By Halima Adisa
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Professor Sampson Erugo, has called for an urgent amendment of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, warning that weaknesses in its remand provisions could expose suspects to prolonged detention without trial.
Professor Erugo made the call while delivering the keynote address at the 2026 Access to Justice Forum in Abuja, where stakeholders examined the relationship between national security, fundamental rights, technology and access to justice.
He expressed concern about Section 293 of the Act, arguing that suspects could remain in custody for extended periods while investigations continue without adequate safeguards against prolonged detention.
“There has to be immediate amendment of that section, warning that poor Nigerians without access to adequate legal representation were particularly vulnerable to weaknesses in the justice system. he said”
Professor Erugo also urged security agencies to distinguish between prosecution and persecution, stressing that suspects must be treated in accordance with the principles of fair hearing and the presumption of innocence.
On the role of technology, he said digital tools could improve crime detection, investigations and court proceedings while reducing delays. He called for greater technological competence among judges, lawyers and security agencies.
In her opening remarks, the Chief Executive Officer of the Public and Private Development Centre (PPDC), Lucy Abagi, said efforts to address Nigeria’s security challenges must not undermine fundamental rights and human dignity.
Citing the Global Terrorism Index 2026, Abagi said Nigeria recorded 750 terrorism-related deaths and 471 incidents in 2025, representing a 46 per cent increase in deaths compared with the previous year.
She also disclosed that 51,955 of the 80,812 inmates in Nigeria’s correctional centres were awaiting trial as of February 2026.
Abagi identified institutional weaknesses, poor case management and inadequate court facilities as major obstacles to effective justice delivery. She said some Ministries of Justice and judicial offices kept case files in unsuitable spaces, while reliance on handwritten records in several courtrooms slowed proceedings.
She also cited the case of a young woman who, according to her, spent more than six months in detention over an allegation of stealing a power bank without being brought before a court.
The PPDC chief executive urged the government to increase funding for the judiciary, improve court infrastructure and strengthen reforms to ensure timely determination of cases. She warned that prolonged detention also carries economic consequences, as young people remain in correctional facilities without timely resolution of their cases.
Also speaking, PPDC Board Chairman, Barrister Chibuzor Okonkwo, said access to justice should be measured by whether ordinary citizens could effectively use the justice system, rather than simply by the existence of courts and legal institutions.
He said electronic filing, virtual hearings and improved digital case records could reduce the cost of accessing justice and speed up court proceedings. He added that virtual hearings could reduce delays and security risks associated with transporting inmates to court.
Barrister Okonkwo said the success of justice sector reforms should be measured by practical improvements in the system rather than the number of meetings held.
The two-day Access to Justice Parley, organised by PPDC, brought together stakeholders in the justice sector to examine challenges affecting the administration of justice in Nigeria.
Edited by Julian Osamoto
