President proposes repeal of the 2015 law, abolition of trial-within-trial proceedings and creation of a national Sex Offenders Register

President Bola Tinubu has transmitted the Tinubu Criminal Justice Reform Bill to the House of Representatives, proposing the most extensive overhaul of Nigeria’s federal criminal procedure law in more than a decade, including the abolition of the controversial trial-within-trial process, the creation of a national Sex Offenders Register and fresh measures to accelerate criminal proceedings.

Also read: Tinubu orders FCCPC probe into big tech over media abuse claims

The proposed Administration of Criminal Justice Bill, 2026, was formally forwarded to the House on Wednesday with a request for expeditious consideration.

The legislation seeks to repeal and replace the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, which has governed criminal procedure in federal courts for the past 11 years.

In a letter addressed to Speaker Abbas Tajudeen, President Tinubu said the proposed law was designed to resolve legal, procedural and institutional shortcomings that have slowed the effective administration of criminal justice despite reforms introduced under the 2015 Act.

“I am pleased to transmit to the House of Representatives for consideration, a Bill for an Act to repeal the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015 and enact the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2026,” the President wrote.

President Tinubu said the legislation aims to promote efficient management of criminal justice institutions, ensure faster dispensation of justice, strengthen public safety and protect the rights of suspects, defendants and victims.

One of the most significant proposals is the abolition of trial-within-trial proceedings, a long-established legal procedure used by courts to determine whether a defendant’s confessional statement was made voluntarily before it is admitted as evidence.

Under the proposed framework, prosecutors would establish the voluntariness of confessional statements during the main trial, while courts would provisionally admit the statements and determine any objections to admissibility when delivering final judgment.

The proposed change is expected to reduce lengthy interruptions that have delayed several criminal trials, particularly complex corruption, organised crime and terrorism cases, where trial-within-trial proceedings have sometimes extended for months.

The bill also introduces a National Sex Offenders Register to be maintained by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation.

Prosecuting authorities and law enforcement agencies would be required to submit the particulars of convicted sex offenders for registration and publication.

Another notable innovation is the establishment of a Witness Support Fund to ensure prompt payment of witness-related expenses by the Attorney-General of the Federation and other prosecuting agencies, a move intended to improve witness participation and strengthen prosecutions.

The proposed legislation further introduces plea forms to simplify arraignment procedures, requires courts to determine no-case submissions within 21 days after the prosecution closes its case, and encourages the use of written witness depositions where appropriate.

It also seeks to strengthen judicial case management by promoting concise presentation of evidence, reducing unnecessary procedural delays and requiring prosecutors to file witness statements, documentary exhibits and other relevant materials alongside criminal charges before magistrates’ courts.

President Tinubu is also proposing a stronger Administration of Criminal Justice Monitoring Council through the establishment of a governing board comprising representatives of the judiciary, law enforcement agencies, prosecuting authorities, correctional institutions, the Nigerian Bar Association and civil society organisations.

Under the bill, the President would appoint the Council’s Executive Secretary on the recommendation of the Attorney-General of the Federation, while the Attorney-General would also be empowered to issue regulations for the effective implementation of the Act.

The legislation includes transitional provisions designed to prevent criminal trials from starting afresh when judges retire, are transferred or die before concluding proceedings, an issue that has contributed to prolonged litigation in several high-profile cases.

Explaining the need for the repeal, President Tinubu identified persistent delays in investigations and prosecutions, weak coordination among criminal justice institutions, inadequate deployment of technology, ineffective case management and poor compliance monitoring as major weaknesses in the current legal framework.

“The bill has extensively addressed the above challenges. The bill also reflected developments in criminal justice administration, judicial pronouncements, technological innovations, and international best practices relating to criminal justice reform,” the President stated.

President Tinubu added that experienced law officers specialising in criminal law, criminal procedure and legislative drafting reviewed the proposed legislation before it was submitted to the National Assembly.

“In light of the above, it is my hope that the House of Representatives will consider the bill expeditiously,” the President urged.

The Administration of Criminal Justice Act was signed into law in 2015 by former President Muhammadu Buhari and was widely regarded as a landmark reform intended to speed up criminal trials, reduce unnecessary adjournments, improve coordination among criminal justice institutions and strengthen the rights of suspects and victims.

However, judicial officers, prosecutors, defence lawyers and legal scholars have consistently argued that implementation challenges, procedural bottlenecks and limited technological adoption have prevented the law from fully achieving its objectives.

Also read: Tinubu playfully calls first lady ‘Iya Alakara’ (VIDEO)

If approved by the National Assembly and signed into law, the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2026, would mark a transformative chapter in Nigeria’s criminal justice system, introducing far-reaching procedural reforms aimed at delivering faster, more efficient and more accountable criminal proceedings.