Criminal Justice Act: Foundation Hails Inclusion of Women As Sureties

The executive director of the Centre for Law Enforcement Education (CLEEN), Foundation, Gad Peter has said that based on the provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, women are empowered to stand for suspects as surties in a bail application.

Previously Nigerian women were not allowed to stand as sureties for suspects applying for bail in courts or with the police.

Peter said this in his welcome remarks during a step-down training for stakeholders on the implementing ACJA  in Bauchi on Tuesday.

He said the training was designed to bring relevant stakeholders on ACJA implementation in Bauchi State together for mentorship and robust discussion on their individual and collective roles and challenges in the implementation of the act in the state.

LEADERSHIP reports that through similar training sessions with support from the MacArthur Foundation, CLEEN trained many stakeholders in the administration of justice to be conversant with ACJA in Edo, Delta, Sokoto, Katsina, Jigawa, Kwara and Cross Rivers states.

Bauchi State domesticated the Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL) in December 2022 following the assent of the state Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed.

He said In our quest to ensure that the wheels of justice turn smoothly, it is paramount that those who are entrusted with upholding the law and administering justice are equipped with the latest tools, knowledge and insights.

Peter said that the trainees, as criminal justice actors, individually hold a unique role that extends far beyond mere legalities and procedures.

Speaking to our reporter, the state coordinator of the National Human Rights Commission, Dala Yachit represented by Mr Ortese Felix Mimi of the commission said with the introduction of ACJA fewer cases of human rights violations are being recorded.