The Lagos State Government has introduced wide-ranging reforms aimed at strengthening criminal and civil justice administration in the state.
The Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Lawal Pedro, said this on Tuesday during a meeting with judicial correspondents in Lagos.
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Mr Pedro, who is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), added that the various reforms would reduce case backlogs and improve access to justice for residents.
He said the ministry had deployed technology and institutional reforms to ensure efficiency in criminal justice administration.
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According to him, Lagos operates a criminal information system capable of tracking defendants across all courts in the state.
He said the state had also introduced forensic measures, inmate profiling, plea bargaining and non-custodial sentencing to reduce the number of awaiting-trial inmates.
Mr Pedro explained that many defendants referred to as awaiting-trial inmates were not actually in prison custody, as some were already on bail.
He said the plea-bargain process had significantly reduced prison congestion, while the prerogative of mercy was also being used to achieve the same goal.
The attorney-general said Lagos had enacted a witness protection and support law to ensure criminal justice was fast, efficient and effective.
On civil justice, Mr Pedro said the state government, in collaboration with the judiciary, had taken steps to reduce delays, including resolving hundreds of appeals within a short period.
He said Lagos had also introduced reforms under the Administration of Civil Justice Law, currently before the House of Assembly, to streamline court processes.
“These reforms aim at ensuring civil cases do not last beyond 12 to 18 months, while tenancy matters will be concluded within three to six months.
“The government is determined to prevent abuse of court processes and stop the use of litigation as an instrument of oppression.
“The reforms will also encourage real estate investment and create a balance between tenants’ rights and investors’ interests,” he said.
The commissioner said the state had strengthened access-to-justice institutions, including the Office of the Public Defender and the Citizens’ Mediation Centre, with increased staffing and resources.
He added that the Directorate of Citizens’ Rights and the Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency had been empowered to protect vulnerable persons, especially women and children.
“The directorate of public prosecutions will continue to work closely with law enforcement agencies to ensure effective criminal prosecution while respecting suspects’ fundamental rights,” he said.
Mr Pedro reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to continuous reforms in line with population growth and the demands of justice delivery in the state.
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Earlier in his welcome address, the Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Hameed Oyenuga, said the engagement was designed to acquaint judicial correspondents with the ministry’s initiatives and reforms.
Mr Oyenuga said the ministry was committed to transparency and collaboration with the media in advancing justice delivery across the state.
(NAN)
