Vice President Yemi Osinbajo actively took initiatives to decongest prisons, thereby preventing likelihood of jailbreak while he served as Lagos State Attorney General, a human rights lawyer, Gabriel Giwa-Amu, has said.

Mr Osinbajo, a professor of law and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, was Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Lagos under former governor Bola Tinubu.

In a Sunday interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, Mr Giwa-Amu, explained how Mr Osinbajo worked hard to enhance administration of the criminal justice system, with relevant amendments to criminal procedures and the criminal laws itself.

“Lagos State took the war of decongestion of prisons seriously when it started buying vehicles and providing facilities towards bringing the inmates to court.

“Prior to his work as Attorney-General in Lagos State, we have cases when inmates will be in prison for nine months a year, and they will not be taken to court,” Mr Giwa-Amu, who is also CEO of Stephen and Solomon Foundation, a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) that offers free legal services to inmates said.

Mr Giwa-Amu said the interventions of the Lagos justice system started under Mr Osinbajo has helped many inmates to see to the conclusion of their court cases and prevent incidences of jailbreaks.

There have been three major jailbreaks between April 5 and October 23, 2021, around Nigeria, specifically in Owerri, Imo, Kabba in Kogi and Ibadan, Oyo, where about 995 inmates, mostly those awaiting trial, were set free by unknown gunmen.

On jailbreaks, the rights lawyer said congestion was responsible, stressing that if a large number of people are kept in confinement, there will be jailbreaks.

Mr Giwa-Amu wondered why the governments continue to keep condemned inmates at Correctional centres, instead of executing them as ordered by the court.

“My argument is if the law says execute the offender, don’t hold back once the convict has exhausted his rights of appeal. If today, the law is amended, says armed robbery to be given life imprisonment, I will support it.

“As of today, the law says death by hanging or firing squad, why should I advise a government to refuse to apply the law. Particularly, at this stage of insecurity in the land. In the USA, condemned criminals are still being executed,” he stated.


https://gazettengr.com/how-osinbajo-prevented-jailbreaks-in-lagos-rights-lawyer/

The man is hard-working and brilliant. But the jail break occurred in Oyo town.[color=#000099][/color] can

Are you still saying VP shouldn't contest with all these he did as AG of Lagos with support, and backing by his former boss, Jagaban who is not in his quality to influence his boys when it comes to discharging their duties in Governance.

Tinubu should kindly shelf his Presidential ambition for Osinbanjo, PYO is a more visionary and capable.

Unfortunately this is Nigeria where hardwork amounts to nothing, the template of the mediocre mind would still be followed and put as the standard.

Actually Lagos should have the highest number of crime being committed, highest number of prison inmates, highest number of awaiting trials and subsequently the most frequency of jail breaks, but non of these is happening.

Due to politics of calumny and the teaming high number of low minds in the country, Lagos State hasn't done anything spectacular to deserve commendations and you wonder why there's no development in the country? That is because on the election day, most of you would go out and vote the worst candidate or even avoid voting because you want an angel on the ballot.

There's no point stressing oneself discussing politics because majority are too stupid to understand the most salient points.

Osinbajo will surely be a good president.

Walahi ,all these have made him the best candidate for 2023 presidential ticket

I believe in Prof Osinbajo asides all of these, the convincing moment was when he was Acting President.