By Ibrahim Hassan-Wuyo

The Executive Director of the CLEEN Foundation, Mr. Peter Maduoma, has called on journalists across Nigeria to enhance their watchdog role by improving coverage of human rights, the Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL), and the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda.

Speaking on Tuesday at the opening of a three-day media workshop and policy brief dissemination event in Kaduna, Maduoma emphasized that the media plays a central role in driving justice sector reforms and promoting gender-responsive governance.

Welcoming participants, he said the workshop aims to deepen journalists’ understanding of the ACJL and WPS frameworks at the state level and to reinforce the media’s role in fostering accountability within the justice system.

“Our focus is on human rights protection through accurate reporting on state ACJL implementation and the Women, Peace and Security agenda,” Maduoma said. “Your expertise as journalists is essential for strengthening accountability in the justice sector.”

The workshop is part of a project titled “Strengthening Rights-Based Approaches to ACJA Frameworks and Advancing Women, Peace and Security in Nigeria,” which seeks to close gaps in criminal justice reform implementation and enhance media engagement on rights-based governance.

While noting that the passage of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) in 2015 and its domestication by several states has brought significant reforms, Maduoma acknowledged that implementation remains uneven and challenged by persistent gaps in gender-responsive governance.

“Implementation of the ACJA and its state versions has not been consistent. Significant weaknesses remain that hinder progress in justice reform—issues journalists must continue to highlight,” he said.

Maduoma added that the CLEEN Foundation has conducted baseline assessments, organized capacity-building programmes for justice sector actors, established state ACJL working groups, and supported the creation of multi-stakeholder implementation and monitoring committees for the WPS agenda in several states.

He explained that the Kaduna workshop combines a two-day training for journalists with the dissemination of policy briefs on state ACJL and WPS frameworks, aimed at equipping the media to report more effectively on justice delivery and institutional compliance.

“Beyond public sensitization, we expect the findings from this project to guide policymakers and justice actors in making necessary adjustments to improve justice delivery,” Maduoma said.

He expressed gratitude to the Royal Norwegian Embassy for funding the initiative and commended the research team for their contributions to advancing justice sector reforms.

Maduoma also thanked the participating journalists and stakeholders, urging them to actively engage in the sessions and contribute toward strengthening rights-based reporting.

The event brought together journalists from various media organizations, civil society representatives, and justice sector stakeholders from across the project’s implementing states.