Review of Criminal justice will end delayed justice, decongest prison', says President Tinubu

By Wale Abydeen/ABUJA// President Bola Tinubu has written to the Senate asking them to repeal the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015 and pass a new Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2026

Senate President Godswill Akpabio read the letter during plenary on Thursday.

According to the President, the goal is to tackle trial delays and address challenges affecting the effective administration of criminal justice in Nigeria.

The 2015 ACJA was meant to speed up criminal trials, decongest prisons, and protect the rights of suspects. But in the last 10 years, stakeholders have flagged issues like

Inconsistent implementation some states adopted it, some didn’t, and some have their own versions

Gaps in procedure – especially around bail, plea bargain, and case management

The bill will go through first reading in the Senate Then committee review, public hearing, second and third readings

If passed by Senate, it goes to the House of Reps, then to the President for assent

A 2026 version suggests the government wants to update it to reflect current challenges in policing, prosecution, and case backlog.