The Nigeria Chapter of the International Human Rights Commission Relief Fund Trust (IHRC-RFT Global) has called for urgent reforms to the country’s justice and correctional system, warning that punishment alone cannot address the root causes of crime or prevent repeat offences.
Speaking in a public advocacy statement, the Country Director, Amb. Abdullahi Bakoji Adamu, stressed that Nigeria must move beyond a system that focuses primarily on incarceration and instead embrace rehabilitation, reintegration, and human rights–based reforms.
According to him, many former inmates face severe stigma and rejection after completing their sentences. “When they are released, society often avoids them, denies them employment opportunities, and continues to label them as criminals,” he noted. “This exclusion pushes many into frustration and hopelessness, increasing the risk of reoffending.”
The Commission argued that correctional centres should function as genuine rehabilitation institutions rather than mere detention facilities. It advocated structured vocational training, formal education, life-skills development, and behavioural counselling for inmates during their period of incarceration.
Experts in criminal justice reform have long maintained that sustainable public safety depends not only on punishment but also on tackling underlying social challenges. Echoing this view, the IHRC-RFT identified poverty, lack of education, and unemployment as major drivers of crime that must be addressed through coordinated government and community efforts.
The organization further called on correctional authorities, policymakers, civil society groups, and traditional and community leaders to prioritize reintegration programmes that give former offenders a second chance.
“True justice is not punishment alone,” the statement emphasized. “It must include rehabilitation, transformation, and opportunity.”
Advocates say that adopting a balanced justice model—one that combines accountability with structured reintegrationwill not only reduce recidivism but also strengthen social stability and national development.
The IHRC-RFT Nigeria Chapter reaffirmed its commitment to promoting policies that uphold human dignity and protect fundamental rights within the criminal justice system.
*Address Root Causes of Crime, IHRC-RFT Advises Stakeholders*
