Justice sector leaders, legal scholars and development partners have called for a unified national framework to reform Nigeria\u2019s juvenile justice system, warning that fragmented institutions and inconsistent practices are undermining children\u2019s rights and long-term crime prevention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The call was made at a Sub-National Dialogue on Juvenile Justice System Reform held in Abuja under the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC Phase II) Programme, implemented by International IDEA with funding from the European Union (EU).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
RoLAC Programme Officer Joshua Gbenga Dada said programme research revealed severe gaps across the justice chain from arrest and detention to adjudication and rehabilitation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He cited the scarcity of functional borstal homes, weak family court systems, and the lack of trained social workers as major obstacles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe juvenile justice system in Nigeria is not unified,\u201d he said. \u201cWhat we have are pockets of effort that do not speak to each other.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Professor Cheluchi Onyemelukwe argued that the problem lies not in the absence of law, but in poor coordination and political will.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She called for upgrades to juvenile facilities, vocational training that reflects modern realities, and court environments that are child-friendly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Officials from the Nigerian Correctional Service highlighted existing juvenile institutions but acknowledged capacity constraints.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Stakeholders urged greater budgetary commitment and inter-agency collaboration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The RoLAC dialogue, organisers said, is part of a broader strategy to generate actionable recommendations that will inform policy reforms and strengthen Nigeria\u2019s compliance with international child-rights standards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Participants agreed that reforming the juvenile justice system is not only a legal obligation but a strategic investment in Nigeria\u2019s future stability and development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Justice sector leaders, legal scholars and development partners have called for a unified national framework to reform Nigeria\u2019s juvenile justice system, warning that fragmented institutions and inconsistent practices are undermining children\u2019s rights and long-term crime prevention. The call was made at a Sub-National Dialogue on Juvenile Justice System Reform held in Abuja under the Rule […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":87813,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-90282","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t