ROLE OF AGE GRADE SYSTEM IN CRIME CONTROL AMONG TIV PEOPLE IN NORTH CENTRAL NIGERIA

Abstract

Every age grade system has its means of controlling the conduct of
its citizens to reach its desired goals. The importance of age grade
system in this regard cannot be overemphasized. Thus, the age
grade provides, among other things, the penal techniques by which
those who are found guilty of acts prohibited by society are
punished. The age grade system among Tiv people in north central
Nigeria has in its body of customary laws and a rich penal system.
Though largely unwritten, the deterrence theory of punishment is
adopted. The reason for this theory is that its best captured the
operation of age grade among Tiv people in north central Nigeria.
This paper discovered that factors such as migration and apathy
have been major challenges to age grade operation. This paper
recommends that security agents should collaborate with age
grade systems in the rural areas to tackle security situations
envisaged in Nigeria today. The national assembly should make
laws that will give legal backing to age grade operation to tackle
the current security challenges in the country.