The Chief Judge of Ekiti, Justice Lekan Ogunmoye, has ordered the release of 57 awaiting trial inmates at the Ado-Ekiti Correctional Centre.
The release followed a jail delivery exercise conducted by the Chief Judge during an official visit to the correctional facility.
Justice Ogunmoye reviewed 518 cases involving 511 male and seven female inmates during the exercise.
The Chief Judge commended stakeholders, including the Nigeria Police Force legal unit, the Director of Public Prosecutions, lawyers from the public and private bars, and court registrars, for their support.
He also praised the management of the Ado-Ekiti Correctional Centre for maintaining a hygienic environment and ensuring the wellbeing of inmates, while urging the released inmates to be law-abiding.
Out of the cases reviewed, six inmates were granted bail, nine were discharged for having no case to answer, while 42 were released unconditionally due to ill health and minor offences.
The Comptroller of Corrections in Ekiti State, CC Oluremi Okuseinde, described the visit as timely, noting that it would bring relief to many inmates.
She disclosed that the facility was overcrowded, housing 922 inmates against its approved capacity of 324.
Okuseinde appealed for additional cells and infrastructure to enhance proper classification, sentence planning, reformation and rehabilitation of inmates.
Those present at the exercise included the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in Ekiti State, Mr Dayo Apata, SAN, High Court judges, the Director of the Legal Aid Council in the state, Mr Adeyinka Opaleke, magistrates and other stakeholders.
