The Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), retired Deputy Inspector General of Police, Hashimu Argungu, mni, has raised alarm over the persistent conflict of roles and undefined mandates among security agencies, describing them as major impediments to due process in the administration of criminal justice in Nigeria.
Speaking in Abuja, during a one-day executive forum organized by CLEEN Foundation in collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force, DIG Argungu stressed the urgent need to streamline the functions of security and criminal justice institutions to eliminate ambiguity, duplication of duties, and institutional friction.
Delivering the keynote address titled “The Executive Forum for Efficient Implementation of the Administration of Criminal Justice Regime in Nigeria,” Argungu called for a comprehensive review of Nigeria’s “passive” justice systems at both federal and state levels. He emphasized that inefficiencies, stemming from inadequate funding, poor inter-agency collaboration, globalisation, and lack of technological integration, continue to hamper the effective implementation of criminal justice reforms.
The PSC Chairman also pointed out other challenges such as inter-service rivalry, politicisation of crime and security issues, ignorance of statutory roles, and unnecessary competition among institutions.
Argungu urged the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly to modernise existing laws to reflect contemporary global realities. He further recommended that the offices of the Attorney General of the Federation, the Ministries of Interior and Foreign Affairs, organise regular capacity-building workshops for investigators and prosecutors on mutual legal assistance and the admissibility of electronic evidence—especially in cross-border criminal cases.
Calling for a more unified approach to justice delivery, DIG Argungu stated that democratic institutions and components of the criminal justice system must operate in harmony, warning that failure or misconduct by any single entity could compromise the integrity of the entire system.
He also advocated for the National Human Rights Commission to engage more actively with stakeholders and the public in fostering operational support and accountability within the justice sector.
The forum brought together key actors from security agencies, criminal justice institutions, and civil society to discuss challenges and explore best practices in enhancing compliance with criminal justice procedures in Nigeria.