Lagos Chief Judge frees 33 Custodial Centre inmates

The Chief Judge (CJ) of Lagos State, Justice Kazeem Alogba, on Wedneday freed 33 inmates of the three Custodial Centres of thẹ Nigerian Correctional Services (NCS) in Lagos.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Custodial Centres are Ikoyi, Kirikiri Medium and Kirikiri Maximum Custodial Centers.

Of the 33 inmates, eight were released from the Ikoyi Custodial Centre, while 11 and 14 were freed from the Kirikiri Maximum and Medium Custodial Centres respectively.

The inmates were pardoned at an open court session presided over by the Chief Judge at the premises of Justice Samuel Ilori Court House, Ogba, Lagos.

Alogba noted that the exercise was in line with the efforts by the Federal Government to decongest the prisons as stipulated in Section 6 of the1999 Constitution and Chapter 40 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2005.

He said it was also pursuant to powers conferred on him to grant the inmates pardon pursuant to Section 1(1) of the Criminal Justice Release from Custody Special Provision Act.

The Chief Judge, who decried the prevalence of crimes in the society, said thẹ criteria used to determine those released were not based on sentiments.

He said they were meticulously followed and scrutinised by the Justice Adenike Coker-led Decongestion Committee.

“Those released were found fit and suitable to be released back into the society,” he said

Releasing the inmates, the CJ urged them to “go and sin no more” and be of good behaviour.

He warned that a harsher punishment would be meted out on any of the freed inmates  caught committing a crime.

The CJ praised the efforts of the Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) doing their best to reform the inmates, in order to make it easier for them to be reintegrated back into society.