For justice, Nigeria needs centralised criminal registry
Beatrice Jedy-Agba, Solicitor General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry
For justice, Nigeria needs centralised criminal registry
The Solicitor General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice, Beatrice Jedy-Agba, has called for a centralized criminal registry system in the country to help strengthen the Nigerian justice sector.
Jedy-Agba noted that leveraging technology is an essential key in justice delivery as an ineffective case management system contributes to reoccurring inefficiencies.
She stated this on Monday at the opening session of a two-day strategic meeting for ICT representatives for the establishment of a justice information management system held in Abuja.
Jedy-Agba, who said the Nigerian Police is one of the few agencies with a database currently in the country, noted that the limited accessibility to key stakeholders like prosecutors and judges has created significant barriers to effective justice delivery, particularly during sentencing.
For justice, Nigeria needs centralised criminal registry.
According to the SGF, in an era where access to accurate and timely information is paramount to informed decision-making, digital transformation is an essential tool to optimize the delivery of justice.
She said, “We are gathered here today because we recognize that the current state of our justice sector is no longer sustainable. At present, Nigeria lacks a centralised criminal registry. While the Nigeria Police Force is one of the few agencies with a database, its limited accessibility to key stakeholders—such as prosecutors and judges—has created significant barriers to effective justice delivery, particularly during sentencing.
“The absence of a comprehensive, accessible National Criminal Registry has resulted in unreliable statistical analyses, with many criminal convictions going unrecorded. This, in turn, impedes efforts to track serious crimes and maintain accurate crime data.
“While certain law enforcement agencies, such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, and the Nigerian Correctional Service, have made strides in digitizing their operations, these initiatives remain isolated, with no unified platform to coordinate national data management.
“The task before us is to develop a cohesive strategy to facilitate the collection, storage, sharing, and management of data across law enforcement, regulatory, and security agencies. A centralised National Database will serve as a critical tool to enhance coordination among justice sector institutions, streamline processes, and ultimately expedite the dispensation of justice.
“In line with Sections 16, 17, and 29 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015, the Federal Ministry of Justice has taken steps to integrate information technology across the justice sector”.
She added, “Initiatives to link custodial centres, police stations, courts, and other law enforcement bodies have been undertaken to monitor investigations and prosecutions”.
