57 Inmates Regain Freedom In Ekiti Jail Delivery Exercise

No fewer than 57 inmates have regained their freedom at the Ado-Ekiti Custodial Centre following a jail delivery exercise carried out by the Ekiti State Judiciary.

According to a statement issued by the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Ekiti State Command, and signed by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, CSC Babalola Foluso, the exercise, led by the Chief Judge of Ekiti State, Justice Lekan Ogunmoye, formed part of efforts to review pending cases and address custodial congestion within the facility.

“In the course of the exercise, a total of five hundred and ninety (590) cases were reviewed. The Chief Judge granted bail to six (6) inmates, discharged nine (9) inmates for lack of evidence, and ordered the unconditional release of forty-two (42) others,” the statement noted.

Justice Ogunmoye also commended officers and personnel of the Nigerian Correctional Service for their dedication in ensuring inmates are regularly produced in court. He urged them to sustain the commitment in the interest of effective justice administration.

In her welcome address, the Controller of Corrections, Ekiti State Command, Oluremi Christy Okuseinde, appreciated the Ekiti State Judiciary, particularly the Chief Judge, as well as the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Dayo Apata (SAN), for their consistency in conducting jail delivery exercises.

Okuseinde noted that the intervention had continued to provide significant relief for inmates while contributing to the decongestion of custodial facilities in the state. She also called for stronger inter-agency collaboration to further improve judicial processes.

The Controller reaffirmed the Command’s commitment, under the leadership of the Controller-General of Corrections, Sylvester Ndidi Nwakuche, to ensuring the safe custody, reformation, and rehabilitation of inmates in line with the Nigerian Correctional Service Act.

The exercise was attended by the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, High Court Judges, Magistrates, the State Director of Public Prosecutions, Julius Ajibare, and other stakeholders in the justice sector.