Ministry of Justice

Our Vision

Our Mission

Our Objectives

• Facilitating the constitutional duty of Government to promote the rule of Law and provide justice;
• Securing and retaining skilled motivated legal officers and para-legal staff to aid administration of justice by creating a peaceful and lawful environment for profitable business transaction;
• Strengthening the Departments including the Oyo State Mediation Centre, P.R.S. and the Office of the Administration-General and Public Trustee for functionality and effectiveness;
• Ensuring the effective use of the Mediation Centre at the Headquarters and operationalizing the zonal mediation centres to minimize litigation to make justice accessible to citizens at the grassroot, thereby encourage alternative dispute resolution;
• Decongesting the prisons by improved prosecution strategy to reduce awaiting trials;
• Effective transportation and conveyance of state counsel to courts for enhanced litigation procedure and to aid general administration;
• Effective computerization of operations to functional working tools and conducive environment in tandem with Government’s transformation agenda;

• Public prosecutions department
• Civil litigation and advisory services i
• Civil litigation and advisory services ii
• Legal drafting and parliamentary counselling department
• Legal drafting and ministerial counselling department
• Mediation centre
• Directorate of general legal administration
• Directorate of planning research and statistics
• Administration and supplies department
• Finance and account department
• Administrator-general and public trustee division

Existing structure:

• Honourable Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice.
• Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary.
• Public Prosecution Directorate.
• Civil Litigation and Advisory Services Directorate.
• Administration-General and Public Trustee division (AG&PT).
• Legal Drafting and Parliamentary Counselling Directorate.
• Legal Drafting and Ministerial Counselling Directorate.
• Mediation Centre.
• General Legal Administration division.
• Planning, Research and Statistics Directorate.
• Finance and Accounts Directorate.
• Administration and Supplies Directorate.

ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE

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• Honourable Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice:

He is at the helms of affairs and arrowhead that controls, supervise, coordinate, direct/instruct all programme of activities in the Ministry. He also attends as directed by His Excellency all political/official functions.

• Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary:

He ensures strict compliance with all set out goals and activities as directed by HAGCJ and required statutorily by rules and regulation of civil service. The smooth running of the administration as directed is within his purview.

• Directors:

the Directors could be referred to as Management team of the Ministry and they carry out activities of their various directorates as specified and directed by the duo (HAGCJ / SGPS).

• Other key Officers:

Deputy Directors, Assistant Directors, Principal Officers, State Counsel down the line ensures good administration

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• Timeous rendition and issuance of Legal Advice to both the Nigerian Police and the mdas within 21 days;
• Facilitating the release of about Fifty (50) convicts by procuring financial partnership from the Bar towards payment of their fines;
• Initiating main prosecution to awaiting trial inmates of prisons towards a speedy decongestion of prisons on probono scheme basis;
• The Mediation Centre was able to settle various disputes between parties who voluntarily submit themselves. Issues on family inheritance, landlords\tenants, employer\employee, commercial transactions, debtsrecovery, land matters had Eighty percent (80%) success rate at the Centre;
• Conferment of Justices of Peace on deserving individuals in 2014;
• Geometrical improvement in the generation of revenue to the coffer of the state government by the office of the Administration General and Public Trustee which oversees and manages the estate of the interstate deceased persons;
• The timeous preparation and vetting of contractual agreements by Legal Drafting and Ministerial Counselling Directorate;
• Organized the Constitution Review Committee that produced the best result in the whole of the South-West of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (2012 – 2013):

RECENT ACHIEVEMENTS:  

• Since resumption of the Honourable Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in May, 2016, he has been able to initiate, processed and achieved the following;Wholesale review of a number of Revenue Bills of various mdas, viz;
• Inspection, Grading and Movement of produce Bill, 2016;
• Oyo State Mineral Development Agency (Amendment) Bill, 2016;
• The Oyo State Security Trust Fund (Amendment) Bill, 2016;
• Fire Services (Amendment) Bill, 2016;
• Cooperatives Societies (Amendment) Bill, 2016;
• Oyo State Road Traffic Management Agency (Amendment) Bill, 2016;
• Fire Services Regulation, 2016 (drafted for the Commissioner of Works and Transport to sign for ease of implementation);
• Oyo State Infrastructure Management and Control Agency Bill, 2016;
• Oyo State Inland Fisheries Bill, 2017;
• Oyo State Sport Council (Amendment) Bill, 2017;
• Oyo State Animal Feed Mill Bill, 2017;
• Forestry (Amendment) Bill, 2017;

