APPARENTLY worried by the increasing population of awaiting trial inmates, the Federal Government has again stressed the urgent need to decongest prisons across the country.The Attorney General and Minister of Justice of the Federation, Mohamed Bello Adoke, articulated the government's position at a roundtable on Non-Custodial Sentencing, Alternative Dispute Resolution and Retroactive Justice System organised by the ministry in conjunction with the National Judicial Council and the CURE Nigeria Initiative.He said that the government would vigorously pursue measures to address the disturbing statistics in Nigerian prisons.Adoke, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry and the Solicitor General of the Federation, Dr. Abdulahi Yola, stated that statistics revealed that over 70 per cent of the entire prison population were awaiting trial iinmates.'I expect this forum to address the root causes of our current disturbing statistics, which put awaiting trial inmates' population at approximately 70 per cent of the entire prison population. This figure is indefensible and must not be allowed to persist as it reflects negatively on our entire criminal justice, both within and outside the country', he said.He stated further that new initiatives should be adopted by the nation's criminal justice sector so as to give the system a humane face.
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