Don’t Wait for Politicians, Drive Reforms in Judiciary, CSLS Charges Judges, Magistrates 

Alex Enumah in Abuja 

The Centre for Socio-Legal Studies (CSLS) has urged judges and magistrates in the country to drive ongoing reforms in the judiciary arm of government rather than wait for politicians.

President of the CSLS, Professor Yemi Akinseye-George, SAN, gave the charge in Abuja, at a two-day Capacity-Building Workshop on the Model Practice Direction on the Implementation of National Minimum Standards (NMS) for the effective Implementation of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) and Administration of Criminal Justice Laws (ACJLs).

The two-day workshop which ended on Friday was put together by CSLS with the support of the Rule of Law and Anti-corruption (RoLAC) Programme.

In his welcome address, the Learned Professor who stated that the Practice Direction was designed to strengthen the implementation of the ACJA, 2015 and the various ACJLs, described the workshop as a call to re-imagine the role of the judiciary as the frontline engine of justice reform in Nigeria.

Akinseye-George while observing that the drafters of the ACJA and the Model Practice Direction sought to remove the old bottlenecks that slowed criminal justice system and undermined public trust, stated that even the best law requires the creativity, courage, and professional innovation of judicial officers to bring it to life. 

“You, as judges, magistrates and practitioners at the bar are the custodians of its practical meaning. Every remand order, every bail decision, every case-management directive is an opportunity to demonstrate what a modern, efficient, people-centred criminal justice system looks like,” he said.

The CSLS president told the participants that the public is watching, and indeed hoping, that the courts will lead the way in restoring confidence in the country’s justice system, adding that when the courts apply the Model Practice Direction with consistency and creativity, delays shrink, congestion reduces, and the promise of the ACJA becomes tangible.

“The purpose of this meeting is to take a closer look at the proposed Model Practice Direction developed through the collaborative efforts of stakeholders across the federation with the goal of filling gaps in the ACJA & ACJLs of the various states. 

“Whilst several of the provisions are capable of immediate implementation others are aspirational or futuristic. Yet others require further legislative work by the National Assembly at the federal level and by the various Houses of Assembly at the State level. However, as the future begins now it is necessary to start discussing and broadening stakeholders awareness of the provisions,” Akinseye-George said. 

He explained that the Model Practice Direction equip judges and magistrates with powerful tools such as active case management, time-bound remand review, virtual hearings where appropriate, technology-driven record keeping, clearer standards for bail, and periodic audit of awaiting-trial cases, among others. 

While observing that tools only fulfill their purpose when used boldly and imaginatively, the CSLS president encouraged participants to embrace solutions that reduce delay, promote accountability, and ensure that the courtroom becomes a place where fairness is not aspirational but guaranteed.

“As we engage in today’s sessions, I urge each of you to see yourselves not merely as interpreters of orders but as architects of justice reform. Your leadership, discipline, empathy, and willingness to innovate will determine how far these reforms travel into the daily lives of Nigerians,” he said.