The Urgent Need To Decongest Nigerian Prisons

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BY EWA NWORIE

There is no doubt that In Nigeria, many factors has continued to constitute impediments to the growth and development of the country.
   They include,socio economic downturn,insecurity,and of course,prison congestions in the nation's Correctional facilities,among others.
    According to research,Lack of quick dispensation of Justice in the Nigerian judicial system has constituted a factor to the prison congestion in Nigerian. 
   It is important to point out that,the nation's correctional centres are today,nothing to write home about as poor facilities,obselete and dalipedated structures without enough space to house the prison inmates and awaiting trials,has become the order of the day,and this has also contributed to the prison congestions.
   Again,there are cases of administrative bottlenecks in the release of suspects and prisoners granted bail by the court of competent juridictions,among others. 
   In the Correctional facilities Nationwide, it is no longer news that prison inmates are highly overcrowded in their custodies,due to lack of accommodations,and prison best practices.
 The "awaiting trials"  in prison facilities are worst hit by this ugly development,which at times lead to jailbreaks in Nigeria.
   It is a known fact that the overcrowding of prisoners in the Correctional facilities across the country is against International best practices. 
   In Correctional facilities,cells meant to accommodate about 50 inmates now accomodate up to 150 inmates.
  This means that,the estimated capacity that each Correctional centre,should accommodate has been overstretched beyond measures.
   The congestion of correctional centres across the country has sometimes led to the death of some inmates whose cases are yet to be determined or resolved. Again, it also lead to disease outbreak in the prison facilities.
The truth is that,Prison inmates or suspects usually stay longer than necessary lanqushing in jail without trial,hence,prison congestion. 
  Highlighting on the issue,during the commemoration of the 2023 International Prisoners Justice Day,held in Abuja recently, the Controller General of the Nigerian Correctional Services, Haliru Nababa,had disclosed that as of 31st July,54,171 inmates out of the 79,076 in correctional centres Nationwide were awaiting trials. 
   According to the controller, this was an increase,over the 2022 figures where, 51,541 out of 75,635 inmates were awaiting trials. 
   This revelation from the Controller General of  Nigerian Correction service about the number of inmates and awaiting trials in Nigeria prison,has become a great source of worry,hence,the compelling need to call for the decongestion of the Nigerian Correctional centres by relivant authorities.
   To this end,there is need to effect reform in Nigeria judicial system to create more chances of engaging more judges that handle cases,in a bid to give expeditious trial of awaiting trials in the Correctional centres,because,as the saying goes,"justice delayed is justice denied",and this in no doubt, translate to prison congestions.
   The police on their part should always do delligent investigations and prosecutions to avoid unnecessary delay of cases in their hands,no matter the offence committed.
  While governors of the 36 states of the federation should work together with their state chief judges,by visiting Correctional centers periodically as required by law,with a view to carrying out jail delivery,especially,the awaiting trials who commit minor cases. 
    Ebonyi state government under governor Ogbonna Nwifuru,should be commended for his proactiveness on the jail delivery in the state,as Ebonyi chief judge, justice Elvis Ngene,ocassionally  embark on jail delivery,to release some prison inmates.
  The Nigerian judicial system should do everything within their powers to overcome obstacles that impede on the  quick dispensation of Justice in Nigeria. 
    They should as a matter of fact,discourge delays or long postponement of cases brought before the court by litigants,so as to ensure expeditious trial of prison inmates,to decongest the Nigerian prisons.

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