The Bauchi State Ministry of Justice has revealed that the state recorded 592 criminal cases in the 2024–2025 legal year, with rape, homicide, and robbery among the most reported offences.

Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Hassan Usman, SAN, disclosed the figures on Tuesday during the 2025–2026 legal year commencement ceremony in Bauchi. The breakdown includes:

75 homicide cases

28 kidnappings

86 cases of rape

91 robbery cases (up from 83 in the previous year)

According to Usman, of the 592 cases, 97 have been disposed of, 15 were discharged through legal advice, and 454 are still pending. He noted that the Ministry is implementing strategies to fast-track prosecutions in line with the Administration of Criminal Justice Law, including setting timelines for filing charges and court proceedings.

Speaking at the event, Bauchi State Chief Judge, Justice Rabi Umar, criticized the recurring practice of arraigning suspects without proper preliminary investigations.

“In many cases, efforts to gather evidence are only initiated after the trial has begun. This backward approach significantly delays justice and undermines public confidence in our legal system,” she said.

Justice Umar further revealed that a committee has been established to review the Bauchi State Administration of Criminal Justice Law and draft improvements aimed at addressing these challenges.