By Prosper Mene
The Chief Judge of Ogun State, Justice Mosunmola Dipeolu, has called on the state government to construct additional correctional facilities as a lasting solution to the severe overcrowding plaguing the state’s five custodial centres.
Justice Dipeolu made the appeal on Monday during a jail delivery exercise at the Oba and Ibara Correctional Centres in Abeokuta, where she freed 29 inmates โ 23 from the New Abeokuta Custodial Centre in Oba and six from the Old Abeokuta Custodial Centre in Ibara.
Speaking to journalists after the exercise, the Chief Judge emphasised that periodic jail deliveries and other judicial interventions, while helpful, are insufficient to address the root cause of congestion.
โThe jail delivery exercise alone is not enough. We need more correctional facilities, and only the government can make that happen,โ she said, adding that crime rates are rising daily, leading to heavier caseloads for judges , with some handling at least 300 cases each.
She lamented the highly congested state of the facilities, noting that a recent distress message from the Ogun State Controller of Correctional Centres highlighted the urgency of the situation.
Justice Dipeolu stressed the need for broader reforms, including regular jail deliveries, non-custodial sentences for minor offences, restitution to victims, and other measures to safeguard the justice system’s integrity.
The latest releases bring the total number of inmates freed under her administration’s decongestion efforts to over 300 this year alone, including 187 from a special intervention at Sagamu Correctional Centre last month, 100 in May, and others in prior exercises.
She urged the released inmates to reform and avoid reoffending, warning that future opportunities for clemency may not be available.
The Chief Judge also announced a forthcoming Special Intervention Week at the Ilaro Correctional Centre from December 15 to 23, 2025, to review 235 cases.
Overcrowding remains a nationwide challenge in Nigeria’s correctional system, contributing to security risks and poor conditions, as noted in recent reports.
These images illustrate the ongoing challenges and efforts to address overcrowding in Ogun State’s correctional facilities.
