The Senate made the appeal specifically to the Chief Justice of Nigeria and the Comptroller General of Prisons.
The federal lawmakers want the two institutions to immediately conduct an audit to verify the number of prison inmates on awaiting trial but have been denied diligent prosecution.
The Senate’s resolutions followed a motion sponsored by Senator SAMUEL ANYANWU of the PDP from Imo East, who stressed the urgent need to decongest Nigerian Prisons.
Senator ANYANWU underscored the negative effect of prison congestion on the criminal justice system, as well as the environmental hazard the trend constitute for both prison inmates, prison officials and their immediate surroundings.
Other Senators who were present at the plenary were in agreement on the position that prisons facilities in Nigeria are overstretched.
