A Survey Study of the Remedial Justification of the Nigerian Prison System: The Need to Restructure and Overhaul the Legal Regime

• Author: Igwe Onyebuchi Igwe - Hemen Philip Faga - Uchechukwu Uguru
• Position: Lecturer, PhD, Faculty of Law, Ebonyi State University Abakaliki, Nigeria - Senior Lecturer, PhD, Faculty of Law, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria - Senior Lecturer, PhD, Faculty of Law, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria
• Pages: 112-121

ACTA UNIVERSITATIS DANUBIUS Vol. 15, no. 2/2019

112

Igwe Onyebuchi IGWE,

1

Hemen Philip FAGA,

2

Uchechukwu UGURU

3

Abstract: The objective of thi s paper was to carry out a survey of remedial justification of t he

Nigerian prison system with a view to proffering solutions aimed at the restructure and overhaul of

the legal re gime. The paper utilised both qualitative and quantitative methods of investigation.It

adopted a case study and empirical review of corrective facilitiesavailable in Abakaliki, Enugu and

Kuje Prisons all in Nigeriathrough a structured questionnaire administered to staff and inmates of

these prisons for the purpose of ascertaining the adequacy of such facilities. The results showed a

gross neglect of Nigerian prisons and a departure from the goal of rehabilitation and reformation of

inmates. The paper however, found that the major challenges to restructuring Nigerian prisons flowed

from the lacunae in the prisons law, unfaithfulness of the Nigerian government to promoting a viable

criminal justice system through prisons reforms and public apathy. Our results in this paper will

benefit researchers and policy makers, which is aimed at galvanizing opinions towards overhaul of

the legal regime of the Nigerian prisons system.

Key words: prisons; remedial justification; restructure; legal regime

1. Introduction

This paper carries out a review of the remedial justification for the restructure and

overhaul of legal regime in Nigerian prison system with a view toensure that

prisons in Nigeria not only contribute to the growth of economy but also serve as

machineries for character remodeling instead of representing vehicles for waste of

scarce resources.The agenda for the restructure and overhaul of the prisons system

in Nigeria has been the subject for media and academic debates for several

1

Lecturer, PhD, Faculty of Law, Ebonyi State University Abakaliki, Nigeria, Address: P.M.B 058,

Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria, Corresponding author: igwelaw2010@gmail.com.

2

Senior Lecturer, PhD, Faculty of Law, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria, Address: P.M.B

058, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria, E-mail: hemenfaga@gmail.com.

3

Senior Lecturer, PhD, Faculty of Law, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria, Address: P.M.B

058, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria.

AUDJ, Vol. 15, No. 2/2019, pp. 112-121

A Survey Study of the Remedial

Justification of the Nigerian Prison System:

The Need to Restructure and Overhaul the

Legal Regime