Edo lawyers urge wider use of speedy criminal trials

The Benin branch of the Nigerian Bar Association has called on the Edo judiciary to extend the speedy-trial approach used in a kidnapping case to other criminal matters in the state. The branch chairman, Omorodion Omoigui, made the appeal in Benin while responding to a judgment in a kidnapping case connected to an incident at the Benin Vegetable Market on June 14, 2026. The Edo State Government established a special criminal court to try kidnapping and cult-related cases, and the court began operating on July 1.

Omoigui said the case showed that criminal proceedings could be concluded efficiently without abandoning due process. He stressed that the call was not for justice to be rushed. Instead, he said justice should be delivered efficiently, fairly and without unnecessary delay while the rights of all parties remained protected.

Omoigui said the case demonstrated that speed and due process could coexist. He attributed the timely outcome to coordinated work by the executive, security agencies, judiciary and legal profession. The NBA chairman urged stakeholders to maintain that cooperation and ensure that criminal cases were handled promptly and lawfully.

He said effective performance by institutions could help the justice system respond to security challenges facing society. Omoigui also reaffirmed the Benin NBA’s commitment to the rule of law, judicial independence and the protection of fundamental rights. The material provided does not specify the sentence or other details of the kidnapping judgment that prompted the association’s reaction.