“I think it is time we have to review our criminal justice system in Nigeria" - Gambari

Yesterday, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, former Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations,  called for the review of the country’s judicial system to ensure sustainable peace and conflict resolution in the country.

Gambari made the call at the fifth international Africa Peace and Conflict Resolution conference hosted by the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) in Abuja.

The two-day conference has as theme: “Restorative and Community Justice: Challenges, Lessons and Prospects.”

Gambari, a former UN Special Adviser on the International Compact with Iraq and Other Issues, also called for establishment of early warning mechanism to end injustice in the country.

“I think it is time we have to review our criminal justice system in Nigeria because it is due for reform. No one is happy about our criminal justice except the criminals “And we have to restore that balance not in favour but against criminal. Justice is imperative in the way of peace; any one denied justice has no interest in peace.

“You cannot have peace where there is no justice because people must have the feeling of closure, a feeling where violation of human rights is brought to justice,” he said.

Gambari stressed that restorative justice was a very important tool for peace and conflict resolution, noting that statistics showed that more than 50 per cent of resolved conflicts recurred due to injustice.