The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Criminal Justice Reform Committee (CJRC) has honoured the association’s President Abubakar Mahmoud (SAN), Chief Judge of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court Justice Ishaq Bello and others.

They were recognised for their contributions to criminal justice administration reform in the country during NBA’s fifth Criminal Justice Reform Conference which held in Asaba, the Delta State capital from April 24 to 27.

The committee’s Chairman Chief Arthur Obi Okafor (SAN) said the honouree were former chairmen of the committee and others who had helped to improve the society through their works on Justice sector reformation.

Others, who received the highly-coveted award former NBA President Mr. Joseph Daudu (SAN), Dr. Garba Tetengi (SAN), Director-General Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS) Prof. Deji Adekunle (SAN), National Coordinator of the Legal Defence and Assistance Project (LEDAP) Mr Chino Obiagwu, Dr. Uju Agomoh of PRAWA, among others.

Obiagwu was honoured for his outstanding contributions in the reform of criminal justice administration in Nigeria.

The award was presented to Obiagwu and others at the closing dinner of the conference.

According to the NBA, the award was made in recognition of Obiagwu’s role as the Chairman of the National Working Group on the Reform of Criminal Justice in Nigeria between 2004 and 2009.

The group prepared the first draft of the Administration of Criminal Justice Bill, that was eventually passed into an Act of the National Assembly in 2015.

Other awardees at the well-attended conference were Prof. Yemi Akinseye-George (SAN), who was the secretary of the working group and later secretary of the Panel on Justice Reform.

Others were a member of the Working Group and former Director of Public Prosecutions of Lagos State, Fola Arthur Worrey.

Mahmoud, Daudu and Tetengi were the past chairmen of the NBA Criminal Justice Committee.

Also honoured was the Governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa, for his support to NBA’s criminal justice reform initiatives.

Institutional awards were also given to the MacArthur Foundation for supporting criminal justice reform over the years and to Yar’Adua Centre.

The conference was organised by the NBA Criminal Justice Reform Committee chaired by Chief Arthur Obi Okafor (SAN). Its theme was: Criminal Justice Reform in Nigeria: the Journey So Far.

The event drew key players in the criminal justice sector, including representatives of the Senate President Bukola Saraki, the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Walter Onnoghen, the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) Abubakar Malami (SAN), the Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris, among others.

There were six sessions featuring over 50 speakers, with the sub-themes: Unlocking the innovations of criminal justice legislation, Arrest, remand and awaiting trial syndrome in criminal justice: fixing the jigsaw to end prison congestion, Speedy trials, times and interlocutory proceedings: Has the ACJA helped?, Corruption, economic and financial crimes: Special courts to the rescue? Human trafficking and transnational crimes: institutional and legal remedies, and Prosecution and punishment of electoral offenders in Nigeria.

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