The Minister of Interior, Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (rtd) on Sunday said that more than 70 per cent of inmates in Nigerian prisons were awaiting trial.
Dambazau disclosed this when he visited Kano central prison alongside the state Governor to mark this year’s Eid-el Fitr celebration.
The minister said the decision to visit the prison was to show to the inmates that the government was aware of their existence.
“The high number of awaiting trial inmates is worrisome because the prisons are meant for convicts. But you find out at the end of the day that more than 70 per cent of the people there are awaiting trial inmates,” he lamented.
He said that some of the inmates were supposed to stay for few years but ended up staying for up to 15 years while awaiting trial.
Dambazau, however, commended the state Governor for giving a vast piece of land for the building of 3,000 capacity modern prison in the state.
Earlier, Governor Abdullahi Ganduje said he had secured the release of 50 inmates and also approved the release additional 500 inmates in prisons across the state.
He said that the gesture was part of the activities to celebrate Eid-el Fitr celebration in the state.
Ganduje said the beneficiaries were selected based on gravity of their offence and sign of reformation while in prison.
He advised them to desist from acts that would warrant bringing them back to prison.
He also said the state government would assist them with some money to enable them travel back to their communities. (NAN)
Mr.Adiele has a point on human rights and other international conventions. However, it should be borne in my mind that the prison service is the final placement for offenders, particularly where a nation such as Nigeria enables ubiquity and ‘nomadic’ movement of its people without a record. With poor administrative record keeping,many would-be prisoners would inevitably escape deserved justice.
One approach to addressing the existing flaw is for the constituted agencies within the criminal justice system to identify roles and responsibilities whereby establishments contribute towards efficacy and monitored key performance indicators for fair and expedient penal process. Processes such as diversions from court and prison sanctions can be handled by the welfare agency such as determining cause and effect pathways of minor and first offenders, also, bail on ‘self recognition’ should b used for such offenders with known and traceable place of abode, combined with surety,can be a way of depopulating current overcrowding. More importantly is to set tariffs for specific offences to include a point of reporting; police station, hefty fines or seizure of valuables to meet restitution for victims, and lastly, prohibition of discretionary determination by agencies such as the police, based on discrimination and or, corruption to detain or release offenders in their custody, ability to be used as an instrument of illegal oppression and a reduction in the powers of the courts to protract cases that should be tried and decided timely.
These are initial actions that can be taken in order to bring some sensibility and humanity into Nigeria’s criminal justice system as a matter of priority, modernity and reform. It rather unknown for an accused person stays on an ‘awaiting trial’ status for up to 15 years. This adds to the socio-economic degrade of the nation and most likely constructs many to feel very comfortable in prison. Any form of prison over-population denotes significant lack of cohesive governance and progression.
The prisoners should be released if they cannot be offered trial on time, that’s what the law says and even some UN Declarations affirm so. Nigeria is so unjust a society that one wonders if natural calamities should wipe off Nigeria from the surface of the earth to save all from man’s inhumanity to man. How could General Dambazau, who obtained his PhD in the US, know that some people denied justice through trial have been locked up for up 15 years without him ordering their immediate release — the law permits such action? Tufiakwa to Nigeria!