The Lagos State Government has deported two citizens of Chad and released 16 other inmates as part of its correctional facilities decongestion exercise carried out yesterday.

The Chief Judge of Lagos State, Hon. Justice Kazeem Olanrewaju Alogba, said the exercise in the state is strictly guided by law and not conducted on sentiments or personal discretion.

Justice Alogba described the event as another epoch-making exercise, noting that a similar exercise was last carried out about two years ago. He addressed criticisms that Lagos State does not conduct jail delivery as frequently as expected, explaining that the process is not driven by the whims of the Chief Judge but by clear statutory provisions.

According to him, the law stipulates when the exercise should be carried out and who qualifies to benefit from it, stressing that it is not an opportunity for “Father Christmas” gestures. He said any deviation from the laid-down legal framework would render the exercise vulnerable to legal challenges and undermine its credibility.

“Our answer in Lagos State is that we do not do things on sentiments. We do things strictly in accordance with the law. Otherwise, the exercise will become useless and anybody can challenge it,” the Chief Judge stated.

Justice Alogba explained that the exercise is only undertaken when there is a reasonable number of qualified inmates, following a thorough and painstaking review of records by the committee led by Hon. Justice Dada. He added that once qualified persons are identified, the judiciary proceeds with the exercise without delay.

He outlined the categories of inmates eligible for consideration, including those convicted of misdemeanours or minor felonies who have nearly completed their sentences and have exhibited good behaviour in custody, as confirmed by records from the Nigerian Correctional Service. Other eligible categories include detainees who have spent such lengthy periods in custody that, even if convicted, they would have already served their sentences or would be nearing completion.

The Chief Judge emphasised that all decisions are based strictly on verifiable records and that no inmate can be released unless the records clearly establish eligibility. He cited a previous exercise in which a woman charged with murder, who had spent 13 years in custody, was not released after it was discovered that her case was still pending in court and had not been concluded.
Justice Alogba noted that while correctional facilities in the country are overcrowded, often housing three to four times their intended capacity, the judiciary must continue to act within the confines of the law, despite public criticism.

He said the exercise offers an opportunity for released inmates to reintegrate into society and go and sin no more, reaffirming the Lagos State Judiciary’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and strict compliance with statutory provisions in the administration of justice.

The Controller of the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS), Lagos State Command, Mr. Daramola George described the ongoing decongestion exercise in the state as a pivotal step toward justice, compassion, and the humane treatment of inmates.
George said the Lagos State Government, in collaboration with the judiciary, had demonstrated strong commitment to reforming and effectively managing the correctional system through the careful review of cases, with particular attention to the health and welfare of inmates.

He noted that the initiative underscored the authorities’ dedication to fairness, mercy, and human dignity, especially for inmates who are critically ill.

“As the Controller of Corrections overseeing facilities in Lagos State with over 8,000 inmates in centres built to hold fewer than 4,000, I can attest to the immense challenges we face in maintaining safe, secure, and rehabilitative environments,” George said.

According to him, overcrowding has remained a persistent problem, negatively affecting the safety of both staff and inmates, as well as undermining the prospects for effective rehabilitation.
He described the exercise as a clear demonstration of the resolve of relevant stakeholders to confront the challenge of congestion in correctional facilities.

The controller urged them to seize the opportunity as a fresh start and a chance to reintegrate into society with dignity and purpose.
Convener of the Criminal Justice Network of Nigeria, Nathaniel Ngwu commended the CJ, stating that he acted strictly within the powers conferred on him by law. He stressed that his actions reflected a clear intention to comply with due process rather than act arbitrarily.

According to Ngwu, the Chief Judge was deliberate in ensuring that while efforts were made to decongest correctional centres in Lagos State, there was no interference with ongoing court proceedings. He noted that the Chief Judge was emphatic from the outset that only inmates who deserved to be released would benefit from the exercise.

“He carefully examined cases based on their peculiarities. Those whose cases could not be clearly ascertained and those with matters pending in various courts were not released. However, inmates who had spent several years in custody without being taken to court and whose case files were untraceable were released,” Ngwu said.

Ngwu advised inmates to ensure their cases are actively progressing in court, urging those whose matters are stagnant to speak up so that correctional officers can alert the appropriate authorities. He also called on officials responsible for preparing cases for review to be more diligent, noting that some matters should have been properly documented before being presented, to avoid wasting judicial time.

He described the exercise as being carried out in full compliance with the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015 and the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Lagos State.
Ngwu further advised beneficiaries of the exercise not to return to criminal activities, while expressing hope that similar reviews would be conducted before the end of the year, given the number of citizens still languishing in custody.

“For us at the Criminal Justice Network of Nigeria, we will not tolerate a situation where a suspect, regardless of the offence, is left in prison simply because the government or relevant agency failed to diligently prosecute the case,” he said.

He added that some cases deemed too serious for release should have been reconsidered where delays were clearly due to prosecutorial lapses, stressing that inmates should not be made to suffer for the failure of authorities to properly handle their cases.