Edo Kidnapping Trials: NBA Calls For Faster Justice Delivery System Nationwide

by Idahosa Musa

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Benin Branch, has called for a faster and more efficient criminal justice system, urging the judiciary to replicate the speedy trial model adopted by the Edo State Special Criminal Court in other serious criminal cases.

The branch chairman, Mr Omorodion Omoigui, made the call in Benin while reacting to the judgment delivered by the Special Court in the kidnapping case arising from the abduction of a woman at the Benin Vegetable Market on June 14, 2026.

Omoigui said the relatively swift determination of the case had demonstrated that criminal trials could be concluded within a reasonable time without compromising due process, fair hearing or the fundamental rights of accused persons.

The Edo State Government established the Special Criminal Court to prosecute kidnapping and cult-related offences, with the court commencing operations on July 1, 2026.

Speaking alongside other executives and members of the Benin NBA, Omoigui stressed that the association was not advocating rushed justice, but a system in which criminal cases were handled efficiently and without avoidable delays.

According to him, the case provided an important lesson that when the judiciary, security agencies, executive authorities and legal practitioners effectively discharge their constitutional and professional responsibilities, the justice system can respond decisively to serious security challenges.

He commended the coordinated efforts of the stakeholders, particularly the security agencies for their prompt response and investigative work, and urged them to sustain the collaboration to ensure that justice was delivered promptly, fairly and lawfully.

Omoigui reaffirmed the Benin NBA’s commitment to the rule of law, judicial independence and protection of fundamental rights, saying an efficient justice system remained critical to strengthening public confidence and addressing the country’s growing security challenges.