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According to stakeholders, the Nigerian Correctional Service’s logistical issues are causing many awaiting trial convicts in the majority of its custodies to linger and remain past their regular stay.

They claimed that because the inmates are not being properly transported to court to continue their trials, they may remain in custody for extended periods of time.

The results showed that the Service’s ability to provide effective services nationwide has been hampered by the absence of escort vehicles to transport detainees or inmates awaiting trial to court.

According to information obtained, the Nigerian Correctional Service’s Ilesa and Ile-Ife Medium Security Custodial Centers only have two cars that are in use for transporting hundreds of their awaiting trial detainees to the 32 courts located around the state.

For example, four of the functioning vehicles in Ilesa possession have developed irreparable defects, leading to a perversion of justice in the state.

Information that was available indicated that the vehicles’ problems ranged from gear and engine issues to other issues.

Additionally, it was reported that the ambulance bus is completely broken.

Ilesa and Ile-Ife prisons, like those throughout the nation, need immediate government intervention because their current state is not in the best interests of the inmates, according to sources inside the custodial center who see themselves as stakeholders in guaranteeing the timely delivery of justice.

They clarified that the absence of functional automobiles prevents prisoners from attending court proceedings, causing them to remain longer than expected as awaiting trial inmates.

One of them who did not want to be named said, “The present situation of Ilesa prison especially is disheartening. All the operational vehicles are grounded and beyond repair. We urgently need the assistance of the federal and state governments. They should provide us more vehicles for the easy conveyance of awaiting trial inmates to various courts in the state. We have only one vehicle to take over 700 inmates to about 32 courts in Osun.

“Many of the awaiting trial inmates are staying longer than expected because they could not go to court whenever their matters come up. We implore Governor Ademola Adeleke to please help us and make our service efficient,” the source disclosed.

Additionally, it was discovered that the prison’s medical center is devoid of the medications that detainees require, and that the administration has turned to self-help in order to renovate some of the offices and structures.

A warder who spoke on condition of anonymity stated, “We need more drugs and other items in the health centre. Most of the drugs are donated by NGOs and individuals. The government should please supply us necessary drugs and sensitive materials for the inmates’ use.

“Our offices as well need to be renovated. We are the one soliciting for help from individuals to renovate some of the offices. The state government should please help us. We appreciate them for what they are doing.”

Out of the 80,088 detainees housed in the nation’s 253 correctional facilities, 53,411 are currently awaiting trial nationwide.

According to findings in certain courts, the lack of defendants who were remanded in prisons in several cases has resulted in multiple adjournments.

When incarcerated offenders are not brought to court, many attorneys withdraw their appearances in court, according to a court clerk who asked not to be identified.

“The absences of defendants who have been remanded in Correctional Centres have been affecting adjudication of their cases. I don’t blame them; I blame prison officials who fail to bring them to court. I heard that roasters are being made for these inmates to ensure their appearances in courts as and when due, still, most of them are not being brought to court. I think it is because of the logistics challenges they are having because they use only one vehicle to transfer inmates to different courts,” she said.

Lola Wey, a human rights advocate, has requested that the federal government investigate the logistics of detention facilities and repair any damaged vehicles.

Wey questioned why detainees would be left to wait for a trial since Nigeria’s annual budget allots a substantial sum of money to transport them to court.

Wey argued for appropriate oversight of the budgetary spending for correctional facilities in order to address the nation’s prison overcrowding problem.

“Many cases have been abandoned just because defendants who come from prisons are not forthcoming. It is true that logistics challenge is one of the factors hindering them and the government should look into why there are no adequate vehicles to transport inmates vis a vis the budget to the Correctional Service,” she demanded.

A lawyer who craved anonymity said, “There is yearly allocation budgeted for all prisons in the country to take prisoners to court but these funds are being embezzled by some prison top officials.

“We lawyers are facing difficulties due to this challenge. We will come to court and accused persons won’t show up. You will hear stories like the prison did not bring them to court. It is really frustrating.

“Even in some cases, inmates have to contribute money to buy fuel for prison to take them to court. I want to plead with both Osun and the Federal Government to provide our prisons in the state with necessary facilities. The governor should give out vehicles for the sake of the inmates and to reduce congestion in our prisons.”

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