To achieve proper and effective justice system in Nigeria, the government must encourage a system where those who are convicted for minor offenses are made to observe community services in their respective localities.
These and many more recommendations were made by legal experts at a forum held in Ibadan.
Community service may not be as popular in Nigeria as it should be, but there’s a provision in the law for a judge to order an offender to carry out some community tasks.
This approach is often used for less serious offences and aims to promote rehabilitation, reintegration, and accountability while minimizing the impact of incarceration.
Like Ibrahim Ajisafe (not his real name), who was found guilty of fraud-related charges, revealed that the community sentence transformed his life, leading him to pursue a lawful business venture.
In light of this, the Chief Judge of Oyo state Justice Iyabo Yerima at a forum organised by the Justice Development and peace commission suggested that offenders must be made to serve in their own communities to shame them.
Other stakeholders present argued the need for proper funding of the Nigerian Judicial system to make the community service practice more explorable.
Experts believe that incorporating community service as an alternative for minor offences could mark a transformative step towards a more balanced and effective justice system in Nigeria.
