The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef O. Fagbemi, has disclosed measurable strides in Nigeria’s criminal justice administration, with over 1,300 convictions secured across multiple crime categories, more than 6,000 legal aid interventions, and approximately $52.88 million in recovered foreign assets.
The AGF disclosed this in Abuja while highlighting the achievements of his ministry and its agencies in enhancing access to criminal justice, as well as the government initiatives, beneficial programmes, and policies within the justice sector.
According to the AGF, between October 2024 and May 2025, the ministry successfully prosecuted and secured convictions in 226 terrorism cases out of 237 tried within a single week in December 2024, reflecting a 95 per cent success rate.
Fagbemi added that the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) also secured 1,056 convictions for drug-related offences, while the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) recorded 37 convictions for human trafficking cases.
He said legal support for indigent Nigerians saw notable coverage, with the Legal Aid Council handling 2,790 criminal cases and 1,021 civil cases—482 of the latter resolved via Alternative Dispute Resolution mechanisms.
According to him, the council also facilitated 637 police station interventions and conducted 760 correctional centre visits, reaching thousands of inmates and suspects nationwide.
Fagbemi added: “The ministry’s asset recovery efforts culminated in the repatriation of over $52.88 million through a bilateral agreement with the United States. Notably, $50 million of the repatriated sum has been earmarked for the Federal Government’s renewable energy access programme, expected to benefit 17.5 million Nigerians, while the balance will support counter-terrorism training.
“Cybercrime response intensified with the establishment of a Joint Case Team comprising the Ministry, law enforcement agencies, and the judiciary. This structure supports the integration of prosecutors into investigation processes and fosters inter-agency collaboration. The ministry also initiated a review of Nigeria’s cybercrime legal framework to align with global standards.”
The AGF noted that vulnerable groups have also received attention, disclosing that in the area of sexual and gender-based violence, the ministry secured six convictions and promoted policy reforms, including a review of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act. He said that further protection initiatives led to the creation of referral centres and the development of protocols to tackle school-related gender-based violence.
He said that in copyright enforcement, the Nigerian Copyright Commission confiscated infringing works valued at over N400 million through 120 monitoring operations, while launching a pro bono legal support initiative for authors. Fagbemi added that the agency also established a mediation centre and ADR rules to streamline copyright dispute resolution.
