ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE COMMISSION ACT, 1991

There is hereby established a body to be known as the Administration of Justice Commission (in this Act referred to as "the Commission").

(1) The Commission shall consist of the Chief Justice of Nigeria as Chairman and the following other members, that is-
(a)
the Attorney-General of the Federation;
(b)
the Minister of Internal Affairs;
(c) the Inspector-General of Police;
(d) the Director of Prisons; and
(e) the President of the Nigerian Bar Association.
(2)
The supplementary provisions contained in the Schedule to this Act shall have effect with respect to the proceedings of the Commission and the other matters mentioned therein.
[Schedule.]

(1) The Commission shall be charged with the general supervision of the administration of justice in Nigeria.
(2) Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1) of this section, the Commission shall ensure that-
(a) the courts system in Nigeria is generally maintained and adequately financed;
(b) judges and officers of the courts conform with the Code of Ethics of their office;
(c) criminal matters are speedily dealt with;
(d) congestion of cases in courts is drastically reduced;
(e) congestion in prisons is reduced to the barest minimum;
(f) persons awaiting trial are, as far as possible, not detained in prison custody;
(g) the relationship between the organs charged with responsibility for all aspects of the administration of justice is cordial and there exists maximum cooperation amongst the organs for effectiveness of the system of administration of justice in Nigeria.

There is hereby established in each State of the Federation a body to be known as the Administration of Justice Committee (in this Act referred to as "the Committee").

(1) The Committee shall consist of the Chief Judge of the State as chairman and the following other members, that is-
(a) the Attorney-General of the State;
(b) the Commissioner of Police of the State:
(c) the Chairman of the State branch of the Nigerian Bar Association; and
(d) the State Controller of Prison.
(2) The quorum of the Committee shall be three and subject thereto, the Committee shall regulate its own procedure.

The Committee shall be charged with the general supervision of all aspects of the administration of justice in the State and the effective performance of the functions of all organs charged with responsibility for the administration of justice in the State.

(1) The Commission shall establish and maintain a fund consisting of such moneys as may in each year be appropriated by the Federal Government for the purpose of the Commission.
(2) The Commission shall defray from the fund established pursuant to subsection (1) of this section for the purposes of the functions of the Commission and the State Committees established by this Act, all moneys payable under or in pursuance of this Act.
(3) The Chairman of the Commission shall be the accounting officer for the purpose of controlling and disbursing moneys from the fund established pursuant to this section.

(1) The Chairman of the Commission shall before 30 September in each year cause to be prepared an estimate of the expenditure and income of the Commission during the next succeeding year and when approved by the Commission, the estimate shall be forwarded for approval by the Federal Government.
(2) The Commission shall keep proper accounts and proper records in relation thereto, under the direction and control of the Chairman.
(3) The accounts of the Commission shall be audited annually by an auditor appointed by the Commission from the list and in accordance with guidelines supplied by the Auditor-General for the Federation.

The Committee shall prepare and submit to the President not later than the 31st day of December in each year, a report on the activities of the Commission during the immediately preceding year, and shall include in that report a copy of the audited accounts of the Committee for that year and the auditor's report thereon.

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires-
"Commission" means the Administration of Justice Commission established by section 1 of this Act;
"Committee" means the Administration of Justice Committee established for each State of the Federation by section 4 of this Act;
"functions" includes powers and duties.

This Act may be cited as the Administration of Justice Commission Act.