ABOUT THE MINISTRY:

The Rivers State Ministry of Justice is a ministry of the Government of Rivers State responsible for handling and coordinating matters relating to judicial administration.

OBJECTIVE:

The mandate of the ministry is being the official legal department of the Rivers State Government. Its responsibilities are performed through its various departments as more particularly described and stated below

DEPARTMENTS:

LIBRARY SERVICE

The Library service is in charge of the Ministry’s research and reference library. It keeps all reference and research materials, books, and law reports relevant to the work of the Ministry.

ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT

This department is the fulcrum of the Ministry’s general duties and services, and interconnects all the other departments on the day-to-day running of the affairs.

FINANCE AND ACCOUNTS DEPARTMENT

This department is responsible for the preparation of the Ministry’s annual Budgetary Estimates, and for dispensing approved funds for the running of the Ministry.

CIVIL LITIGATION DEPARTMENT

This department defends civil actions and appeals against government and its agencies. In special cases, it institutes civil actions that are of public interest and defends appeals arising therefrom.

SPECIAL LEGAL SERVICE UNIT

This department was established in 2015 and is charged with the responsibility of handling highly classified state matters brought to the table of the Honourable Attorney-General and other matters as assigned by him.

LEGAL DRAFTING DEPARTMENT

For drafting of government contracts, agreements, Bills, Statutory Instruments, Notices and other legal documents involving the government and its Ministries, Departments and Agencies.

The Department has to-date facilitated the drafting of agreement, memorandum of understanding, bills and other instruments

ADMINISTRATION/ESTATE DEPARTMENT

Established pursuant to the provisions of the Administrator-General Law of Rivers State (Cap. 2, Laws of Rivers State of Nigeria, 1999), this Department  headed by the Administrator-General of Rivers State, with the primary statutory responsibility of administrating estates of deceased persons who died intestate (without a will).

CITIZENS' RIGHTS DEPARTMENT

The Directorate for Citizens Rights was set up in 2002 to actualize the access to Justice Policy of the Rivers State Government. It carries out its functions by utilizing Mediation, an alternative dispute resolution method to resolve disputes for Citizens free of charge.

They also receive complaints on human rights abuses, and take appropriate steps to assist petitioners.

Secondly, it institutes criminal charges through the filing of information and other criminal processes before the appropriate courts in the state and handles criminal appeals arising therefrom.

The department also advises the Honorable Attorney-General on the propriety or otherwise of all applications for fiat by private legal practitioners.

PLANNING RESEARCH STATISTICS

This Department is responsible for collating and updating statistics and data for a functional data base which is current and relevant to the Ministry’s planning and research purposes.

PUBLIC PROSECUTION DEPARTMENT

It renders legal advice on criminal cases investigated by the Police and other investigative agencies to determine the prospects of instituting criminal charges against persons suspected of having committed criminal offences.

Secondly, it institutes criminal charges through the filing of information and other criminal processes before the appropriate courts in the state and handles criminal appeals arising therefrom.

The department also advises the Honourable Attorney-General on the propriety or otherwise of all applications for fiat by private legal practitioners.