By Cross Udo, Abuja
The federal and state governments have been advised to improve the efficiency of legal processes as it concerns juvenile offenders.
An international development consulting firm based in Nigeria, Nextier, in a report over the weekend, said prolonged pre-trial detention could be harmful to them.
In the report, titled: Transforming Juvenile Justice in Nigeria: Strategies for Comprehensive Reforms, Nextier also contended that this practice disrupts the normal lives of juveniles and separates them from their families and communities.
This is as the governments at the sub-national and the centre have been urged to increase investment in alternative sentencing and rehabilitation programs, and reduce reliance on pre-trial detention for juvenile offenders.
The government was further urged to allocate increased funding towards improving the juvenile justice system while collaborating with Civil Society Organisations in the development and execution of effective juvenile justice policies in Nigeria.
These are some of the recommendations contained in a policy research report authored and presented to the public by public policy analyst, Ndidi Anyanwu-Njoku, of the Nextier Advisory group.
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It also implored the government to collaborate with relevant agencies and implement a standardised and comprehensive data collection and management system.
According to the report, “The Nigerian government and multilateral agencies must invest more in education, vocational training, and expanding social safety nets.
“Parents and guardians should be responsible for monitoring their children’s activities, ensuring they are engaged in positive and age-appropriate pursuits.”
Anyanwu-Njoku said that Nigeria’s juvenile justice system recognises the unique needs and vulnerabilities of young offenders, aiming to provide them with rehabilitation and reintegration opportunities while safeguarding their rights and best interests.
She pointed out that “however, the Nigerian criminal justice system, especially in juvenile cases, faces many challenges that require comprehensive reform efforts.
“These efforts may include improving the efficiency of legal procedures, investing more in alternative sentencing and rehabilitation programs, and reducing dependence on pre-trial detention for juvenile offenders.
“Strengthening the juvenile justice system is essential for protecting the rights, well-being, and prospects of young people in the criminal justice system while promoting reintegration and reducing recidivism for the benefit of the wider community.”
Giving a background to her report, the author noted that the burgeoning youth population in Nigeria is a double-edged sword and that while most young Nigerians are law-abiding citizens, a noteworthy proportion are involved in criminal activities.
She stressed that “though the exact number of juvenile offenders in Nigeria is unknown, a 2022 report estimates that around 6000 children and adolescents in Nigeria were held within the criminal justice system. These are young lives caught in a cycle that threatens their future, as well as the future of the nation.
“Even more alarming is the fact that the majority of these children are detained for over six months in pre-trial detention facilities, a practice that often goes against international standards of juvenile justice.”
Anyanwu-Njoku noted that apart from the Nigerian criminal justice system being known to be slow, another challenge facing the juvenile justice system in Nigeria is the lack of adequate specialised juvenile courts, which means that juvenile offenders are often tried in the same courts as adults, with attendant negative consequences for juvenile offenders.
“When juvenile offenders are tried in the same courts as adults, they are exposed to hardened criminals. This can increase their risk of victimisation and can make it more difficult for them to reintegrate into society after they have served their sentences.
“Moreover, adult judges and magistrates may not have the same understanding of the needs of juvenile offenders as specialised juvenile justice professionals. This can lead to unfair and inappropriate sentences for juvenile offenders.
“Prolonged pre-trial detention can be particularly harmful to juveniles. It disrupts their normal lives, separates them from their families and communities, and can make them feel as if they have already been convicted, thus undermining their legal rights.
“The longer a juvenile stays in pre-trial detention, the more difficult it becomes to provide appropriate rehabilitation and support”, she added.
