WHEN THE STATE FAILS: TRANSITIONAL JUSTICE AND GRASSROOTSQUESTFOR PEACE IN SOUTHERN KADUNA, KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study examined the functionality of Nigeria’s justice system in addressing the dynamicsofethno-religious violence through the lens of the prevailing circumstances in the SouthernaxisofKaduna State. Southern Kaduna represents a critical case in which the justice systemhas neitherdelivered accountability nor provided structural guarantees against future violence. The studyargued that the limitatioms of the judicial architecture in Nigeria has created a justice vacuumthat undermined peacebuilding efforts and reinforced the cycle of impunity in the studyarea. The study revealed that this persistent failure of the justice system has eroded public trust anddeepened intergroup divisions. Against this backdrop, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) haveprovided alternative avenue to justice by promoting indigenous and restorative mechanisms that aligned with the socio-cultural realities of affected communities. The study critiquedthestructural limitations of the formal justice system and emphasised the imperative of pluralisticjustice architecture that incorporates transitional justice principles through the interventionsofnon-state actors. It is contended that while CSOs cannot underestimate the essence of stateinstitutions, their strategic involvement in the judicial process is essential particularly in contextswhere the application of formal judicial facilities seem to be absent, delegitimized, or complicit. The study, therefore, concluded that sustainable peace in Southern Kaduna requires a rethinkingof justice that prioritizes accountability, recognition of victimhood, and inclusive, communityled approaches, which invariably constitute the fulctrum of CSOs over the procedural formalismof the failing justice system.