The Ekiti State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Dayo Apata, SAN, has reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to strengthening restorative justice as part of ongoing justice-sector reforms.
Apata stated this on Wednesday in Ado-Ekiti at a stakeholders’ summit and capacity-building programme on restorative justice, organised by the state Ministry of Justice in collaboration with the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (ROLAC) programme.
The Attorney-General, represented by the Acting Permanent Secretary and Solicitor-General, Mr Gbemiga Adaramola, said restorative justice provided an approach to addressing unlawful conduct by bringing victims, offenders and, where appropriate, community representatives together.
He said the approach was aimed at addressing harm caused by offences while promoting accountability, reparation and reconciliation.
Apata said the summit was designed to reshape the administration of justice in the state, noting that the criminal justice system had traditionally focused on punishment and incarceration.
“Experience has shown that prison walls alone cannot heal the wounds inflicted on our communities, nor can they fully rehabilitate those who have erred.
“Traditional punitive measures alone are insufficient for modern conflict resolution,” he said.
He said the Ministry of Justice had established the Department of Restorative Justice and Community Services, backed by the Ekiti State Administration of Criminal Justice (Second Amendment) Law, 2026.
According to him, the law provides an important legal foundation for the implementation of restorative justice in the state.
The attorney-general commended Gov. Biodun Oyebanji for his support for justice-sector reforms, saying the government remained committed to strengthening the legal and institutional framework for restorative justice.
He urged law enforcement agencies, civil society organisations and community leaders to partner with ROLAC and the Ministry of Justice to establish a sustainable, community-driven restorative justice framework.
Earlier, the Director of Restorative Justice and Community Services in the ministry, Dr Modupe Olajika-Wiwoloku, said the 2026 amendment to the Administration of Criminal Justice Law provided an opportunity to complement conventional criminal justice processes with restorative mechanisms.
She said the mechanisms would promote victims’ participation, offenders’ accountability and community involvement in resolving harm arising from unlawful conduct.
Olajika-Wiwoloku said the summit was aimed at sensitising stakeholders on restorative justice, deepening their understanding of its legal and practical framework and exploring ways to reduce offences leading to imprisonment and decongest correctional facilities.
In a presentation, Mrs Caroline Etuk of ROLAC Consult described restorative justice as an approach focused on repairing harm caused by crime while holding offenders accountable.
She said it enabled victims, offenders and communities to identify their needs and seek resolutions that promoted healing, reparation, reintegration and prevention of future harm.
Another ROLAC Consult representative, Mrs Kunbo Ezeh, said offences that could qualify for restorative justice intervention included simple offences and misdemeanours, subject to the applicable legal framework.
She said serious offences, including sexual offences, kidnapping, domestic violence, corruption, financial crimes and offences attracting more than three years’ imprisonment, were excluded.
The summit was attended by magistrates, representatives of the police and correctional service, senior officials of the Ministry of Justice, lawyers and representatives of non-governmental organisations.
