The Lagos State government has captured criminal records of 14,636 inmates in the five Federal Prisons in the State through the Lagos Criminal Information System (LCIS) as at December 2018.

According to the LCIS report for the last quarter of 2018, theft is still the most prevailing offence for which inmates are incarcerated, followed closely by such offences as Breach of Peace, Cultism, Fighting, Murder and Armed Robbery.

The report stated further that the total built capacity for the Prisons in Lagos State, namely: Ikoyi, Badagry, Kirikiri Female, Medium and Maximum Security Prisons, is for 4,087 inmates, but has been heavily congested with the current inmate population of 9,247.

It stated that prisons in the State have become grossly inadequate to cater to the increasing number of inmates, thereby lending credence to the call by the Lagos State government for the construction and provision of new prison facilities in the State.

Shedding more light on crime demography in Lagos State, the LCIS report revealed that “top five locations where inmates committed offences include; Mushin, Apapa, Oshodi, Agege and Ibeju-Lekki, while cases of Defilement constituted 59% among Domestic and Sexual offenders, with Rape and Sexual Assault having 20% and 9% respectively”.

In the period under review, 75% of inmates at the Federal Prisons in Lagos State are recorded to be Awaiting Trial, with 17% convicted Inmates and 6% on remand.

The report also noted that the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) of the Ministry of Justice issued a total of 358 pieces of legal advice from the same number of duplicate case files received, with the breakdown showing; Miscellaneous (Stealing related offences) – 51, Sexual related – 138, Robbery – 91, Homicide – 50 and Fatal Motor Accident – 28.

Recall that during the launch of the Lagos Criminal Information System (LCIS) on July 24, 2018 as part of the reforms in the administration of Justice in the State, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Adeniji Kazeem (SAN), explained that the LCIS would serve as the databank for critical information on Inmates and criminal activities as well as crime demography to further enhance the administration of Justice in Lagos State.