• President proposes repeal of 2015 Criminal Justice Act to tackle delay, deploy tech, strengthen monitoring
• Also transmits Senior Secondary Education Commission Amendment Bill to improve governance of public schools
Sunday Aborisade in Abuja
President Bola Tinubu on Thursday asked Senate to commence legislative action on two key executive bills aimed at overhauling Nigeria’s criminal justice system and strengthening the administration of public senior secondary education.
The requests were conveyed in separate letters addressed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio and read during plenary.
In the first communication, Tinubu sought the repeal of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015 and its replacement with a new Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2026.
He said the existing law had become inadequate to address emerging legal, procedural, and institutional challenges.
The president explained that the proposed legislation was designed to improve the administration of criminal justice in the Federal Capital Territory and other federal courts, while establishing a more effective Administration of Criminal Justice Monitoring Council to enhance implementation of the law.
He stated that the proposed Act would promote efficient management of criminal justice institutions, accelerate the dispensation of justice, strengthen the protection of society from crime, and safeguard the rights of suspects, defendants, and victims.
According to him, the bill also seeks to ensure that courts, law enforcement agencies, and all institutions involved in criminal justice administration comply fully with the provisions of the law.
Tinubu said the decision to repeal and re-enact the legislation followed the identification of persistent shortcomings in the current legal framework.
He listed the challenges to include delay in criminal investigations and prosecutions, inadequate deployment of technology in criminal proceedings, weak coordination among criminal justice institutions, poor case management systems, and ineffective monitoring of compliance with the Act.
The president stated that the proposed legislation had been reviewed by experienced law officers with expertise in criminal law, criminal procedure, and legislative drafting.
He added that the bill incorporated recent judicial pronouncements, technological innovations, and international best practices in criminal justice administration.
According to the president, the proposed law also strengthens the Administration of Criminal Justice Monitoring Council by providing additional measures to ensure effective implementation of the Act by relevant institutions.
Following the presentation of the communication, Senate referred the bill to its Committee on Rules and Business with a mandate to report back within four weeks.
In a separate communication, Tinubu transmitted the National Senior Secondary Education Commission Amendment Bill, 2026, to Senate for consideration.
He said the objective of the proposed amendment was to strengthen the administration and governance of public senior secondary education across the country.
The president disclosed that the Federal Executive Council approved the amendment bill at its meeting of April 30, 2026, after which it was vetted and finalised by the Federal Ministry of Justice to ensure compliance with constitutional provisions and legislative drafting standards.
Tinubu told the senate that the proposed legislation reflected his administration’s commitment to strengthening educational institutions in the national interest.
He urged lawmakers to accord the bill expeditious consideration and passage.
“While it is my hope that the senate will consider the bill and grant it expeditious passage, please, accept, Distinguished Senate President, the assurances of my highest consideration and personal regards,” the president wrote.
The senate also referred the education bill to the Committee on Rules and Business with a directive to report back within one week.
