The National Association of Seadogs (NAS), also known as The Pyrates Confraternity, Ash Montana Deck, in Abeokuta, has partnered with the Nigerian Correctional Centre, Ogun State Command, to decongest the prisons in the state.

NAS stated this, when the Deck, led by the Second Mate, Head of Programmes, Emmanuel Eromonsele, as part of the organisation’s activities in preparation for this year’s World Human Rights Day, paid a courtesy visit to the State Headquarters of the Nigerian Correctional Centre in Abeokuta, the Ogun State Capital, on Monday.

The State Controller of Corrections, Kamarudeen Adesina, while speaking, lamented that the Centre was already overstretched and at the point of stopping the admission of new inmates because the available facilities specifically made for 700 awaiting trial inmates are currently occupied by 4,000.

Adesina lauded NAS for its decision to assist in settling the fines of inmates with lesser offences, expressing regret that the Command was supposed to have offices in the 20 local councils of the state for its activities, but were not available.

“It is good that elitist bodies like yours are thinking of assisting inmates with lesser offences to settle their fines to decongest the Centre. We will also appreciate it if you can assist in the areas of office facilities in this digital age.

“You can do this by influencing corporate bodies and well-meaning individuals to donate facilities to the correctional centres and also help in advocating non-custodial sentencing in minor offences.

“Minor offenders can be punished by asking them go and sweep or clear weeds in public places instead of taking them to correctional centres, which comes with the risk of being influenced by hardened criminals.”

Earlier, Eromonsele explained the aims and objectives of NAS to Ogun NCC Command, noting that the organisation specifically chose to contribute to the decongestion of correctional centres to mark this year’s World Human Rights Day. He said that efforts were ongoing with the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), NCC and other organisations to decongest the Centre.

“As a social and human rights advocacy group in consultant status with the United Nations (UN), we are concerned about the alarming congestion in the correctional centres. We believe that no matter how small the number we can assist in setting free, it will reduce the congestion,” Eromosele said.

He, however, expressed the willingness of the organisation to mobilise the support of other bodies towards assisting the state’s correctional centre to achieve its aims and objectives.