The Network of Unversity Legal Aid Institutions (NULAI) has decried the incidence of overcrowding in Nigerian correctional facilities as a result of the culture of pretrial detention.
President of the legal advocacy group, Prof. Ernest Ojukwu noted that about 75 percent of inmates in the country are pretrial detainees.
Represented by Executive Director of NULAI, Mukhtar Nasiru, at an event focused on ‘Reforming Pretrial Detention in Nigeria (RPDN) in Abuja on Thursday, Prof. Ojukwu noted that the figure has been consistent.
He said, “What I mean by 75% is that for every 100 people in the correctional centre, 75% of them are pretrial detainees.”
”This means that their cases have not been decided nor have they been convicted. Only 25 per cent fall under those convicted.
NULAI revealed that the group had in five years, resolved about 1,400 pretrial detention cases in the Federal Capital Territory and Keffi, Nasarawa State.
”Over 500 law students have been able to support pro bono lawyers to intervene in pre-trial detention cases and over 1,400 cases have been resolved” he explained.