100 Inmates Regain Freedom in Ogun Jail Delivery Exercise

James Sowole in Abeokuta

No fewer than 100 inmates from the four correctional centres in Ogun State, regained their freedom in Jail Delivery Exercise, carried out by the state judiciary.
The inmates were released from Sagamu Correctional Centre; New Abeokuta Correctional Centre in Oba; Old Abeokuta Correctional Centre, in Ibara; Ilaro Correctional; and Ijebu Ode Correctional Centre.

The lucky inmates were set free following a review of their cases by the Chief Judge of Ogun State, Justice Mosunmola Dipeolu.

The review process commenced on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, with 36 inmates regaining their freedom in Sagamu while 20 inmates were released at the new Abeokuta Centre, Oba last Thursday, along with 12 at Ibara.

The final day, Friday, saw the liberation of 16 inmates in Ilaro and an additional 16 in Ijebu-Ode Correctional centres.

The state’s Chief Judge, who was at the various facilities accompanied by some judges and magistrates, said that the jail delivery exercises were in line with the state government’s efforts to decongest correctional centres in the state.          

         
She explained that some were released due to old age while others were based on health issues and for being in detention for long years without any ongoing proceedings.

Dipeolu said: “It’s part of the duty of the honourable Chief Judge to go on jail delivery exercises once in a while and decongest the prisons.

 “Only one was released here in Oba due to old age and of course, DPP says he has no case to answer, while the others have been in custody for many years.
“It’s either their case files cannot be located or witnesses are not forthcoming, for as far back as 2017, 2019, 2020 they’ve been in custody and their cases are not going on. So, there’s no point keeping them here and feeding them on taxpayers’ money.”

She advised the freed inmates to reintegrate into society and become good citizens, warning that if they returned to their old ways, they would not be lucky again.

“They should go back into the society and be good citizens, we have their records, and we always tell them, ‘If you come back, you would not be lucky the second time’ so we implore them to be of good behaviour.

“Let them go back into the society and find something tangible to do with their lives.”

Meanwhile, the State Controller of Correctional Services, Abioye Adesina expressed satisfaction over the decongestion and appealed to the state government for more operational vehicles for the movement of inmates.