TACKLING OVERCROWDING IN NIGERIA’S CUSTODIAL CENTRE’S

The Legal Aid Council through the Custodial Centre Decongestion Unit (CCDU) of the organization, has consistently committed to decongesting Custodial Centre’s across Nigeria.

The mission of the Legal Aid Council aims to provide legal aid to indigent persons, address overcrowding and ensure access to justice, by ensuring that incarcerated persons in custody who are not able to afford the services of lawyers are provided with adequate legal representation. This promotes the rule of law – speedy dispensation of justice and protects the rights and interests of all the parties in the plane of administration of criminal justice in Nigeria.

The third quarter of 2024, saw the Legal Aid Council’s Custodial Centre Decongestion Unit visiting Custodial Centre’s in the Federal Capital Territory and its environs, revealing key insights and recommendations for improving inmate conditions.

The team interviewed and granted legal aid to a total of fifty-nine (59) incarcerated persons during the visits – Eight (8) persons in Nasarawa Totto Custodial Centre, Eleven (11) persons in Suleja Custodial Centre and Forty –Two (42) persons in Keffi (old and new) Custodial Centre’s. An additional list of twenty – seven (27) persons, who were adversely affected by the circular dated April 23, 2024, which suspended the criminal jurisdiction of the Upper/Grade I Area Courts in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja was presented to the team for intervention.

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The Council committed to ensuring that these persons were assisted adequately. The persons without legal representation have been assigned competent lawyers to represent them and the release of the person’s affected by the removal of criminal jurisdiction conditionally and unconditionally was secured.

The team saw physical and security improvements at the Centre’s but raised concerns over the evident overcrowding, malnutrition and poor health of the incarcerated persons. The Legal Aid Council will not relent on its decongestion posture and it is hoped that the improvements observed in the facilities will extend to all the areas of concern.