2,382 inmates awaiting trial in Lagos prison

                                         Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Ayotunde Philips.

No fewer than 2, 382 inmates are awaiting trial in the Kirikiri Medium Prison.

This was revealed during a jail delivery exercise performed at the prison on Tuesday by the Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Ayotunde Philips.

Philips, at the occasion, freed 75 of the inmates- 71 from the medium facility; three from maximum; and one from the female facility.

The Kirikiri medium security prison, which has a total capacity of 1,700 inmates, was holding a total of 2,517 inmates before the Tuesday jail delivery exercise.

Of the 2,517 inmates, 2,382 were awaiting trial; only 135 had been convicted.

There were 205 inmates in the female prison, with 170 awaiting-trial, and only 32 convicts.

Seven were pregnant and nine were mothers with babies.

Philips, who will be retiring in July, said the exercise was done in observation of her statutory role, and pursuant to Section 1(1) of the Criminal Justice Release from Custody Special Provision Act, Cap C40, 2007, Laws of the Federation Nigeria.

She said, “I have come to say goodbye to you because I’m bowing out of office next month.

“I have also come to perform my statutory duty of releasing inmates that shouldn’t be here.”

While giving them their freedom, Philips urged the freed inmates to “go and sin no more.”

She expressed concern over the congested state of the prison, adding that there was little she could do in her personal capacity.

Philips promised to make recommendations to her successor that would further help decongest the detention facilities.

The three Deputy Comptrollers, Mr. Tunde Ladipo; Mr. Olumide Tinuoye; and Mrs. Isioma Nwuli, thanked the outgoing Chief Justice for her commitment to the improvement of the facilities.

Nwuli said the prison had been up and doing in its rehabilitation mandate. She said the inmates were being engaged in formal and vocational education.

According to her, two female inmates are in the National Open University, five are awaiting registration, while 12 are preparing for the Government Certificate Examination.

Nwuli called for free medical care, especially for pregnant inmates referred to government hospitals outside the prison in cases of caesarian operation.

Tinuoye called on the government to grant scholarship to undergraduate inmates.