Abuja: The Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has announced that the Federal Government is set to accelerate the judicial process to ensure the speedy trials of inmates currently awaiting trial. This was disclosed during an unscheduled inspection visit to the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Kuje, Abuja.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Tunji-Ojo emphasized the government’s commitment to decongesting correctional centers, particularly focusing on inmates awaiting trial. He noted that the ministry is collaborating with the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) to address the delays in the conviction process for inmates. The minister highlighted the plight of inmates who have spent more time awaiting trial than they would have if convicted.
The minister shared that within the Kuje facility alone, over 200 inmates are convicted while approximately 804 are awaiting trials. He stressed the need for innovative methodologies to drastically reduce the number of inmates in the coming weeks or months. He assured that the ministry is working closely with the AGF to find effective solutions for decongesting correctional centers.
Dr Tunji-Ojo acknowledged that significant work is needed across the 240 correctional centers nationwide. To address this, the ministry plans to conduct scheduled visits to correctional centers beyond the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to assess the situation firsthand. These visits aim to guide interventions from the ministry, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), and other stakeholders.
Emphasizing the importance of stakeholder collaboration for timely justice delivery, the minister praised the dedication of correctional service personnel in ensuring the welfare of inmates. NBA President Afam Osigwe, who was present, mentioned his request for data on inmates awaiting trial to identify pending cases. This data will assist the NBA in establishing new units and facilitating lawyers’ efforts to secure the release of such inmates.
