Stakeholders and the Administration of Criminal Justice Monitoring Committee, (ACJMC) has expressed concern that the media is slightly misinformed and not properly enlightened on the position and the impact of criminal justice actors in the society.
In a joint communique signed by the Chairman of ACJMC, Justice Ishaq U. Bello and Chief Judge of the FCT media and criminal justice actors should engage to play an important role of educating society and its stakeholders on criminal justice issues.
At a virtual emergency steps for the reform of the criminal justice sector in Nigeria by ACJMC and criminal justice stakeholders organised by CLEEN foundation, he said media representatives will also form part of the Criminal Justice Stakeholders Forum to be inaugurated.
He said this will also bridge the gap between the public and the police/law enforcement.
He also identified the need to bridge the trust gap between the general populace and the Police especially was recognized adding that if it was resolved that a forum for regular interface between the Police and the citizens, in the form of Town Hall meetings should be funded and encouraged by the stakeholders.
He said there is the need to empower bodies like the Administration of Criminal Justice Monitoring Committee (ACJMC) and National Human Rights Commission to be self- sustaining and effective agencies is a task that must be accomplished by the President.
The Committee and stakeholders resolved to accept the grievances of the protesters as a wake- up call for an urgent intervention in the criminal justice system and to restore the confidence of the members of the public in the administration of criminal justice in the country.
The Committee and stakeholders resolved that there is an urgent need to address these issues strategically and poignantly in order to restore the confidence of the populace, foreign partners and investors in our criminal justice sector and save our criminal justice system from total collapse and avert future disaffection with our criminal justice institutions.
