Oyo Assembly Proposes Special Courts for Criminal Cases

On Tuesday, the Oyo State House of Assembly advocated for the creation of Special Criminal Divisions within the Oyo State High Court to enhance the speed of hearing and determining criminal cases, particularly those involving kidnapping, banditry, and other serious offenses. This resolution was prompted by a motion titled “Need for the Establishment of Special Criminal Divisions within the Oyo State High Court for Speedy Trial of Criminal Cases and Strengthening of the Administration of Criminal Justice,” moved by Dawood Olalere, the lawmaker representing Ibadan North-West Constituency, during a plenary session presided over by Speaker Adebo Ogundoyin.

The assembly expressed concern over the increasing incidents of violent crimes in the state and emphasized that the current handling of both civil and criminal matters by High Courts has led to congested dockets and delayed justice. The lawmakers urged the state Chief Judge and the Attorney-General to take necessary steps towards establishing these divisions and called for adequate support from the executive arm of government.