President, Nigeria Society for Criminology (NSC), Prof Oludayo Tade, yesterday, urged the Judiciary to use non-custodial sentences more for less serious offences as one of the ways to decongest Nigeria’s overcrowded custodial facilities and reduce the number of inmates awaiting trial.

Tade stressed the urgency of addressing the high number of awaiting-trial inmates, noting that 53,234 (66 per cent) of the total inmate population (81,234) are awaiting trial, contributing significantly to overcrowding and systemic inefficiencies.

According to Tade, the number of awaiting trial inmates in Nigeria’s custodial facilities impacts the welfare of both correctional service personnel and the inmates’ desire to access justice.

The NSC president stated this while speaking in Ibadan on the just-concluded third international conference of the society held at the University of Abuja, with the theme: “Correctional service reformation in Nigeria: Promoting justice, rehabilitation, and social reintegration”.

The keynote speaker at the conference was the Controller of Corrections, Sylvester Ndidi Nwakuche, who spoke on “2019 Correctional Service Act: Challenges and prospects for effective implementation.”

Represented by the Controller of Corrections, Dr Tukura Yakubu, the Controller-General advocated the co-location of the courts and the custodial facilities, which, according to him, would hasten justice dispensation and remove some of the logistical challenges associated with taking inmates to courts.

He also pushed for the use of technology to improve access to justice and hasten the quick dispensation of cases before the courts.