Advocacy groups , Justice and Rights Initiative, in partnership with the Human Rights Law Service, have called on the Benue State Government to commence funding the implementation of the State Administration of Criminal Justice Law, ACJL, to enhance the justice system.

According to Justice and Rights Initiative, JRI, and the Human Rights Law Service, HURILAWS, lamented that since the enactment of the law in 2019, there has been a huge setback in the Justice sector due to government failures.

In a media interaction in Makurdi, the groups explored the state of Administration of Criminal Justice Law after seven years of domestication without implementation and commitment on the part of agencies and its officers, to ensure the provisions in the administration of criminal justice law are adhered to, by security agencies and personnel.

The Executive Director of Justice and Rights Initiatives, Barr Solomon Torluam, said citizens are often the victims as they usually suffers untold hardship and trauma, when the laws are not implemented.

He decried that the Nigeria Correctional Service in Benue lack major facilities, and hope that the administration of Governor hyacinth Alia does the needful.

Reiterating that there is lack of commitment on the part of government to implement the Administration of Criminal Justice law, the ED called on the Media to help educate the public and stakeholders on the provisions and objectives of the criminal justice systems to promote awareness of their rights and ensure transparency

Meanwhile, Justice and Rights Initiative said in the administration of criminal justice laws, punishment must not be custodial but rehabilitating.