NAS Calls for Reform of Criminal Justice System in Nigeria

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

The National Association of Seadogs (NAS), Olympus Marino Deck, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has tasked the federal government with the reform of the administration of the criminal justice system that protects the citizens and positively promotes the nation’s integrity.

Speaking during the association humanitarian visit at the Maximum Correctional Facility in Port Harcourt yesterday, a former Capoon of the Deck, Mr. Ken Henshaw, stated that due to a dilapidated criminal justice system, over 70 percent of inmates have overstayed in the facility more than they should, even if they were convicted.

He noted there’s a need for the government to focus attention on the correctional facilities across the country and ensure the rehabilitation of the structures, including the well-being of the inmates.

Henshaw stated that:  “It is terrible that we are here and everybody is going about their business, getting married, having children, and 70 percent of the people (of 3,000 people) are innocent of any crime. It’s a very bad system. It’s a poor system. And beyond this, the federal government will take action to ensure that this is addressed.

“Some people here have stayed in this prison longer than they should have, even if they were convicted of the crime that they are accused of. So, when they are accused of a crime, the maximum sentence is three years, but they have been here for eight years awaiting trial. It’s an unfair system, and no society can claim modernity or civilisation if we let things like this happen.”

Also, speaking on the state of the facility, Henshaw said: “How can people live without electricity? The government needs to address the state of the prisons. It’s very important. The people here are human beings. They need healthcare. We’ve been to the pharmacy and the lab. There’s absolutely nothing there. The government needs to pay attention to this.”

He added: “My call to the government is that we need to reform our criminal justice system in Nigeria. We need to change it because any kind of administration of the criminal justice system that allows people who committed no crime, are awaiting trial, to be in detention for years, is a sinful system.

“It cannot happen in any other part of the world. It’s a system abhorrent to man and God. When innocent people are being detained, it should be against every single rule of humanity. So, the government needs to address the system. Beyond that, the facility is a pre-colonial facility, old infrastructure, old zinc, old walls, among others.”

Henshew further noted that there’s need for “decent budgetary allocation. But even beyond the budgetary allocation, we need to make sure that the budgetary allocation actually gets to the needs of the people. If the government actually disburses funds in the budgetary allocation to the correctional facilities, we shouldn’t still be seeing this.”

Also speaking, the current Capoon of the Olympus Marino Deck, Ilochi Nnamdi, said the visit was part of activities to mark NAS F18 Day, saying that it symbolises the association’s historic struggle for the respect of human rights and the rule of law, following the illegal incarceration of its members on February 18, 1997, by the then military government.

Nnamdi explained that: “This commemoration serves as a solemn reminder of the sacrifices made in defence of civil liberties and democratic principles, and as a renewed commitment to justice, accountability, and human dignity.”

He disclosed that during the visit, the Olympus Marino Deck donated medical supplies, clothing, consumables, and other essential items to inmates to improve their well-being and as a support for more humane living conditions within the facility. “This gesture underscores the association’s enduring dedication to social responsibility and the welfare of vulnerable populations,” he stated.

The capoon revealed that the activities to mark NAS F18 Day would continue in the coming weeks with a legal roundtable session, where legal practitioners and key stakeholders will examine critical issues surrounding incarceration, inmates’ rights, access to legal representation, and the need for sustained reforms within Nigeria’s correctional system.

On his part, the Chairman ofthe  Social Advocacy Committee of the Deck, Emery Okwapam, said they had the opportunity to engage with correctional authorities and inmates, focusing on the importance of humane treatment, access to justice, and respect for the fundamental rights of persons in custody.

He added that: “Over these years, we have successfully secured over a hundred inmates who are whole and hanging fruits, who for one reason or another could not pay fines or sign their bail bonds for them to be released. We have facilitated that over the years. So, we seek to collaborate with them and have the opportunity to improve the welfare of the inmates.”