The Federal government has sought the cooperation of State governments in addressing the challenges of congestion in custodial facilities across the country.
The Minister of Interior, Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola, stated this on Friday, during the unveiling of the Osun State Command office complex of the Nigerian Correctional Service, in Osogbo.
Aregbesola in his address titled ”UNMATCHED INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT” stated that “the entire national custodial facilities have a maximum capacity for 57,278 inmates. But by the last count earlier in the week, there is a total population of 68,747 inmates, made up of 67,422 males and 1,325 females. We have therefore shot above the capacity by 18 per cent.”
He disclosed that 50,992 inmates, representing 74 per cent of the total population of inmates in the custodial centres, are awaiting trial inmates while only 17,755 inmates or 26 per cent are actual convicts.
He highlighted the reality of the limitations in the effective management of the criminal justice administration and therefore urged state governments to work with the Federal government in addressing this challenge as an overwhelming majority of inmates in custody are State offenders being tried by their respective State governments.
Aregbesola, who espoused on the various measures undertaken by the Federal government aimed at decongesting custodial facilities, urged State governments to do three things –
1. Accelerate the wheel of justice as a lot of inmates have been in custody for a period longer than the maximum sentence their alleged offences carry. This, fundamentally, is a miscarriage of justice.
2. Share in the burden of decongesting custodial facilities by building modern holding centres, setting aside a sum for the maintenance of inmates, while the service will provide the personnel to man and run the facilities efficiently.
3. State governors to summon the will to do the needful on death row convicts and bring closure to their cases; set some others free on compassionate ground, especially those who have grown old on account of the long time in custody, those who are terminally ill and those who have been reformed and demonstrated exceptionally good behaviour; and commute others’ sentences to life or a specific terms in jail, informing that there are presently 3,008 condemned criminals consisting of 2,952 males and 56 females.
Aregbesola commended the Controller General Haliru Nababa, mni, Officers and men of the NCoS for their service in realising the mandate of keeping convicts and awaiting trial suspects in safe and legal custody and reforming convicts to be better citizens.
Osun State governor, Mr. Adegboyega Oyetola, in his speech, called for more concerted efforts at rehabilitating inmates, saying they are also a significant part of the capacity the nation needs to achieve it’s objectives.
The governor solicited for all to be done within the nation’s capacity to rehabilitate and reintegrate them back into the society for the collective and sustainable development of the nation.
Oyetola, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prince Oyebamiji Oluwole, also commended the Federal government and the NCoS for providing a conducive environment for the staff, adding that it will encourage and boast staff morale in effective service delivery, stating the State government’s support to the NCoS.
Other dignitaries at the event included the Ataoja of Osogbo, the representative of the Ooni of Ife, the Senator representing Osun Central, Senator Surajudeen Ajibola Bashiru, the Commissioner of Police in Osun, leaders and members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun, market women and people from all walks of life.
– Media Report