FACTORS RESPONSIBLE FOR SUSPECTS AND ACCUSED PERSONS' RIGHTS VIOLATION IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE IN NORTH-WESTERN, NIGERIA

This study examines the factors responsible for suspects and accused persons' rights violation in the administration of criminal justice in north-western, Nigeria. The intention of this work is to describe the major factors; and identify the suspects and accused persons’ knowledge about where to lodge complaint of rights violation. It also tries to identify whether lack of supervision of custodies by governmental and non-governmental human rights organizations lead to suspects and accused persons’ rights violation. Literature is reviewed in line with the above objectives, and elite theory is adopted as the theoretical framework. The study utilized convenience and purposive sampling methods to select respondents for a survey and in-depth interviews in Kano, Katsina and Jigawa states, respectively. The survey method was utilized to collect data from 496 Suspects and 507 Accused Persons, making a total of 1003 surveys. The respondents utilized for In-depth Interview included: three (3) suspects, three (3) accused persons, three (3) Police officers, three (3) court officials, three (3) correctional officers, three (3) lawyers from the Legal Aid Council and three (3) academics, making a total of 21 in-depth interviews. The data generated from the survey were analyzed using descriptive statistics, while the qualitative data were analyzed using narrative method as complimentary information. The findings of the study discovered that lack of working facilities among criminal justice agencies is the major factor responsible for suspects and accused persons’ rights violation followed by lack of funding among criminal justice agencies, lack of policy implementation, corruption among criminal justice agencies, lack of court speedy dispensation of justice due to cases load, prison congestion due to high number of awaiting trials and lack of training and awareness among criminal justice personnel respectively. It also revealed that suspects and accused persons are not aware of where to lodge a complaint about their rights abuse and there is lack of supervision by responsible Human Rights organizations which adversely affected suspects and accused persons’ rights in the administration of criminal justice. The study recommended adequate provisions of working facilities, funding, training and re-training of criminal justice agents. However, the works of governmental and non-governmental human rights organizations need to be checkmated to ensure compliance with Acts that established them.