The Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL) was enacted to ensure speedy justice, protect the rights of suspects and victims and restore public confidence in Nigeria’s criminal justice system. However, years after its domestication in Kaduna State, stakeholders say challenges such as delayed trials, arbitrary arrests, prolonged detention and prison congestion continue to undermine its full implementation. In this interview with our Kaduna State Corrrespondent, BENJAMIN AUTA, the Kaduna State Coordinator of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and Chairman of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL) State-Level Working Committee, Dr Terngu Gwar, speaks on the committee’s achievements, the challenges of implementing the law, why mob justice persists and efforts to strengthen access to justice across Kaduna State
Sir, may we know you for the record?
I am Dr Terngu Gwar, the Kaduna State Coordinator of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and Chairman of the State-Level Support Working Committee on the Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL). The committee was established to promote the comprehensive implementation of the ACJL in Kaduna State.
We observed that since the law came into effect, it has not been fully implemented. There are gaps in access to justice for women, children and other vulnerable persons. We also have delays in the dispensation of justice, congestion in correctional centres due to prolonged detention, arbitrary arrests and several other challenges that continue to erode public confidence in the criminal justice system.
Our mandate, as provided under the ACJL and recognised by law, is to drive its comprehensive implementation across Kaduna State.
How far have you gone in achieving this mandate in Kaduna State?
Since the committee was inaugurated, we have carried out advocacy visits to key justice sector institutions across the state. For instance, we met with the Chief Judge, who chairs the statutory committee and is driving the implementation process.
We also visited the Honourable Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, who is a major stakeholder, as well as the Commissioner of Police. The ACJL Monitoring Committee comprises critical institutions, including the Nigeria Immigration Service, the National Human Rights Commission, the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Customs Service and other relevant ministries and agencies.
We have secured the buy-in of these stakeholders. Beyond that, we have conducted extensive community sensitisation and organised a town hall meeting in Kawo, Kaduna, to create awareness about the law, its benefits and how citizens can use it to promote access to justice.
We have equally visited correctional centres to assess the conditions of persons in custody, identify prevailing challenges and determine how those eligible for release can regain their freedom.
We also engaged the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) and other faith-based organisations to secure their support and deepen public understanding of the ACJL in Kaduna State.
What impact has the committee made in rural communities where rights violations are common and many people do not even understand the law?
I agree with you. This is a gradual process and we must also pay attention to gender-related issues.
Our focus is to reach what we describe as the “hard-to-reach communities” and take awareness of the law to them. Community dialogue on access to justice, especially for vulnerable groups such as women in rural areas, is already captured in our work plan. Unfortunately, we have not been able to implement that aspect because of inadequate funding.
Our partner, CLEEN Foundation, with support from the Norwegian Embassy, is supporting these interventions.
We are working closely with key stakeholders in Kaduna State to ensure that people not only know about the law but also see it being implemented so that confidence in the justice system can be restored.
If you look at what happened recently in Maraban Jos, it is a pointer to the fact that people no longer have confidence in the criminal justice system. That is why they resort to mob action. But if people trust the system, they will not take the law into their own hands. That is exactly what this project seeks to address.
What synergy exists between your committee and similar bodies in other states, and how have you worked with the Federal Government?
Thank you. The ACJL State Working Support Group has a counterpart at the Federal Ministry of Justice, and it enjoys strong support at the national level.
What we are doing is simply cascading the implementation to the state level. That is why the Chief Judge, who heads the statutory committee recognised by law, remains the key stakeholder driving the intervention in Kaduna State.
The project is currently being implemented in about 12 states across the federation. We have already submitted our work plan, and one of our activities for this quarter is to move the ACJL Monitoring Committee to Zaria to inspect correctional facilities and assess the situation of persons in custody.
A lot is happening in these facilities that the public is unaware of. One of the statutory responsibilities of the monitoring committee is to visit detention centres and correctional facilities every month to assess compliance with the law. Unfortunately, this has not been possible because of inadequate funding.
We are optimistic that with support from the Norwegian Embassy through the CLEEN Foundation, we will be able to facilitate monitoring visits to Zaria, Kafanchan and other parts of the state outside the metropolitan area to ascertain what is really happening on the ground.
Finally, what is your parting message?
My message is that the Administration of Criminal Justice Law in Kaduna State is a comprehensive law designed to guarantee access to justice for everyone.
We are encouraging anyone whose rights have been violated to come forward and seek redress, especially through the National Human Rights Commission. The law is there to protect the rights of every citizen, and we want the public to make use of it.