Justice sector stakeholders in Delta State have called for a comprehensive review of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL) and the Civil Justice Law to ensure alignment with constitutional provisions and address practical challenges affecting their implementation.
The stakeholders made the call during a one-day workshop organised by the Delta State Ministry of Justice to examine critical issues arising from the implementation of the Administration of Criminal and Civil Justice Laws, 2022, as amended.
The workshop was convened to assess the effectiveness of the laws, identify implementation challenges and recommend practical solutions aimed at improving justice delivery in the state.
Speaking, the Chief Judge of Delta State, Hon. Justice Tessy Diai, represented by Hon. Justice Godwin Briki-Okolosi, said the meeting was intended to critically examine the laws to ensure they adequately respond to the realities of justice administration in the state.
She noted that the exercise was not aimed at weakening the laws but at examining them to meet emerging challenges within the justice system.
According to her, no legislation, regardless of how carefully drafted, can completely avoid implementation difficulties, stressing that the realities faced daily by courts, litigants, law enforcement agencies and correctional institutions make periodic reviews necessary.
“The realities we encounter daily in our courts, the experiences of litigants and the demands placed on law enforcement agencies and correctional institutions require us to examine these laws with openness and wisdom so as to improve what must be improved. That is how justice remains relevant, responsive and respected,” she stated.
Speaking during the workshop, the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Ekemejero Ohwovoriole, SAN, stressed that legal reforms can only succeed where institutions and courts are committed to enforcing the provisions of the law.
He advised that without effective enforcement, such reforms would amount to “mere words on paper.”
Ohwovoriole commended judicial officers for their commitment to implementing justice sector reforms and highlighted the introduction of electronic filing (e-filing) under the Civil Justice Law as one of the significant innovations within the justice system.
According to him, although the Civil Justice Law did not specify a commencement date for e-filing, the process officially commenced on December , 2023, while the first electronic filing was successfully made on May 20, 2026.He praised the Chief Judge and Justice Godwin Briki-Okolosi for championing the initiative.
The Attorney-General further stated that the reforms were designed to promote faster and more efficient administration of justice in both civil and criminal matters, adding that challenges still exist regarding the implementation of the Civil Justice Law and the Rules of Court. He called for the abandonment of outdated practices capable of hindering meaningful judicial reforms.
Providing clarification on the implementation timeline of the ACJL, Ohwovoriole explained that the law was assented to on December 22, 2022, with a transition period created only for Part 5, which deals with case management provisions.
He said designated pilot courts were directed to commence immediate implementation of the case management provisions, while other courts were given a 12-month transition period.
According to him, by December 2023 all courts covered by the ACJL were expected to fully implement the case management provisions. He, however, disclosed that upon assuming office in February 2024, he discovered that the provisions had not been fully implemented, necessitating an extension to allow judges and lawyers become familiar with the procedures.
The Attorney-General said the law was subsequently amended in June 2024, extending the implementation timeline by 24 months from the date of assent, with full implementation now expected across all courts by June 5, 2026.
He explained that the workshop was convened to determine whether the implementation timeline should be extended again or whether full implementation should commence statewide.
On the Civil Justice Law, he stated that the legislation received assent on December 22, 2022, and was designed to enhance effective justice delivery and speedy determination of cases.
He noted that certain sections of the law created transition periods relating to case management, interim measures and electronic recording of court proceedings.
According to him, pilot judges currently implementing the provisions were invited to provide guidance on whether the implementation period should be extended or whether full implementation should begin across the state.
At the end of the meeting, stakeholders resolved that the new laws should continue to operate only within designated pilot courts approved by the Chief Judge until relevant provisions are fully incorporated into the existing Rules of Court to ensure uniformity in implementation across Delta State.