Stakeholders in the field of corrections have urged state governments in Nigeria to develop and enforce laws aimed at alleviating prison overcrowding.
The News Agency of Nigeria reported that this call was made during a National Dialogue on Enlisting State Corrections in Nigeria, a collaborative effort between Hope Behind Bars Africa, USAID, and Palladium, held in Abuja.
Mrs Funke Adeoye, Executive Director of Hope Behind Bars Africa, emphasized that the majority of criminal laws in Nigeria fall under state jurisdiction.
According to her, these laws contribute to a rising number of offenders, exacerbating prison congestion and placing a greater burden on the Federal Government to support inmates.
Adeoye proposed a solution involving encouraging states to establish their correctional facilities. She also pointed out that many of these state laws emphasize custodial measures, despite the Nigerian Correctional Service Act providing provisions for non-custodial sanctions as alternatives to imprisonment.
She highlighted that a significant portion of the prison population consists of individuals awaiting trial, with approximately ninety per cent of them being offenders of state laws. This situation results in a substantial financial burden on the Federal Government, which has to provide for these inmates.
Adeoye suggested that states consider incorporating local and state sanctions into their legal measures, to divert cases away from the criminal justice system.
Mr Lazarus Apir, Advocacy Manager, Strengthening Civic and Local Engagement (SCALE), a project supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), noted that having the correctional service exclusively managed by the Federal Government for an extended period has been a disadvantage.
He emphasized that involving states in correctional services, as proposed through constitutional amendments, is a step in the right direction and necessitates these important decisions, particularly because this is a new concept for the states.
CGC Nababa calls for swift justice and collaboration to ease prison congestion
The Controller-General of Corrections (CGC), Haliru Nababa, conveyed his appreciation for the dialogue initiative, represented by Assistant Controller-General of Corrections Manu Dunbulwa.
Nababa emphasized that expediting the justice process, especially for state offences, which often involve minor crimes, is key to prison decongestion.
He urged State Attorneys General and Commissioners for Justice to collaborate in addressing this issue, ensuring swift prosecution and sentencing of those found guilty while promptly releasing those not proven guilty.