OTHER BILLS:

• Oyo State Planning Commission Bill. 2016;
• The Technical University, Ibadan (Amendment) Bill, 2016;
• Public Officers Protection Bill, 2016;
• Post Primary Public Institution (Acquisition of Lands and other property)(Amendment) Bill, 2016;
• Oyo State Multi-Door Courthouse Bill, 2017;
• Local Government (Further Amendment) Bill, 2016;
• The Oyo State Environmental Protection Agency (Amendment) Bill, 2016;
• Oyo State Mediation Centre (Amendment) Bill, 2016;
• Oyo State Property Protection Bill, 2016;
• High Court of Oyo State Civil Procedure Rules (Amendment) Bill, 2017;
• College of Cooperative and Entrepreneurship Rules (Amendment) Bill,2017;

LAWS RECENTLY ENACTED:

• Oyo State Property Protection Law, 2017;
• Oyo State Health Insurance Agency Law, 2017;
• Local Government (Further Amendment) Law, 2016;
• Oyo State Community Service Punishment Law, 2016;
• Administration of Criminal Justice Law, 2017;
• Oyo State HIV/AIDS (Anti-Discrimination) Law, 2017;
• Violence Against Women Law, 2107:
• The Ministry deployed its best efforts in defending a caseload of Civil cases of about Three Hundred and Seventy-five (375) cases on Land, Chieftaincy matters and others.
• A memoranda was forwarded to Ministry of Lands on several cases for possible settlement and requesting their imput and reference for His Excellency’s approval;
• A Retreat was organized for the State Counsel on September 16^th and 17^th, 2016;
• A Programme organized by the Justice Development and Peace Centre (JDPC) on the recently enacted Administration of Criminal Justice Law and Community Service Punishment Law between 25^th and 26^th January, 2017 was attended by Prosecutors, State Counsel and other major stakeholders like EFCC, ICPC, Police e.t.c.;
• Decongestion of the Prisons, programme was kick-started by the Honourable Attorney-General &Commissioner for Justice;
• Programme by the Federal Attorney-General and Body of Attorney-Generals of the State on Public Prosecution was well attended by the state counsel and other stakeholders in May, 2017:

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE MINISTRY OF JUSTICE IN THE SIX (6) YEARS OF GOVERNOR ABIOLA AJIMOBI ADMINISTRATION

RE-POSITIONING OF THE OYO STATE MEDIATION CENTER FOR EFFECTIVE PEACE AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION

• On Assumption of Office as the Executive Governor of Oyo State, His Excellency, Senator Isiak Abiola Ajimobi released a sum of fifty Million Naira (N50,000,000) to the Contractor handling the construction of Mediation Centers in Oyo, Ogbomoso, Saki and Igboora.

• With the release of the sum, the centres at Oyo and Ogbomoso are almost ready for commissioning while the centers at Saki and Igboora are still under construction, and hopefully, before the year breaks into half, they would have been completed. When completed, the centres will serve as avenue to resolve conflicts/disputes faster and at no cost to the disputants. In the last 6 years, with the new lease of intervention, our Mediation Centre has handled a total of 3,285 cases and successfully resolved between parties a total of 2,621 cases between year 2011 and 2016. Upon completion of the Zonal centers, the figures are expected to more than double with even greater success resulting in a more harmonious society in Oyo State.

INSTITUTIONALIZED POSITIVE REFORM IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM BY DRAFTING AND PASSING THE ADMINISTRATION OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE LAW OF OYO STATE AND THE COMMUNITY SERVICES PUNISHMENT LAW.

• The Ministry in conjunction with the Oyo State Judiciary ensured the passage of the Community Service Punishment Law 2016 and the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Oyo State to ensure decongestion of prisons, and efficient administration of our Criminal Justice System. Also, in order to ensure that relevant stakeholders in the implementation of these Laws are enlightened, a Two (2) day workshop was organized by the Ministry of Justice in conjunction with the Justice, Peace and Development Commission (JPDC), at JPDC Hall, Basorun, Ibadan, between 25^th & 26^th January, 2017.

