Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, disclosed yesterday, that a bill proposing community service as alternative to prison term for miscellaneous offenders in the country is underway.
Gbajabiamila told newsmen in Abuja that when presented and passed, the new law will check congestion of prisons across the country.
He expressed concern over the state of prisons in the country, and said no fewer than 100 inmates, who currently sleep in one prison cell, could breed more criminals in the society.
The majority leader said a congested prison has attendant consequences, apart from the epidemic that may ensue.
“This is apart from the people who may be in there for a period of two months to six months because the alternative was to pay a fine of N20, 000 which they didn’t have.
“They are not criminals, but petty offenders involved in misdemeanours like wandering or trading illegally on the streets or hawking,” the lawmaker said.
He added that the situation in the prisons has the potential of producing more criminals and that, by the time the inmates come out, they are already hardened.
“So, the issue is for us to come up with a bill for community services for people like that, rather than making prison term an alternative. All over the world, they don’t serve prison terms for such offences.
“I am actually happy that the Community Service Bill is in the process and will be coming for second reading very soon, so that we can decongest our prisons.”
He explained that the bill would seek the removal of prison issues from the jurisdiction of the Federal Government, to the states, for improved services.
“The ultimate goal, for me, is for us to remove the issue of prisons from the Exclusive List and send it down to the states.
“If each state has about three or five prisons, we are talking about over 100 prisons across the country and that will help to reduce congestion.
“It should be a state matter because these people are tried for state offences mostly,” Gbajabiamila rounded off.

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