By Okanlawon Olatomide Salymon (SIWES student Crescent University Abeokuta)
A circular dated October 18, 2023, titled Rejection of New Inmates by Correctional Service, has been issued to magistrates in Lagos State by Joy Uggbomoiko, the Deputy Chief Registrar of the Lagos State High Court.
The directive requires magistrates to cease the practice of granting remand orders for suspects to be detained in prison by the police.
This directive comes as a response to recent cases of overcrowding in correctional service facilities, which have made it impossible to accommodate new inmates.
Until now, the police could secure remand orders from magistrates to send suspects to prison, but this practice has now been banned.
In the updated circular, the Deputy Chief Registrar instructs magistrates to refrain from granting remand orders to the police entirely.
The only exception allowed is for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The circular emphasizes, I have been further directed to inform Your Honours to stop accepting overnight cases from any police station, formation, or command except EFCC cases until directed otherwise.
This overrides earlier directives for defendants to be held in police custody. No magistrate shall order any police to detain a defendant at the station.
