Lagos CJ Releases 30 Inmates

Freedom came the way of 30 inmates of various Correctional Centres in Lagos and Ogun, as the Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Kazeem Alogba granted them freedom.

Those granted freedom included four young boys from Adigbe Forster Home, Ogun State, who were minors at the time they committed the offence for which they were arrested.

Some of them have been in prison custody since 2013, before they were granted freedom yesterday.

The programme was held under the De-congestion of the Custodial Centres Exercise 2023, at Justice Samuel Ilori Court House, Ogba.

Justice Alogba granted them freedom under the powers conferred on him by Section 1(1) of the Criminal Justice Release from Custody Special Provision Act: 24 Feb 2022 and provisions of Administration of Criminal Justice Law 2019 of Lagos State.

He admonished them to sin no more. Justice Alogba explained that the exercise was carried out, to ensure that the inmates do not stay in prison longer than they would have served if they had been convicted.

“It is for this reason and so many other reasons that the exercise is put up, and this is the reason why the exercise doesn’t hold too frequently”, he said.

Justice Alogba commended the Justice Adenike Coker-led Committee that looked into the case of those released, for doing a thorough job.

“Since it is a matter required by law, we must be diligent in carrying out the exercise. The members of the Committee have done excellently well.

Justice Alogba described the case of the freed inmates, as a  systemic failure.

“Failure, not because the courts are not sitting; but, failure as a result of hitches in the course of prosecuting offenders.”

Justice Alogba emphasised that he was not releasing the inmates, because he had just come back from the holy pilgrimage.

“I am not a Father Christmas. The exercise we are witnessing today is a self-cleansing exercise, as provided for in the law.

“The Committee has gone through due process, in carrying out the exercise. I would still insist on due process and diligence, in all that we do”, he said.

In his address, the Controller of Nigeria Correction Service, Lagos Command (NCS Lagos), Ben Freedman, disclosed that about 9,000 inmates are in three Correctional Centres in the State. Freedman who was represented by the Deputy Controller, NCS Lagos, (DCC) Comfort Obiosio, urged the Chief Judge to use his good offices to see that privileges were given to some remorseful inmates to decongest the Custodial Centres.

“We have almost 9,000 locked up in Lagos, and we hope the Chief Judge uses his good office to free those qualified and decongest the facilities”, Obiosio said.

The Lagos State Commissioner for Police, (CP) Idowu Owohunwa, represented by the Deputy Commissioner for Police, DCP Waheed Ayilara, said that the Nigeria Police has a partner in the justice system, and will continue to ensure due process in carrying out their services.

He also urged the Chief Judge to make the exercise a continuous one to reduce the number of inmates in the prison, noting that the maximum capacity should be about 1, 500.

“We cannot continue to keep the 9,000 inmates, as it is highly unbearable.

“Those who are about to get freedom today, must have learned one or two lessons.

“Being in Correctional Centres does not mean you cannot be reintegrated back into society.

“The Police will continue to be diligent in their investigation, to help with the decongestion”, Ayilara gave assurance.