Ekiti Chief Judge Frees 57 Awaiting Trial Inmates, Raises Alarm Over Prison Congestion

The Chief Judge of Ekiti State, Justice Lekan Ogunmoye, has ordered the release of 57 awaiting trial inmates during a judicial visit to the Federal Correctional Centre in Ado Ekiti, as part of efforts to decongest custodial facilities and fast-track justice delivery.

The exercise, carried out through a review of pending cases, resulted in the granting of bail to six inmates, discharge of nine for lack of evidence, and unconditional release of 42 others on grounds of ill health and minor offences.

Speaking during the visit, the Comptroller of Corrections in Ekiti State, CC Oluremi Christy Okuseinde, described the intervention as timely and impactful, noting that the facility is currently overstretched with 922 inmates despite a designed capacity of 324.

She called for urgent government intervention to expand infrastructure, including additional cells and buildings, to enable proper classification of inmates and improve rehabilitation and sentence planning processes.

According to officials, Justice Ogunmoye reviewed a total of 518 cases comprising 511 male and seven female inmates before arriving at the decisions.

The Chief Judge commended stakeholders in the justice sector — including the Nigerian Police legal unit, the Directorate of Public Prosecutions, private and state counsel, court registrars, and correctional officers — for their collaboration in the review exercise. He also praised the correctional centre management for maintaining hygiene and healthcare standards for inmates despite overcrowding.

He advised the freed individuals to turn a new leaf and conduct themselves responsibly, warning that authorities would not hesitate to enforce the law against repeat offenders.

Dignitaries present at the exercise included the Ekiti State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Dayo Apata, SAN, High Court judges, Magistrates, and the Director of the Legal Aid Council in the state, Mr Adeyinka Opaleke, among others.