NHRC boss hinges improved security on human rights protection
A coalition of stakeholders working on justice system sector reform, the Criminal Justice Network of Nigeria (CJNN), in collaboration with Human Rights Law Services (HURILAW), have called for broader application of community service sentencing as a strategy to decongest correctional service centres and improve the administration of criminal justice in Lagos State.

The call was made during a stakeholders’ engagement with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) aimed at strengthening partnerships to advance the implementation and monitoring of community service orders within the justice system.

The meeting, supported by the German Catholic development agency, Misereor, brought together civil society organisations from law chambers in Lagos State to deliberate on the challenges and opportunities surrounding non-custodial sentencing.

Convener of CJNN, Nathaniel Ngwu, explained that community service is a court order that allows offenders convicted of minor offences to compensate society through unpaid work rather than serving custodial sentences in correctional facilities.

According to him, the measure is designed for offenders who would ordinarily attract short-term imprisonment but do not pose a threat to public safety.

He added that serious offenders who pose risks to society do not qualify for such sentencing, noting that the philosophy behind community service is to ensure that punishment also contributes positively to society.

Ngwu said that the concept of community service dates back to the British Mandate administration in Palestine and has since been adopted in many jurisdictions around the world, including the United States (U.S.), where offenders are allowed to perform supervised work for city or county authorities as an alternative to incarceration.

Ngwu, however, noted that the major challenge confronting the Lagos State judiciary in implementing community service orders remains logistics.

He said addressing the logistical gaps would be critical to ensuring that offenders sentenced to community service are properly supervised and prevented from absconding.

He, therefore, urged the NHRC and other justice sector institutions to support the initiative, stressing that sustained collaboration would be necessary to ensure the effective implementation of community service as a viable alternative to custodial sentencing.

On its part, the NHRC stressed the need for a clear and coordinated framework to effectively monitor the application of non-custodial sentences in Nigerian courts.

The NHRC Director, Lagos State, Lucas Koyejo, noted that while efforts to encourage non-custodial sentencing are commendable, it is important to recognise that sentencing decisions remain the discretion of judges.

Meanwhile, the Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Tony Ojukwu, has stressed that respect for human rights strengthens security outcomes, noting that human rights and security should not be seen as competing interests.

According to him, when communities trust law enforcement agencies, they are more willing to cooperate in crime prevention and intelligence gathering.

Ojukwu, who spoke at a dialogue on building trust and protection of human rights, organised by Lift for Citizens Development and Advancement (LICDA), stated that transparent and fair processes make convictions credible, while decisive action against abuses helps institutions to gain legitimacy.