The Bauchi State Ministry of Justice reported a total of 592 criminal cases during the 2024-2025 legal year. These included 75 homicide cases, 28 kidnappings, and 86 cases of rape. The state also saw an increase in robbery cases to 91, up from 83 the previous year.
Attorney General Hassan Usman, SAN, who revealed these figures, noted that of the 592 cases, 97 were concluded, 15 were discharged through legal advice, leaving 454 cases still pending. The Ministry has initiated strategies, including setting timelines for court proceedings, to speed up prosecutions in accordance with the Administration of Criminal Justice Law.
However, Bauchi State Chief Judge, Justice Rabi Umar, criticized the recurrent problem of arraigning suspects without complete preliminary investigations, stating that evidence gathering often starts only after the trial begins. She argued that this delays justice and erodes public trust. To address this, a committee has been formed to review and draft amendments to the state’s criminal justice administration law.
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