Rauf Aregbesola, the Minister of Interior, has said that he will need to have a meeting with state governors to discuss the mass release of at least 30 per cent of inmates from correctional facilities across the country.
The minister made this revelation while addressing newsmen in Abuja, the country’s capital.
Aregbesola said that the meeting was incumbent as more than 90 per cent of the inmates have been reported to have contravened the state laws.
The Interior also stated that over 70 per cent of the inmates were awaiting trial.
The minister said that inmates who have contravened the federal laws were far less than 10 per cent.
He said that the inmates have been under the jurisdiction of their various states.
The minister of Interior also established that the decongestion of the 253 correctional facilities across Nigeria was incumbent as some of the inmates have no reason to remain in the facilities.
The minister has, therefore, noted that all concerned stakeholders must work to achieve a “better-structured criminal justice administration, otherwise, we will just be left with congested and overcrowded facilities”.
He further said, “I have written to the Nigerian Governors Forum 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.”
“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,” the minister said.