The President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Chief Afam Osigwe, has disclosed that over 65 per cent of inmates in the 244 correctional centres across Nigeria are awaiting trial.
Osigwe made this known at the National Executive Council meeting of the NBA on Thursday in Akure.
“We should focus on pre-trial detainees people who are awaiting trial in court. They make up over 65 per cent of the prison population.
“We are concerned about those who are simply remanded in prison facilities without having their cases tried, or whose cases take an intolerable length of time to reach a conclusion due to various delays.
“Some of them end up serving more time in prison than they would if they had been convicted by the court. Others contract diseases in prison or even die while awaiting trial,” he said.
Need to Decongest Prisons
Osigwe emphasized that the association has mandated its Human Rights Committee to collaborate with the Chief Judges of various states to ensure regular prison visits.
He added that the committee would advocate for the release of defendants who have not been prosecuted.
“The Chief Judges should also issue directives to all magistrates that if a remand order is given, a return date must be set for review.
“If the prosecution or the Ministry of Justice fails to file a charge, the courts should order the release of such persons so that no one is detained indefinitely without being charged.
“The courts, in line with the provisions of the Police Act and the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, should visit detention facilities—including those operated by the police, the army, the DSS, and the NDLEA—to monitor the length of time detainees have been held.
“People should either be released on bail, charged to court, or set free entirely.
“The NBA is actively engaging with authorities to ensure that individuals who should not be in detention are released and that no one is held for an extended period without a formal charge,” he stated.
Osigwe further disclosed that the NBA is embarking on advocacy efforts to ensure the implementation of relevant laws to prevent overcrowding in detention facilities and the prolonged detention of inmates without trial.
More Insights
- In his remarks, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa praised the NBA’s advocacy efforts.
- Aiyedatiwa, who was represented by the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr. Kayode Ajulo, emphasized the need to rejuvenate the professional camaraderie that unites legal practitioners and advocates for justice.
“This is a time for introspection, decisive action, and a renewed commitment to the principles that have long guided our noble profession: justice, fairness, and the steadfast pursuit of the rule of law,” he said.
- Aiyedatiwa reaffirmed his commitment to championing a legal system that serves the interests of all.
