Public Prosecution in Nigeria: Institutional Challenges, Prosecutorial Discretion, and the Awaiting-Trial Dilemma

Abstract

Public prosecution remains an indispensable instrument for maintaining social order, enforcing criminal laws, and safeguarding public safety. However, the administration of criminal justice in Nigeria faces severe structural bottlenecks, most notably chronic custodial congestion driven by a disproportionately large population of awaiting-trial inmates (ATIs). This paper critically investigates the systemic challenges confronting public prosecutors in Nigeria—including resource constraints, technological adaptation gaps, and unguided prosecutorial discretion. By evaluating the constitutional and statutory frameworks, including the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, this study moves beyond descriptive critique. It integrates Jeffrey Bellin’s normative 'servant-of-the-law' model as an analytical framework to reshape prosecutorial behavior, urging a transition from a traditional 'conviction-at-all-costs' mindset to a non-adversarial adherence to statutory mandates. Finally, the paper outlines targeted, evidence-based reform options aimed at optimizing prosecutorial efficiency and mitigating pre-trial detention pressures.

Keywords Prosecutorial Discretion, Awaiting-Trial Dilemma, Institutional Challenges, Nigeria

Download the Full Article PDF

References

  1. 1.
    Abel, J., (2015). Brady’s Blind Spot: Impeachment Evidence in Police Personnel Files and the Battle Splitting the Prosecution Team, Stanford Law Review. ., 67 (4), 743 - 803 .
  2. 2.
    Akpor, D. O. (2026). .. Pardon or perverse of justice? A critical appraisal/in-depth interrogation of sections 36(10), 174 and 211 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999. University of Benin Repository. https://repository.uniben.edu/sites/default/files/2026-06/AKPOR%20DENNIS%20PROJECT%20PRINTING_0.pdf .
Publication Details

Journal: African Journal of Peace & Social Inclusion.

Volume: 1, Issue: 3

Published: 2026/09/23

How to Cite
NICODEMUSA SAMSONA BESKAA
Public Prosecution in Nigeria: Institutional Challenges, Prosecutorial Discretion, and the Awaiting-Trial Dilemma