has not. Today, hate can spread faster, deeper and more dangerously through digital platforms,” he said, noting that misinformation, denial and distortion are increasingly weaponised to rewrite history and inflame divisions.

He called for stronger international legal frameworks, improved civic education and stricter accountability measures to counter what he described as a “resilient and adaptive threat.”

Rugema also revisited the failure of the international community during the 1994 crisis, stating that early warning signs were ignored and the scale of the violence was initially downplayed. At the United Nations Security Council, only a handful of voices—including Nigeria’s former envoy, Ibrahim Gambari—pressed for recognition of the atrocities as genocide.

The killings were eventually halted by forces of the Rwandan Patriotic Front, led by current President Paul Kagame, ushering in a new chapter focused on national rebuilding.

Highlighting Rwanda’s recovery, Rugema pointed to deliberate policies aimed at unity and reconciliation, including the dismantling of ethnic classifications and the use of community-based justice systems such as gacaca courts, which enabled millions of cases to be heard while fostering dialogue and healing.

Yet, he warned that the work is far from over.

“Genocide ideology is not confined to history—it is a present danger,” he said, citing ongoing instability in parts of Africa’s Great Lakes region and the growing normalization of hate speech globally.

Also addressing the gathering, the UN Resident Humanitarian Coordinator in
Nigeria, Mohamed Fall described the commemoration as a call to action for the international community to prevent future atrocities.

Represented by the UN Women Coordinator to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Beatrice Eyong, Fall emphasised that the genocide was enabled by sustained propaganda and exclusionary policies.

“Mass atrocities do not begin with weapons—they begin with words,” Fall said. “And today, those words travel faster than ever.”

He warned that the unchecked spread of hate speech and incitement in the digital space poses a growing global risk, urging governments to strengthen legal protections, uphold international law and fully implement the Genocide Convention.

Both speakers stressed that remembrance must translate into concrete action, insisting that the phrase “Never Again” risks becoming hollow if not backed by political will and societal vigilance.

As the world reflects on Kwibuka 32, Rwanda’s message was unmistakable: the cost of indifference has already been written in blood—and failing to act now could allow history to repeat itself.

Kwibuka 32: Rwanda Sounds Alarm on Evolving Genocide Ideology, Demands Global Accountability

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NIS Cracks Down on Alleged Extortion at Lagos-Seme Border, Orders Probe

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NIS Cracks Down on Alleged Extortion at Lagos-Seme Border, Orders Probe

By: Michael Mike

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has launched an immediate investigation into allegations of extortion involving its personnel along the Lagos-Seme border corridor, vowing swift disciplinary action against any officer found culpable.

In a statement issued on Friday, the Comptroller-General of Immigration, Kemi Nandap, strongly condemned the reported misconduct, describing it as a clear breach of the Service’s ethical standards and operational principles.

The allegations, which surfaced through online reports, have sparked public concern over the conduct of immigration officers stationed at one of Nigeria’s busiest land borders. Responding decisively, the NIS leadership has taken the unusual step of temporarily relieving the Comptrollers overseeing the affected commands of their duties pending the outcome of a comprehensive probe.

According to the Service, the investigation will focus on identifying all officers involved in the alleged acts, with a commitment to enforce strict disciplinary measures without delay.

Reaffirming its stance, the NIS stressed that it would not tolerate any behavior capable of eroding public confidence or damaging the institution’s reputation. The Service reiterated its commitment to professionalism, transparency, and efficiency in managing Nigeria’s entry and exit points.

To strengthen accountability, the Service urged members of the public to report cases of misconduct through its official communication channels, including its verified social media platforms and dedicated contact centre lines.

The NIS emphasized that it remains resolute in upholding integrity and discipline while facilitating lawful migration, assuring Nigerians and international travelers that measures are being reinforced to prevent a recurrence of such incidents.

NIS Cracks Down on Alleged Extortion at Lagos-Seme Border, Orders Probe

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