Kayode Ajulo, a constitutional lawyer, has urged the federal government to introduce electronic tags for inmates awaiting trial in correctional centres to ease overcrowding.

Mr Ajulo, who made the call in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday, said this would address the issue of overcrowding in correctional centres, expedite the judicial process, and optimise the utilisation of government resources.

Mr Ajulo said the current state of Nigeria’s correctional centres was burdened by the high number of inmates awaiting trial.

He said a significant proportion of the population of the centres comprised individuals who had not yet been convicted.

According to him, it not only exacerbates issues of overcrowding but also places an enormous financial strain on government resources allocated for the maintenance of these individuals.

He said the primary objective of this proposal is to introduce a comprehensive system of prison electronic tags for inmates awaiting trial.

Mr Ajulo further said that to effectively implement the prison electronic tag system, steps such as needs assessment, collaborative partnerships, a legislative framework, a pilot programme, and capacity building, among others, must be considered.

The Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) designate said the successful implementation of the prison electronic tag system would require a well-defined budget.

He said it will also represent a significant step towards addressing the challenges faced by Nigeria’s correctional centres system.

Mr Ajulo urged the government to consider the proposal and initiate the necessary steps to pilot and implement the prison electronic tagging system in Nigeria.

(NAN)