Omale, Don John. 2009. Challenging Crime and Criminal Justice Systems in Africa: Towards Restoration of Afrocentric Justice.

On the 8th of October 2009, I was privileged to be invited to a ‘think tank’ international seminar held in Abuja-Nigeria on ‘Crime and Criminal Justice Systems in Africa-Enhancing Human Security’ organised by the African Human Security Initiative Secretariat, the Institute for Security Studies and the West Africa Network for Peace building (WANEP)-Nigeria. The seminar organised by a network of African organisations working on peace, security and conflict created an opportunity aimed at influencing reforms in the criminal justice systems in Africa. It also serves as a dialogue forum for drawing attention to the effects of crime and defective criminal justice systems on the sustainability of the democratic and developmental process of Africa. Recommendations from the seminar also aim to complement the formal National Economic Partnership for African Development (NEPAD)-Africa Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) process. (excerpt)