By Solomon OKPO | October 21, 2025.
Uyo, Akwa Ibom State – Seven years after the passage of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL) in Akwa Ibom State, a recent self-assessment has revealed that implementation of the law remains at a near-zero level, raising concerns over the effectiveness and functionality of the state’s criminal justice system.
The assessment shows that despite the legislative backing from the State House of Assembly, there is no dedicated budget, no operational roadmap, and no clear performance indicators guiding the ACJL’s implementation. The Administration of Criminal Justice Monitoring Committee (ACJMC), though established, remains functionally inactive due to a lack of funding, planning, and strategic direction.
Key Gaps and Systemic Challenges: The self-assessment highlighted numerous deficiencies across the justice system, ranging from poor data collection to lack of technology, inadequate legal representation, and insufficient infrastructure.
Record-Keeping: There is no effective system for maintaining arrest records or tracking prevalent offences. The criminal records registry exists in law but not in practice.
Technology Use: The use of e-recording for suspect statements and trials is practically nonexistent. While there are plans to equip four police stations with statement-taking rooms by 2026, this would only cover 9% of the 44 police stations in the state.
Legal Aid & Representation: The number of legal aid officers and indigent defendants receiving assistance is critically low, with most defendants remaining unrepresented, especially at the magistrate level.
Prosecutorial Capacity: Although lay prosecutors have been abolished, the state police command has only 10 qualified police lawyers, underscoring an urgent need for recruitment and training.
Bail & Detention: The DPP’s office is reportedly liberal with bail for bailable offences, but systemic delays and a lack of coordination hinder the process. Notably, the DPP only receives death reports from correctional centres no routine updates or inmate lists are provided.
Court Operations: High caseloads, lack of facilities, and staff shortages are affecting timely justice delivery. While magistrate courts generally arraign suspects on the day of arrest, the high court still operates within a one-week timeframe, slightly above ACJA’s 3-day standard.
Infrastructure & Welfare: Courtrooms, offices, and staff facilities are in poor condition. Prosecutors are known to commute in public transport, exposing them to potential risks from suspects they prosecute.
Institutional Efforts and Missed Opportunities: While the Chief Judge chairs the ACJMC and the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) acts as its secretary, the committee’s work is limited by lack of funding and a formal work plan. A sub-committee structure exists, but coordination remains weak, with no evidence of regular reporting to the Chief Judge or public engagement.
Efforts by the current Police Commissioner to strengthen inter-agency collaboration have yielded some informal results, such as improved coordination during prison visits. However, formal structures for DPP-police interaction are absent, and investigative guidance from the DPP is rarely sought.
The lack of a monitoring and evaluation framework, coupled with non-payment of witness expenses and low protection for officers and witnesses, further undermines the effectiveness of the justice system.
Looking Ahead: The state’s own ratings place its ACJL implementation performance well below national standards in almost every area assessed, from case management and trial timelines to witness protection and technology use. With no operational budget, no dedicated facilities, and no sustained strategy, the vision of a reformed and efficient criminal justice system in Akwa Ibom remains far from reality.
Stakeholders are calling for urgent action to:
Allocate dedicated funding for ACJL implementation.
Develop and adopt a statewide ACJL roadmap and implementation strategy.
Improve data collection and reporting mechanisms.
Invest in legal personnel, facilities, and technology.
Strengthen coordination among justice sector institutions.
Without these minimum steps, Akwa Ibom’s ACJL risks being just another law on the books, with little impact on justice delivery for the people it was meant to serve.
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