FG seeks state govts’ cooperation in decongesting custodial facilities
…As Oyetola commends NCS for building new office complex in Osun
Abimbola Abatta, Osogbo
The Federal Government has sued for the cooperation of State Governments in tackling the challenges of congestion in custodial facilities across the country.
Minister of Interior and Special Guest of Honour, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, stated this at the commissioning of the Osun State Command office complex of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Osogbo last Friday.
Delivering his keynote address titled “Unmatched Infrastructural Development,” Aregbesola urged state governments to work with the federal government as an overwhelming majority of inmates in custody are state offenders being tried by their respective State Governments.
He called on state governments to “accelerate the wheel of justice as a lot of inmates have been in custody for a period longer than the maximum sentence their alleged offences carry; share in the burden of decongesting custodial facilities by building modern holding centres, setting aside a sum for the maintenance of inmates; and summon the will to do the needful on death row convicts and bring closure to their cases.”
According to him, “The entire national custodial facilities have a maximum capacity for 57,278 inmates. But by the last count earlier in the week, there is a total population of 68,747 inmates, made up of 67,422 males and 1,325 females. We have therefore shot above the capacity by 18 per cent.
“50,992 inmates, representing 74 per cent of the total population of inmates in the custodial centres are awaiting trial inmates while only 17,755 inmates which are 26 per cent are actual convicts.”
In his address, Osun State Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola called for more concerted efforts at rehabilitating inmates while commending the Nigerian Correctional Service for building new office complex in the state.
Oyetola, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prince Wole Oyebamiji, saluted the leadership of the correctional service under the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola for the grand reforms going on in the service.
He solicited for all to be done within the nation’s capacity to rehabilitate and reintegrate them back into the society for the collective and sustainable development of the nation.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Controller General, Nigerian Correctional Service, Haliru Nababa, (M.n.i) said the service through the support of President Muhamadu Buhari is determined to bridge the gap of infrastructure in the service.
He also expressed gratitude to the Minister of Interior for his unique leadership style which has helped the Nigeria Correctional Service to be equipped to deliver on its mandate of ensuring that inmates in Nigeria Correctional facilities across the country are placed in good stead.
