Nasarawa State Slashes Legal Advice Timeline to 7 Days for Faster Justice

The Nasarawa State Government has reduced the period for legal advice on high-profile cases from 40 days or more to just seven days, aiming to speed up justice delivery.

Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Barr. Isaac Danladi, announced this on Monday in Lafia during a monthly ministerial briefing organised by the Information, Culture, and Tourism Commissioner, Dr. Ibrahim Tanko.

Danladi said the administration of Governor Abdullahi Sule views an efficient justice system as essential to good governance, economic growth, and public trust. Previously, case files had to pass through multiple directors for input, causing long delays. The ministry has now streamlined the process, giving the Director of Public Prosecution a central role to ensure swift and fair justice.

The government has also strengthened state counsels, with over 70 lawyers prosecuting cases across the state. Their salaries and allowances have been harmonised, making them among the highest-paid in the country.

"We recognise that delays in adjudication erode confidence in the rule of law, discourage investment, and leave victims and defendants in prolonged uncertainty," Danladi said.

He added that the government is working with the judiciary, police, correctional service, and the Nigerian Bar Association to unblock bottlenecks in the justice chain. The administration is also committed to decongesting correctional facilities through periodic pardons for inmates.

In his remarks, Commissioner Tanko said his ministry has created platforms like the monthly briefing to inform the public about government policies and projects. He urged citizens to trust the justice system, avoid self-help, and pursue redress through courts or alternative dispute resolution mechanisms.

Tanko reaffirmed that the Sule-led administration upholds the rule of law and will continue supporting reforms to strengthen justice administration in the state. (NAN)