INNOVATIONS IN THENIGERIA’S ADMINISTRATION OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE ACT 2015: TOWARDS ENTRENCHING PEACEFUL RESOLUTION

Abstract

There  has  been  much  agitation  for  a  total  overhaul  of  the  laws  regulating  administration  of  criminal  justice  in Nigeria  in  view  of  the  myriad  ills  militating  against  a  successful  administration  in  Nigeria.  Thus,  the  signing  into law  of  the  Administration  of  Criminal  Justice  Act,  2015  is  a  response  to  the  calls  for  the  reform  of  the  Nigerian criminal justice system. The various laws regulating the criminal justice system were dearly in need of amendment due to the fact that they were no longer in tune with the reality of time and global best practices in criminal justice system  as  well  as  contemporary  trend  of  criminal  justice  administration  in  the  world  and,  indeed  Nigeria.  This article  adopts  the  doctrinal  method  and  seeks  to  attempt  an  analysis  of  the  Act in  other  to  show  the  salient innovations in the  Act, with particularly  reference to the  inclusion of plea bargain as an ADR Mechanism  and the need for a continuous reform of the Act to correct the various shortcomings associated the criminal justice systemin Nigeria.