Nasarawa State Attorney General Launches Bold Initiative For Criminal Cases In Four Weeks Experiment....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice of Nasarawa State, Shuaibu Labaran Magaji, has expressed his intention to address the issue of prison overcrowding by expediting the delivery of justice in the state. Recently assuming his position, Magaji emphasized that accused individuals possess fundamental rights similar to those of free citizens. To safeguard these rights and ensure that prisons maintain their proper capacities, he is actively working to reduce the time spent on legal proceedings.

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“I want to assure you that I have specific cases in mind that I intend to test. I will collaborate with the courts to explore, for the first time, the possibility of concluding a criminal case within four weeks, without compromising the rights of the accused individuals,” stated Mr. Magaji during his meeting with members of the Correspondents Chapel in his Lafia office on Tuesday.

Magaji attributed the problem of prison overcrowding to both citizens who violate the law and justice sector workers who neglect their responsibilities. He stressed the importance of carefully evaluating cases before deciding on the appropriate course of action, suggesting that some offenses could be punished differently rather than resorting to imprisonment due to emotional or biased factors from either the prosecution or the judge.

In pursuit of this objective, he revealed that he had already visited key organizations responsible for managing the criminal justice system in the state upon taking office. His aim is to ensure that they work cohesively to reduce the prison population and protect citizens’ rights. He acknowledged the vital role of journalists in the justice administration process and called on the Chapel members to support him and the administration of Governor Abdullahi Sule, who is committed to upholding the rule of law.

Magaji, a well-known federal prosecutor, pledged to apply his experience in handling high-profile cases to his new role as the chief legal officer of Nasarawa State. He emphasized the importance of prosecutorial discretion in deciding whether to allocate public funds to prosecute certain cases, particularly those arising from civil disputes among individuals.

Isaac Ukpoju, Chairman of the Correspondents Chapel in Nasarawa State, congratulated the Attorney General on his appointment and assured him of the union’s cooperation in achieving the set objectives. He also encouraged the AG to leverage the resources available to the office of the attorney general to reduce the prison population in the state, highlighting the governor’s prerogative of mercy as a potential means of alleviating overcrowding. Ukpoju pledged the Chapel’s support in delivering policies, projects, and programs aimed at enhancing the justice sector in the state.