Prison Decongestion: Aregbesola Writes NGF, Says Bulk Of Offenders Run Foul Of State Laws

By Ayodele Oni

The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola has canvassed for massive prison decongestion in the country.

Already, the minister said he is working with state Governors towards the release of at least 30 percent of inmates in the custody of the Nigerian correctional service.

The minister added that over 70 per cent of the 75,635 inmates at present are awaiting trial.

Aregbesola, who disclosed this in Abuja when he appeared on the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum, revealed that the interface was necessary as more than 90 per cent of the inmates are being held for contravening various states’ laws.

The minster said that the federal offenders in the system were far less than 10 per cent, adding that the bulk of people in custody are those who have run foul of state laws.

He pointed out that they were therefore being kept under the legal jurisdiction of their respective states.

The minister added that the decongestion of the 253 custodial centres nationwide was necessary as some of the inmates have no reason to remain in custody.

Mr Aregbesola, therefore, advised that all stakeholders must work towards a “better structured criminal justice administration, otherwise we will just be left with congested and overcrowded facilities.

“I have written the Nigerian Governors Forum, (NGF) to allow me to come and address them on how they can support the process of decongestion.

“Because the governors must buy into this system for us to do a massive decongestion especially of Awaiting Trial Inmates.

“If we get the buy in of state judicial authorities and the government of the states, we can pull out 30 per cent of those who are there.”

According to him, some of the awaiting trial inmates have stayed longer than the punishment provided by law for the crime they were arrested for.

“If you look at a man that is caught for petty theft and you are trying him for three years, even if you convict him for that crime, how long will he stay?

“How long will that fellow stay, probably six months, but without trial he will be there for three years.

“Again, you arrested a boy under the bridge, there is no fixed crime and he is there forever and so on and so forth. So, we need the buying in and support from state governments.

“This is for them to critically know the situation and let them set up committees that will profile all those who are there. And help either to convict, release them or see if they have overstayed their required time.”

Aregbesola also said that the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has facilitated unprecedented development in the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS).

He was of the view that the development has a backwash effect on not just the Ministry of Interior, but also the inmates of custodial centres nationwide.

“If any administration has given life to the reorientation of prison in the history of Nigeria, it is President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration. What he has done in making our penitentiary system a corrective one is historic.

“We had a prison system that was simply coercive, punitive and oppressive both in law and in operation of the law. So, that was changed forever in July 2019 when he signed and assented to the NCoS Act 2019.

“From the name of that law, you know it is a reformatory document.”

Mr Aregbesola explained that the reform has also changed the orientation of Nigerians, as many prisoners who served out their term came out as better citizens.

“As I am talking to you, we have Doctor of Philosophy students, we even have Phd graduates now from our correctional facilities.

“We also have several undergraduates, postgraduate students and thousands of people doing their West African Examination Council (WAEC) and National Examination Council (NECO) examinations.

“Thousands not hundreds, thousands upon thousands of people acquiring trade tests, craft skills and what have you.

So, indeed, we are a champion in reformation, rehabilitation and reintegration of our inmates.”

Mr Aregbesola explained that the reformation, rehabilitation and reintegration of inmates affected only those convicted by a court of law, not those awaiting trial.

“It will be clear to us why it is usually difficult for those awaiting trials, who either after their trial they are freed to now be seen as product of our system that are not rehabilitated.”

The minister assured that the federal government would continue to improve the condition of inmates in custodial centres, in line with global best practice.