The Chief Judge of Ogun State, Justice Mosunmola Dipeolu, on Wednesday, disclosed that 356 awaiting trial inmates have been freed in the state between 2024 and 2025.
Justice Dipeolu who spoke at a Jail Delivery Exercise held at the ceremonial court of the Judiciary Complex, Kobape, Abeokuta, said the inmates were selected across the five correctional facilities in the state.+See more details
Recall that during a Jail Delivery Exercise conducted between 29 and 30 April 2024, visits were made to the Ilaro, Oba, and Ibara Correctional Centres, resulting in the release of 48 inmates after extensive scrutiny and in November 2024, an additional 49 inmates were released from various custodial facilities.
DAILY POST reports that in May 2025, the judiciary released 100 inmates and after a decongestion exercise at the Sagamu Correctional Center between Monday, November 24, 2025, and Friday, December 5, 2025, 187 inmates were released.
As part of its continuous efforts to decongest the correctional facilities across the state and uphold the right of individual, 29 inmates were freed on Monday, 23 from the New Abeokuta Custodial Centre, Oba, and six from Old Abeokuta Custodial Centre, Ibara, while on Wednesday, 11 inmates, five from Sagamu, two from Ijebu-Ode, three from Ilaro and one from the Old Abeokuta Custodial Centre, Ibara, were released.
According to the Chief Judge, the exercise represents one of the most critical judicial mechanisms for safeguarding the rule of law, protecting fundamental rights, and ensuring that justice is not undermined by delay, neglect, or procedural inertia.
She said, “Prolonged pre-trial detention and congestion in correctional facilities remain persistent challenges within our justice system. Such conditions offend the presumption of innocence and undermine public confidence in the administration of justice.
“This Jail Delivery Exercise is therefore neither an act of benevolence nor an indulgence of discretion. It is a constitutionally anchored judicial responsibility designed to review cases, eliminate unjustified detention, and reaffirm public trust in the justice system. It serves as a corrective mechanism through which the judiciary ensures that correctional facilities do not become warehouses for forgotten citizens.
“Between 2024 and date, continuous Jail Delivery Exercises and Intervention Week sittings conducted by Magistrates have facilitated the release of 316 inmates across five correctional centres in Ogun State.
“On Monday, 15th December, 2025, 29 inmates were released from the Oba and Ibara Correctional Service Centres. Today’s exercise builds upon these achievements, as additional awaiting-trial inmates have been identified as deserving of release.”
She advised the freed inmates to rebuild their lives with renewed purpose and see their freedom as an opportunity for reflection, personal growth and reintegration.
Justice Dipeolu appreciated the Sub-Committee on Decongestion of Correctional Centres comprising members of the Judiciary, the Ministry of Justice, the Nigerian Correctional Service, the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria, the Nigeria Police Force, civil society organisations, among others for their dedication and hard work in strengthening the administration of justice in the State.
She however urged all to remain steadfast in upholding the supremacy of the constitution, the sanctity of personal liberty, and the dignity of the human person, saying, “Justice must not only be done; it must be seen, felt, and trusted by the people it serves.”
𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁𝘀𝗔𝗽𝗽 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗹 𝗧𝗼 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗟𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀 𝗔𝘀 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗗𝗿𝗼𝗽!
