Western Criminology vis-à-vis Nigerian Criminology

In the study of crime and criminal behaviour, Nigerian criminologists always have recourse to Western criminological theories. Even when Western theories cannot provide full explanations of the phenomenon or phenomena under investigation, Nigerian scholars still use them because there are no available local options or alternatives. This paper is part of a study of convicted armed robbers in Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison, Lagos, Nigeria. It argues that Western theoretical perspectives are inadequate to fully explain crime and criminal behaviour in the Nigerian social structure. The paper suggests the development of Nigerian criminology that can fully explain crime and criminal behaviour in a Nigerian way.