‘Congestion, Bane Of Reforms In Correctional Centres’

Stakeholders have deplored the high number of persons in detention without trial, saying the development was frustrating decongestion and reforms in correction centres.
Founder and Executive Director, Prisoners Rehabilitation and Welfare Action (PRAWA), Dr. Uju Agomoh, who made the assertion at a Workshop in Abuja, observed that reforms were key to deliver justice, security and development.
She observed that it was important to fashion ways at ensuring that the justice sector functions well.
Agomoh, who is also an elected member of United Nations Committee on Prevention of Torture, said the key areas of concern in the corrections sector included “Overcrowding, disproportionate number of persons, who have not been convicted, proper, reformation rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders, as well as issue of oversight by justice and law-implementing agencies”.
Speaking on central role of the judiciary in efforts to decongest custodial centres in Nigeria, Assistant Controller General of Corrections in charge of Custody, Gimba Dumbulwa, noted that the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) is constantly faced with challenge of congestion.
He said while some blame the Service for the overcrowding in custodial facilities nationwide, the situation is basically due to slow dispensation of justice or failure of the judiciary to dispense justice to the over 70 percent awaiting trial inmates.
His words: “What exacerbated all these is this issue of awaiting trial. Delay in delivery of justice to inmates is what brings about congestion.
“The number of inmates that we have as at yesterday was 75,236 nationwide. Out of this, you can imagine about 52,446, are awaiting trial persons, and out of this still, more than 70 per cent are awaiting trial, who have overstayed more than 10 years in custody without getting justice.