Lagos state government is capable of running prisons within the state effectively, if there is constitutional amendment.
The Attorney-General and commissioner for justice, Adeniji Kazeem, said this during his inspection tour of Lagos prisons on Monday.
Accompanied by the comptroller of prisons, Lagos state command, Olumide Tinuade, the Attorney-general’s first port of call was the Nigerian Prison service, Ikoyi. The total population of inmates here is 2508 as against its 800 capacity.
Total number of awaiting trial is put at 2047 while convicted is 461, all male.Cameras are not allowed beyond this point. But in there, Inmates are more than a hundred in a room.
The inspectors moved to Apapa Medium security Prison with a population of 2979.
Awaiting trial being 2634, and convicted 345.
Kazeem described the state of the these prisons as appalling and not fit for reformation, hence the need for the state government to come in.
