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VOL. 12, ISSUE 3 (2026)
An appraisal of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 in enhancing justice delivery in Nigeria
Authors
OKOLIE Francis Okeleke
Abstract
The passage of the Administration of Criminal
Justice Act 2015 (ACJA) 2015) is considered a quantum leap in the
Administration of Criminal Justice in Nigeria. Prior to the promulgation of
ACJA 2015, the criminal justice system in Nigerian was governed by two
principal legislations traceable to the British Colonial administration, namely
the criminal Procedure Act, (CPA) which is applicable in the South and the
Criminal Procedure Code (CPC) which is applicable in the Northern part of
Nigeria. The Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015, merges the main
provision of CPA and CPC into one Principal Federal Enactment. The purpose of
the ACJA 2015 is to ensure that the system of administration of criminal
justice in Nigeria is efficient in the management of criminal justice
institutions, speedy dispensation of justice, protection of the society from
crime and protection of the rights and interest of the suspect, the defendant
and the victim. The law provides a deliberate effort to transmute the criminal
justice system from a state of retributive justice into a restorative justice
system. The aim of this research is to critically examine the new innovations
introduced into the Administration of criminal Justice Act, 2015 by the
National Assembly and its effect on the criminal justice system in Nigeria, its
features and the perceived pitfall or lacuna of the Act. In this essay the
doctrinal research method was adopted. Primary and secondary source materials
were made reference to such as books, law reports and statute. The researcher
discovered that most of the staff that are engaged in justice delivery lack
modern knowledge on how to handle issue before the. The study recommends that
there is need to strengthen the capacity of the justice delivery system by
training and retraining of staff. This study contributes to existing knowledge
in the area of analyzing the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, and
finally proffer recommendations.
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Pages:26-31
How to cite this article:
OKOLIE Francis Okeleke "An appraisal of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 in enhancing justice delivery in Nigeria". International Journal of Law, Vol 12, Issue 3, 2026, Pages 26-31
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