20/08/2025
Call for Public Debate
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1FuMG4EoQ9/
CRIME AND PUNISHMENT IN NIGERIA: Reinventing Community Service Approach as a Control Strategy.
By
Mathew Nwokwu
Criminologist
Director Matropol Intelligence Resources Ltd & Matropol Intelligence Academy, MiA
The question whether crime is increasing or decreasing in Nigeria given the plethora of crime fighting institutions, especially the role of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) sincerely calls for urgent social and academic debate.
There are many unresolved cases of corruption and awaiting trials in the police, ICPC, EFCC and code of conduct bureau crying for justice.
is challenging all Criminologists in Nigeria to gather for debates on the above subject matter to review the existing criminal justice systems in Nigeria and to brainstorm and identify gray areas that need policy amendment and ACTIONS.
We are calling on policy makers to consider the option of introducing compulsory Community Service into the justice systems, to allow deserving criminals who indulge in economic crimes to be engaged publicly to serve in their communities or in a designated public farms, markets, universities, and production industries; where they will be made to do menial jobs such as cleaners, farm workers, teaching in primary and secondary schools, sweeping roads, streets, markets and servicing other public utilities.
This effort if sustained will help significantly to reduce crime and deter potential offenders, who may not want to face public shame and other demeaning treatments that offenders of crime are expected to enjoy in the course of their national service.
The efforts of EFCC and ICPC Nigeria seem to be insufficient and to some extent insignificant in deterring criminal offenders, especially in the corridors of power. Therefore, there is an urgent need to introduce another radical approach in ensuring that those who willfully loot and embezzle our collective wealth are made to work out there salvation with fear and trembling. Criminals who take undue advantage of their official or social status to sabotage the government's efforts at fostering democratic values and dividends should be made to face the wrath of the law, and also be paraded publicly to engage in community service; including working compulsorily to complement government's efforts at local, State and federal levels to boost agriculture and food security.
We invite to this debate:
Criminology Student Society of Nigeria - CSSN
DonJohn Omale
Cleen Foundation
Crime Watch-NIgeria
Criminology NIgeria
Nigerian Tribune
Channels Television
National Orientation Agency, Nigeria.
Aisokhina I-Silver
National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) Students' Association
Criminology Noun
Open Society-Africa
Criminology Research Centre worldwide
Alh K Babawere Criminologist
Odoh Ben
Dan Tuti
Ameh Francis
Emilio C. Viano
International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)
West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI) Criminologists Initiative
British Council Nigeria
American Red Cross
Nigeria Youth Coalition for Positive Change
Association of Forensic Criminologist
CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation
Embassy of Switzerland in the United States of America
African ChangeMakers Initiative -
African Union Youth Volunteer Corps
African Women's Development Fund
Central Bank of Nigeria
Commonwealth Youth Programme
Jaishankar Karuppannan
Omotayo Femi Richard
Nigeria Youth SDGs Network
AfricanFocus ForYouth Development
Nwoba Chika Nwoba
Human Rights Watch and Youths Empowerment Foundation
