The Bauchi state Ministry of justice has disclosed that the state recorded 592 criminal activities in the 2024-2025 legal year, including 75 homicide cases, 28 kidnappings, and 86 cases of rape.
Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Hassan Usman, SAN, revealed the figures on Tuesday during the commencement ceremony of the 2025-2026 legal year in Bauchi. He also reported that robbery cases rose to 91, up from 83 in the previous year.
“In total, we received 592 criminal cases. Of these, 97 have been disposed of, 15 were discharged through legal advice, and 454 are still pending,” Usman said.
He further noted that the Ministry has developed strategies to fast-track prosecutions, in line with the Administration of Criminal Justice Law, by setting timelines for filing charges and court proceedings.
Speaking at the event, Bauchi State Chief Judge, Justice Rabi Umar, criticized the recurrent practice of arraigning suspects without proper preliminary investigations.
She said, “In many cases, efforts to gather evidence are only initiated after the trial has begun. This backward approach significantly delays justice and undermines public confidence in our legal system.”
Justice Umar added that a committee has been established to review the Bauchi state administration of criminal justice law and develop a draft law designed to address these challenges.