Court activities in the Magisterial and Shariah Courts Divisions of the Niger State Judiciary,have been crippled as a result of the withdrawal of Police Prosecutors on the order of the Chief Judge of Niger State Justice Halima Ibrahim Abdulmalik.
The withdrawal of Police Prosecutors from prosecuting Criminal related litigations across Magisterial and Shariah Courts has already affected the speedy administration of Criminal Justice in Niger State as most of the accused persons are now languishing in correctional Custodies across the state.
A visit to some courts in Minna and its environs,revealed that most of the Police Prosecutors handling criminal cases were not visible in court due to their withdrawal from Prosecuting Criminal cases
The Chief Judge,through the Chief Registrar of the Niger State High Courts,Hajiya Amina Laminde Musa Saidu Esq, has issued a circular informing the withdrawal of non police Prosecutor who is not qualified lawyer from prosecuting in Magistrate and Sharia Courts across the State.
The circular dated 15th January, 2026,and signed by the Chief Registrar,of the Niger State High Courts,Hajiya Amina Laminde Musa Saidu,
read in part:
“ That only Qualified Police Officers who are legal Practitioners (lawyers), are now authorized to conduct Criminal Prosecutions in all Magistrates and Sharia Courts across the state.
“ Non- lawyer Police officers and laypersons no longer have the right of audience to prosecute criminal cases before these courts.
“ All criminal charges and applications must be signed and moved by a legal practitioner from the Ministry of Justice,the Police legal Department or any other authorized agency.
“ In cases where a legal practitioner has not yet been assigned to replace a lay Prosecutor, a short adjournment be granted by the court to ensure the proper legal representation is secured.
“ This reform is aimed at ensuring professional legal standards protecting the fundamental rights of defendants and speedier dispensation of Justice in our state” the circular stated.
The Cabal findings within the Judiciary headquarters in Minna,revealed that the lay off of the unqualified Police Prosecutors who is not a legal practitioner was in line with the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2023,Police Act 2020 and the Administrative Directive of the Chief Judge transition period which came to end on the 15th of January,2026.
Already,as a result of the lay off of the police prosecutors from the courts,the fate of the defendants awaiting trials across custodial facilities in the state is uncertain as most of them are still languishing without being taken to court for proper prosecution.
Findings further revealed that some state counsels and private legal Practitioners engaged to replace the already lay off prosecutors were yet to cope with the rudiments of prosecuting in court as they are yet to get themselves acquainted with the nitty gritty of prosecution.
The trend, according to a source who preferred not to be named in the press,” we are yet to come to terms with the reality of this withdrawal of Police Prosecutors from our courts”
The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Niger State Alhaji Nasir Muazu in an interview with Journalists in Minna confirmed that the position of the withdrawal of the prosecutors from the courts was in line with the law.
He admitted that the Chief Judge of Niger State Hon. Justice Halima Ibrahim Abdulmalik acted within the provision of the law.
He disclosed that the Ministry has already forwarded a proposal for the appointment of fifty state counsels to the governor of Niger State Umar Mohammed Bago for his approval “as soon as he give the approval for the appointment I think,we will appoint them and post them to replace the already lay off Police Prosecutors”
