Community service for minor offenders as a pathway to prison decongestion

Nigeria’s correctional facilities are severely overstretched, thus negating the spirit of justice in a country with a significantly high crime rate.

With a huge number of inmates awaiting trial or serving sentences for minor, non-violent offences, the prison system has become less of a correctional environment and more of a holding centre. Embracing community service for minor offenders would be an approach that aligns with the principles of restorative justice—repairing harm, restoring dignity, and reintegrating offenders into society.

With the gradual impact of the restorative justice system in the country, there is a growing consensus that massive enlightenment of community service at the grassroots is a panacea for addressing the hydra-headed challenges of Nigeria’s judiciary.

A young motorcycle rider convicted of traffic obstruction in Ibadan was sentenced by a magistrate to six weeks of community service, cleaning drainage channels in flood-prone areas.

Within the period, he became aware of how blocked drains worsened flooding in his neighbourhood and, months later, became an informal advocate for environmental sanitation, often warning others against dumping refuse indiscriminately.

A first-time petty theft convict in Lagos was assigned to assist at a primary health centre as part of a community service programme coordinated with civil society groups. Working alongside health workers, he gained basic caregiving skills and empathy for vulnerable patients. After completing his sentence, he reportedly volunteered to remain at the centre while seeking legitimate employment—an outcome unlikely to have emerged from a prison term.

In Makurdi, a young man convicted of vandalising public property was ordered to join repair technicians of streetlights under the supervision of local works officers, gaining an experience that changed his perception of public assets.

Stakeholders gathered recently at this year’s Restorative Justice Week in Lagos, canvassing for increased community service as a panacea for decongesting correctional centres, rehabilitating minor offenders and promoting the restorative justice system. It is imperative that Lagos State is at the forefront of this campaign, which has received national recognition and adoption of the model by other states, including Adamawa, Anambra, Edo, Kano, Abia, Plateau, and the Federal Capital Territory.

Led by the Lagos State Ministry of Justice Community Service officers, the sensitisation team made visits to communities in Ikeja and Lagos Island, among others.

Lagos State Justice Commissioner Mr Lawal Pedro (SAN) emphasised the importance of community participation and offender rehabilitation, saying restorative justice was not just a legal principle but a fundamental human right. According to him, justice must go beyond punishment to include dignity, restoration, accountability and victim empowerment.

This year’s Restorative Justice Week was attended by stakeholders from the judiciary and non-governmental organisations such as the Nigerian Bar Association and the Prisons Fellowship and funded by the European Union.

The sensitisation drive would offer education on the purpose and value of community service as a corrective and developmental tool in modern justice administration and reinforce the message that justice is not only punitive but also restorative.

The International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA), the Swedish-based organisation that supports democracy in Africa with electoral management training and risk assessments, said public awareness and understanding of community service remained relatively low, especially at the grassroots level.

“Many residents, traditional leaders, and local authorities still perceive imprisonment as the only valid form of punishment… This misconception often results in stigmatisation of offenders, resistance to placements, and weak community collaboration with the justice system,” it stated.

According to statistics, in 2024, the Community Service Unit of the Lagos Ministry of Justice supervised 3,765 (3,600 male and 65 female) offenders that had been sentenced to do community service, a figure considered relatively low.

State Coordinator of the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Programme (RoLAC), Mrs Ajibola Ijimakinwa, said that though over 300 cases have been referred to the Restorative Justice Unit, “the numbers are still low, and we look forward to increased referrals from magistrates’ courts and the police.”

She said, “Before now, justice was mostly about punishment and incarceration. Now, victims and offenders can come together, discuss what happened and the impact of the crime, and reach agreements that ensure the victim is taken care of. We are here to sensitise the public that the Restorative Justice Unit exists in the Ministry of Justice.

“We urge judicial officers to continue reporting minor offences to the unit, ensuring people don’t go to prison unnecessarily. Awareness must increase so that, in one year, we can see more referrals. Even for cases already in the system, custodial centres can create awareness and request restorative justice when the offender appears before the court.”

The Director of the Lagos State Ministry of Justice Community Service Unit, Mrs Tomi Bodude, highlighted the three major objectives of community service as rehabilitation, restoration and decongestion.

She said, “Community service is a non-custodial sentencing for minor offenders, where offenders are required to perform unpaid work for the benefit of the community instead of being sent to prison. Offenders are monitored.

“Community service…helps correct behaviour, allows offenders to give back to society, and reduces overcrowding in our correctional facilities by keeping minor offenders out of custody. It also saves public resources and prevents the exposure of first-time offenders to hardened criminals.”

The Executive Vice Chairman of Lagos Island East LCDA, Hon. Monsurat Oluwatosin Balogun, said the community sensitisation programme provided an important avenue to educate residents on the purpose and value of community service as a corrective and developmental tool in modern justice administration. “It reinforced the message that justice is not only punitive but also restorative — aimed at building better citizens and strengthening community bonds,” she said.

The economic burden of “awaiting trial” can be significant. The Federal Government reportedly spends an estimated ₦21 billion annually feeding pretrial detainees alone—money that could support expanded community service programmes and rehabilitation. Nigeria’s correctional facilities were designed for about 50,000 inmates but currently hold an estimated 80,000 or more persons, underscoring severe overcrowding and the urgency of non-custodial sentencing options such as community service.

Community service as an alternative to custodial sentencing allows offenders to repay their debt to society through constructive labour rather than incarceration. Tasks such as environmental sanitation, public facility maintenance, traffic assistance, or community health outreach not only benefit society but also instil responsibility and civic pride in offenders. Importantly, it helps preserve family structures, employment prospects, and social ties that are often destroyed by imprisonment.

Nigeria’s prisons are filled with individuals convicted of minor offences that pose little threat to public safety, such as petty theft, traffic-related offences, minor assaults, or violations of local bylaws. Incarcerating such individuals is costly and counterproductive.

Beyond the financial burden on the state, overcrowded prisons create conditions that breed disease, radicalisation, and repeat offending. Community service, by contrast, keeps offenders visible, accountable, and productive.

Onayoade is the media consultant to the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) of Sweden and the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC) Programme.

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