Approximately 67 inmates have regained their freedom following a comprehensive review of cases at three correctional facilities in Ogun State. The release was authorized by the Chief Judge of Ogun State, Justice Mosunmola Dipeolu, as part of the state government's prison decongestion initiative.

The jail delivery exercise, conducted over two days, saw 35 inmates released from Sagamu Correctional Centre on Wednesday, while 20 inmates from New Abeokuta Correctional Centre in Oba and 12 from Ibara Correctional Centre were freed on Thursday.

Justice Dipeolu, who was accompanied by judges and magistrates during the facility visits, explained that the exercise is conducted quarterly to address overcrowding in the state's correctional facilities.

"It's part of the duty of the Chief Judge to go on jail delivery exercises like once in a quarter and decongest the prisons," she stated.

According to the Chief Judge, the inmates were released on various grounds, including old age, health concerns, and prolonged detention without ongoing proceedings. She highlighted cases of inmates who had been in custody since 2017, 2019, and 2020 without their cases progressing due to missing case files or unavailable witnesses.

"There's no point keeping them here and feeding them on taxpayers' money," Justice Dipeolu remarked, emphasizing the financial and humanitarian aspects of the decongestion effort.

The freed inmates received stern advice from the Chief Judge to reintegrate positively into society and become responsible citizens. She warned that their records would be maintained, and they would not receive similar leniency if they returned to criminal activities.

"We implore them to be of good behavior. Let them go back into society and find something tangible to do with their lives," she advised.

The State Controller of Corrections, Abioye Adesina, expressed satisfaction with the decongestion exercise while appealing to the state government to provide more operational vehicles to facilitate the transportation of inmates.

This jail delivery initiative reflects ongoing efforts by the Ogun State judiciary to address challenges within the correctional system while ensuring that justice is served appropriately.