Awaiting Trial Inmates Make Up 70% of Kano Prison Population — NCoS

The Kano Command of the Nigerian Correctional Service has stated that Statistics show that awaiting trial inmates constitute about 70 per cent of the total number of inmates in the state.”

This revelation comes as the command also disclosed that most of them have remained in custody with their cases yet to be determined by the courts.

The Public Relations Officer of the Command, SC Musbahu Lawan, highlighted the development at a press briefing on Monday, expressing concern over the implications of the overwhelming population.

Lawan remarked, “The overcrowded facility, already stretched above capacity, poses a huge challenge to the standard operations of the handlers, who themselves are vulnerable to potential threats.”

He added that the number of inmates awaiting court decisions tripled the total percentage of convicted inmates, thereby hindering the full implementation of reformatory enforcement on them.

However, he stated, “If the awaiting trial persons are eventually convicted, we would not cry over the congestion because our laws give us the power to transfer convicted inmates to any facility in the country.”

“Convicted inmates are easier to manage because they are mandated to engage in various reformatory programs, an opportunity which awaiting trial persons may not have,” he continued.

Lawan commended some judges who are complementing the Federal Government’s efforts by making maximum use of non-custodial sentencing.

He further noted, “Most of the convicted inmates also benefit from educational programs in the Custodial Centers. For instance, a total of 38 convicted inmates sat for and passed the NECO SSCE and are now seeking admission at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN).”

“Due to the additional interest of the inmates in academics, the Service is working with NOUN to establish more study centres in the Custodial Centers in the state. However, our major obstacle is the lack of study facilities like computers and study materials, while others benefit from other reformatory programs in the Custodial Centers,” Lawan emphasised.

The image maker of the command hinted that the Federal Government has introduced non-custodial measures like parole, community service, probation, etc., to address the overcrowding conundrum in Custodial Centers.

He assured that the Nigerian Correctional Service will continue to pursue its mandate of keeping safe and humane custody of the legally interned while making society safer by reforming, rehabilitating, and reintegrating offenders.