Criminal Justice System under Obasanjo Regime, (2003-2008): An Assessment
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Date
2008
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Publisher
History and International Studies, University of Ilorin
Abstract
The main objective of this paper is to theoretically discuss and assess the criminal justice in Nigeria from 2003 to 2007 during Obasanjo’s second term as a civilian president in Nigeria. The paper used control theory to review the role of the criminal justice in Nigeria. The paper pointed out that, despite the huge financial and human resources that were made available to the organs charged with the duty of enforcing law and order in Nigeria, the performance of the Nigeria police force, courts and prisons in Nigeria were far below public expectation during the period under review. The paper further explained that the main aim or goals of the criminal justice in Nigeria, among others, is to ensure enforcement of laws, peace and order punishment, correction and rehabilitation of offenders etc. However, or contrary to their established roles, the police, courts, and prisons were often accused of engaging in extra-judicial killings, failure to unravel and charge to courts many cases of politically motivated killings among others. The paper further pointed out that courts in Nigeria were often accused of deliberately delaying justice while the prisons were places of hardening criminals instead of being a place of correction and rehabilitation. The paper concluded and recommended that for better performance, the judiciary should be made independent indeed and not seen and treated as an appendage of the executive arm of the government among other recommendations.
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Keywords
Criminal justice, Nigeria, Judiciary, Police, Prisons
Citation
Akor S. J. (2008): Criminal Justice System under Obasanjo Regime, (2003-2008): An Assessment. Journal of History and International Studies 2(5) 198-211. Published by the Department of History and International Studies, University of Ilorin.