Stakeholders lament rising number of awaiting trial inmates in Benue

Key actors in the justice sector have expressed concern over the growing population of inmates awaiting trial in Benue State’s correctional facilities.

The Executive Director of the Elohim Development Foundation, Dr. Victoria Egwor Daaor, on Monday faulted the condition of correctional centres in the state, stating that they “seem not to be correctional enough,” as some inmates reportedly leave in worse condition than when they were admitted.

She spoke during a validation session of the Independent Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL) State Monitoring Committee, held at Grace Hall of the foundation in Makurdi, the Benue State capital. The meeting brought together journalists, civil society groups, and legal practitioners.

Participants at the session voiced deep worries about the condition of custodial facilities and broader challenges within the state’s justice system.

Dr. Daaor described the facilities as “not good enough,” comparing them to “places where animals stay.”

According to her, the committee’s mandate includes tracking compliance with the ACJL by relevant institutions, with the aim of ensuring timely trials, reducing prolonged detention before trial, and easing congestion in correctional centres.

Also speaking, Awashima Adingi, Acting Director of Research and Statistics at the Ministry of Justice, shared findings from a review of 62 cases drawn from correctional centres in Makurdi and Gboko.

She disclosed that 34 of the cases were from the Makurdi Maximum Custodial Centre, while 28 came from the Gboko facility.

Adingi noted that although the ACJL stipulates that trials should be concluded within three months, many detainees have remained in custody for several years awaiting trial.