TREMENDOUS IMPROVEMENT IN THE IGR OF THE ADMINISTRATOR GENERAL AND PUBLIC TRUSTEE DIVISION.

• Between 2011 and March 2017, the sum of One Hundred and Thirty Six Million, Two Hundred and Ninety Four Thousand, Three Hundred and seventy Seven Naira, Thirty Three Kobo (N136,294,377.33) only was generated as Administrative Charges by AG & PT Division. Similarly, the sum of N17,583,465.90 was also generated from Oaths. A record unprecedented in the history of the Ministry.

HIGHLIGHTS OF ACTIVITIES PROJECTS IN THE MINISTRY OF JUSTICE

CONSTRUCTION OF ZONAL MEDIATION CENTERS IN THE STATE.

• On assumption of Office as the Executive Governor of Oyo State, His Excellency, Senator Isiak Abiola Ajimobi released a sum of Fifty Million Naira (N50,000,000.00) to the Contractor handling the construction of Mediation Centres in Oyo, Ogbomoso, Saki and Igboora. With the release of the sum, the centres at Oyo and Ogbomoso are almost ready for commissioning while the centers at Saki and Igboora are still under construction, and hopefully, before the year breaks into half, they would have been completed. When completed, the centres will serve as avenue to resolve conflicts/disputes faster and at no cost to the disputants.

• Date of Project – 2010
• Project Title – Construction of Zonal Mediation Centres at Oyo,          Ogbomoso, Saki and Igboora.
• Description of the Project – Construction of Mediation Centres across the State at Oyo, Ogbomoso, Saki and Igboora.
• Specific measurable objectives – To bring Justice delivery to all the nooks and cranny of the state, to promote peaceful co-existence and assist the indigent to have access to justice quickly.
• Particular impact after the implementation of the project
  • Mediation Issues are resolved at the door steps of the disputants;
  • Avenue to resolve conflict/disputes faster and at no cost to the disputants;
  • Increment in the number of cases resolved at the censors across the State.
  • Greater success resulting in a more harmonious society in Oyo

APPOINTMENT OF JUSTICE OF PEACE

• On the 2^nd of April 2015, His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Oyo State, Senator Abiola Ajimobi conferred Justice of the Peace on over 225 (Two Hundred and Twenty Five) deserving citizen of the State. At the end of the conferment, over N4,000,000.00 (Four Million Naira) was realized as internally Generated Revenue (IGR) into the State Government Coffers. These Justices of peace are very vital to the promotion of peace, unity and security in Oyo State. Their contributions to the relative peace in Oyo State cannot be overemphasized.

ORGANIZATION OF TWO (2) DAY RETREAT WITH THE THEME: THE CHAMBER OF THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL: WHAT NEXT

• The Ministry, as part of her efforts at ensuring that the State Counsel are well rooted in the Administration of Criminal Justice and other legal matters, organized a two (2) day retreat between 16^th and 17^th September, 2016 at the Kano Hall, IBS, Francis Okediji Street, Old Bodija, Ibadan. During the retreat, various erudite scholars and legal luminaries delivered lectures on contemporary issues in the legal world which includes: Day 1 – The Ministry of Justice: An overview, The chambers of the Attorney-General, Critical Thinking and Communication skills, we are one team building,
• Day 2 – Justice Sector Reforms from the Ministry of Justice and Beyond competency skill of a prosecutor, ACJL – A Paradigm Shift In Criminal Prosecution

MIDWIFED THE ADMINISTRATION OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE LAW OF OYO STATE AND THE COMMUNITY SERVICE PUNISHMENT   LAW 2016

• The Ministry in conjunction with the Oyo State Judiciary ensured the passage of the Community Service Punishment Law 2016 and the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Oyo State to ensure decongestion of prisons, and efficient administration of our Criminal Justice System. Also, in order to ensure that relevant stakeholders in the implementation of these Laws are enlightened a Two (2) day workshop was also organized by the Ministry of Justice in conjunction with the Justice, Peace and Development Commission (JPDC) at JPDC Hall, Basorun, Ibadan, between 25^th & 26^th January, 2017.

AGGRESSIVE IGR DRIVE

• In the last 6 (Six) years, the Ministry’s IGR increased tremendously.