Nigeria, Feb. 27 -- Scores of legal experts, human rights advocates, and senior judicial officers are pushing for a unified criminal justice system in Nigeria, arguing that inconsistencies in state laws have led to sentencing disparities, prolonged trials, and violations of defendants' rights.

Under Nigeria's federal system, states operate different criminal laws. Some apply the Penal Code, others the Criminal Code, while a few enforce Sharia-based laws. These variations, legal experts say, create uncertainty and hinder access to justice.

At the National Technical Review and Evaluation Conference in Abuja on Wednesday, the President of the Centre for Socio-Legal Studies (CSLS) Yemi Akinseye-George, stressed the urgency of harmonising th...