Senator Oshiomhole has raised significant concerns regarding the state of Nigeria's prison system, particularly emphasizing the high number of inmates awaiting trial, the majority of whom have not been convicted, as reported by Daily Post.
In a recent statement, he expressed dissatisfaction with the current situation and called for urgent reforms to address the issue.
Senator Oshiomhole noted that many inmates are detained for minor offences, leading to overcrowding in prisons. He emphasized the need for a thorough review of the justice system to prevent the unnecessary incarceration of innocent citizens.
“Now somebody commits an offence, probably fights the other, and takes him to prison. A magistrate is in a hurry to remand, depending on who wants the person detained. And so we have a lot of people,” he stated.
Furthermore, he pointed out that a significant portion of inmates are detained for state offences, underscoring the need for state governments to take responsibility for those convicted under their laws.
“The third element is the fact that most of the people in prison are under state offences. And under the constitution, as amended, the state ought to bear responsibilities for people convicted under the laws of the state,” he further stated.