Prison service all over the world is designed for social reforms or correction for misdemeanour in society. However, in Nigeria, it has become other things such as breeding place for criminals, mental disorder and spread of diseases. For example, in the last week of March, 2019, the committee for decongestion of prisons visited some places in Edo State where about 30 prisoners were let go on compassionate ground. However, what was shown on television about this was very depressing and disturbing as the facility in the prison was overloaded. A prison that was designed to accommodate 500 inmates had over 3,000.
This is similar to other prisons in all the states. The causes of overcrowded prison include over-bloated awaiting trial inmates, convicted prisoners, condemned convicts for capital punishment and stringent bail conditions
Awaiting trial category of prisoners fall into two classes; bailable and unbailable offences, I think for bailable offences, each governor can decide to help such defendants with N500,000.00 bail and below while the trial goes on. This will go long way to decongest prisons, as it is known that some governors have as much as over a billion naira as security vote. A certain percentage of the security vote can be set aside for this purpose on monthly basis.
Flexible bail conditions by judges and magistrates will help to decongest prisons. They can be less stringent on bail conditions in order to facilitate prison decongestion.
Overcongestion of the prisons is inimical to the society with some of these consequences: devaluation of lives, mental ill-health, breeding of hardened criminals, untimely death, spread of diseases and unwanted babies. These vices are not good for a decent and peaceful society; it should be stopped or greatly reduced.
If Nelson Mandela had died in the prison due to overcongestion, the world would have missed his impacts, similarly Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Chief Lateef Jakande of Lagos State. These men left the prison to make great impacts such that references are still made to them over 30 years after being out of power/office.
A governor in the South West of Nigeria decided to pull out 20, 000 youths for volunteer works, three times within eight years and the state was adjudged the most peaceful in Nigeria. Decongestion of prison through payment of bails and fine for accused and convicts by governors will seriously help the poor and thus enhance peace in all parts of Nigeria.
Engr. Oluwagbemiga Anifowose,
Lagos
and then